AWEElittle boyHas opened a store,In two equal partsAre his front door,A wee little table,A wee little chair,And ebony chop-sticksAnd plate are there.
AWEElittle boy
Has opened a store,
In two equal parts
Are his front door,
A wee little table,
A wee little chair,
And ebony chop-sticks
And plate are there.
LADY-BUG, lady-bug,Fly away, do,Fly to the mountain,And feed upon dew,Feed upon dewAnd sleep on a rug,And then run awayLike a good little bug.
LADY-BUG, lady-bug,
Fly away, do,
Fly to the mountain,
And feed upon dew,
Feed upon dew
And sleep on a rug,
And then run away
Like a good little bug.
LITTLEbaby, go to bed,We'll put a hoop around your head,And with the oil we get thereby,Our little bean-cake we will fry.And when we've fried our bean-cake brown,We'll see the king go into town,An iron cap upon his head;Now-you-must-surely-go-to-bed.
LITTLEbaby, go to bed,
We'll put a hoop around your head,
And with the oil we get thereby,
Our little bean-cake we will fry.
And when we've fried our bean-cake brown,
We'll see the king go into town,
An iron cap upon his head;
Now-you-must-surely-go-to-bed.
ANERVOUSdispositionHe had when he was born,To hurry to a fair one day,He rose at early morn;Put on his wife's green trousersAnd started to the sale,A riding on a donkey—His face turned toward its tail.
ANERVOUSdisposition
He had when he was born,
To hurry to a fair one day,
He rose at early morn;
Put on his wife's green trousers
And started to the sale,
A riding on a donkey—
His face turned toward its tail.
LITTLEsnail, little snail,With your hard, stony bed,First stick out your horns,Then stick out your head.Your father and motherHave brought you some food,Fried liver and mutton,Now isn't that good?
LITTLEsnail, little snail,
With your hard, stony bed,
First stick out your horns,
Then stick out your head.
Your father and mother
Have brought you some food,
Fried liver and mutton,
Now isn't that good?
And now, little snail,Just as sure as I sayYou must eat it at once,Or I'll take it away.Oh where is the little snail gone, I pray tell?He has drawn himself up, head and horns, in his shell.
And now, little snail,
Just as sure as I say
You must eat it at once,
Or I'll take it away.
Oh where is the little snail gone, I pray tell?
He has drawn himself up, head and horns, in his shell.
MYbrother waterman,Listen, I request,On the south river bankYou sit and rest.When the day is bright,You carry all you can;And when the day is dark,You're a lazy old man.
MYbrother waterman,
Listen, I request,
On the south river bank
You sit and rest.
When the day is bright,
You carry all you can;
And when the day is dark,
You're a lazy old man.
ITjumped the chequered wall,The bleating little lamb,And snatched a bunch of grassTo feed its hungry dam.
ITjumped the chequered wall,
The bleating little lamb,
And snatched a bunch of grass
To feed its hungry dam.
OLDMr. Chang, I've oft heard it said,You wear a basket upon your head;You've two pairs of scissors to cut your meat,And two pairs of chopsticks with which you eat.
OLDMr. Chang, I've oft heard it said,
You wear a basket upon your head;
You've two pairs of scissors to cut your meat,
And two pairs of chopsticks with which you eat.
HEclimbed up the candlestick,The little mousey brown,To steal and eat tallow,And he couldn't get down.He called for his grandma,But his grandma was in town,So he doubled up into a wheelAnd rolled himself down.
HEclimbed up the candlestick,
The little mousey brown,
To steal and eat tallow,
And he couldn't get down.
He called for his grandma,
But his grandma was in town,
So he doubled up into a wheel
And rolled himself down.
COMINGfrom the fair!Coming from the fair!We bought a little bottleFor our baby over there;Alas! for we broke it,And we tried to buy another,But the shops were all closed,So we hurried home to mother.
COMINGfrom the fair!
Coming from the fair!
We bought a little bottle
For our baby over there;
Alas! for we broke it,
And we tried to buy another,
But the shops were all closed,
So we hurried home to mother.
ASADold cow to herself once said,While the north wind whistled through her shed:"To head a drum they will take my skin,And they'll file my bones for a big hair-pin,The scraps of bone they will make into dice,And sell them off at a very low price;My sinews they'll make into whips, I wot,And my flesh they'll put in a big soup pot."
ASADold cow to herself once said,
While the north wind whistled through her shed:
"To head a drum they will take my skin,
And they'll file my bones for a big hair-pin,
The scraps of bone they will make into dice,
And sell them off at a very low price;
My sinews they'll make into whips, I wot,
And my flesh they'll put in a big soup pot."
ANold black crow sat on a tree,And there he sat and said to me:"Ho, Mr. Wang, there's a sheep on the hill,Which I wish very much you would catch and kill;You may eat meat three times a day,And I'll eat the parts that you throw away."
ANold black crow sat on a tree,
And there he sat and said to me:
"Ho, Mr. Wang, there's a sheep on the hill,
Which I wish very much you would catch and kill;
You may eat meat three times a day,
And I'll eat the parts that you throw away."
PULLup your black beans,Pull up your brown,Then light your lampWhen the sun goes down.
PULLup your black beans,
Pull up your brown,
Then light your lamp
When the sun goes down.
IFyou wear your hat on the side of your head,You'll have a lazy wife 'tis said,If a slouchy coat and slipshod feet,You'll have a wife who loves to eat.
IFyou wear your hat on the side of your head,
You'll have a lazy wife 'tis said,
If a slouchy coat and slipshod feet,
You'll have a wife who loves to eat.
ONEgrab silver,Two grabs gold,Three, don't laughAnd you'll grow old.
ONEgrab silver,
Two grabs gold,
Three, don't laugh
And you'll grow old.
THEdragon pagoda,It touches the sky,The dragon pagoda,Thirteen stories high.
THEdragon pagoda,
It touches the sky,
The dragon pagoda,
Thirteen stories high.
LIKEa little withered flower,That is dying in the earth,I am left alone at seven,By her who gave me birth.With my papa I was happy,But I feared he'd take another,And now my papa's married,And I have a little brother.
LIKEa little withered flower,
That is dying in the earth,
I am left alone at seven,
By her who gave me birth.
With my papa I was happy,
But I feared he'd take another,
And now my papa's married,
And I have a little brother.
And he eats good food,While I eat poor,And cry for my mother,Whom I'll see no more.
And he eats good food,
While I eat poor,
And cry for my mother,
Whom I'll see no more.
JUSToutside my door, I heard someone say,A man bit a dog in a dangerous way;Such a message I n'er for a moment could stand,So I took up the door and I opened my hand,I snatched up the dog I should say double-quickAnd threw him with all of my force at a brick;The brick—I'm afraid you will not understand—I found in a moment had bitten my hand;I mounted a chair, on a horse I was borne,I blew on a drum, and I beat on a horn.
JUSToutside my door, I heard someone say,
A man bit a dog in a dangerous way;
Such a message I n'er for a moment could stand,
So I took up the door and I opened my hand,
I snatched up the dog I should say double-quick
And threw him with all of my force at a brick;
The brick—I'm afraid you will not understand—
I found in a moment had bitten my hand;
I mounted a chair, on a horse I was borne,
I blew on a drum, and I beat on a horn.
THEREwas a little girl and she dreamed, folks say,That her future mother-in-law came one day,And gold and plated presents brought,And a flowered gown and embroidered coat.
THEREwas a little girl and she dreamed, folks say,
That her future mother-in-law came one day,
And gold and plated presents brought,
And a flowered gown and embroidered coat.
PATa cake, pat a cake,Little girl fair,There's a priest in the templeWithout any hair.You take a tile,And I'll take a brick,And we'll hit the priestIn the back of the neck.
PATa cake, pat a cake,
Little girl fair,
There's a priest in the temple
Without any hair.
You take a tile,
And I'll take a brick,
And we'll hit the priest
In the back of the neck.
THEwily Emperor, Ch'in Shih Huang,He built a wall both great and strong;The steps were narrow, but the wall was stout,So it kept the troublesome Tartars out.
THEwily Emperor, Ch'in Shih Huang,
He built a wall both great and strong;
The steps were narrow, but the wall was stout,
So it kept the troublesome Tartars out.
HARDworm beansWithout any bother,A wife he has marriedAnd doesn't want his mother.He must leave his mother,Or quarrel with his wife,And thus they are separatedAll their life.
HARDworm beans
Without any bother,
A wife he has married
And doesn't want his mother.
He must leave his mother,
Or quarrel with his wife,
And thus they are separated
All their life.
HEate too much,That second brother,And when he had eatenHe beat his mother.
HEate too much,
That second brother,
And when he had eaten
He beat his mother.
HEpulled up the wickWith the candlestick knife,And found he had marriedA bald-headed wife.Her eyes were askew,And her mouth was awry,And the silly old fellowWas so mad he could cry.
HEpulled up the wick
With the candlestick knife,
And found he had married
A bald-headed wife.
Her eyes were askew,
And her mouth was awry,
And the silly old fellow
Was so mad he could cry.
ANEWLYmade kettle is bright,A newly bought pig is a bother,A new married wife will not eat,But cries and thinks of her mother.
ANEWLYmade kettle is bright,
A newly bought pig is a bother,
A new married wife will not eat,
But cries and thinks of her mother.
THEREwas a little fellow,Who was mischievous, they say,They sent him to the melon-patchTo watch it all the day.They told him he must stay thereTill the melons all were white,And not come home to mama,Not even in the night.
THEREwas a little fellow,
Who was mischievous, they say,
They sent him to the melon-patch
To watch it all the day.
They told him he must stay there
Till the melons all were white,
And not come home to mama,
Not even in the night.
LOOKat the white-breasted crows overhead!My father shot once, and ten crows tumbled dead.When boiled or when fried, they taste very good,But skin them, I tell you, there's no better food.
LOOKat the white-breasted crows overhead!
My father shot once, and ten crows tumbled dead.
When boiled or when fried, they taste very good,
But skin them, I tell you, there's no better food.
THEthieving old magpie has taken our food,The chicken eats millet as if it were good,The faithful old watch-dog looks after the house,And the cat has come over to catch us a mouse.
THEthieving old magpie has taken our food,
The chicken eats millet as if it were good,
The faithful old watch-dog looks after the house,
And the cat has come over to catch us a mouse.
ASthe sun came up, a ball of red,My teacher rode on his horse ahead,While I followed close on my dragon steed,He bythe street.and I bythe mead.
ASthe sun came up, a ball of red,
My teacher rode on his horse ahead,
While I followed close on my dragon steed,
He by
the street.
and I by
the mead.
BUMP, bump go away,Do not let our mama see;If she sees you on baby's head,She'll give no money for nurse's bread.
BUMP, bump go away,
Do not let our mama see;
If she sees you on baby's head,
She'll give no money for nurse's bread.
APLUMblossom foot,And a pudding face sweet,He's taller when he's sittingThan when standing on his feet.
APLUMblossom foot,
And a pudding face sweet,
He's taller when he's sitting
Than when standing on his feet.
MYpretty little son,I love him best of all,Three years I have not seen him,And he's grown so very tall.My horse he can ride,My knife he can take,Can shoulder up my kneading boardAnd help me sell my cake.
MYpretty little son,
I love him best of all,
Three years I have not seen him,
And he's grown so very tall.
My horse he can ride,
My knife he can take,
Can shoulder up my kneading board
And help me sell my cake.
THEtail of one magpie's as long as another,He married a wife and he gave up his mother,When asked by his mother to buy her some cake,He wanted to know how much money 'twould take;
THEtail of one magpie's as long as another,
He married a wife and he gave up his mother,
When asked by his mother to buy her some cake,
He wanted to know how much money 'twould take;
When his wife wanted pears he saddled his beast,And started to market to buy her a feast;He took off the peeling with very great airs,And asked her politely to have a few pears.
When his wife wanted pears he saddled his beast,
And started to market to buy her a feast;
He took off the peeling with very great airs,
And asked her politely to have a few pears.
THEmagpie sells his bean-curd dear.If you owe me,Then you I would seeOn just five days from the end of the year.
THEmagpie sells his bean-curd dear.
If you owe me,
Then you I would see
On just five days from the end of the year.
THISmischievous boyIs jumping around,On his head is a candlestickWeighing a pound;He is able to playAll the nine kinds of tricks,From the bell and the foot-ballTo wood-ball and sticks.
THISmischievous boy
Is jumping around,
On his head is a candlestick
Weighing a pound;
He is able to play
All the nine kinds of tricks,
From the bell and the foot-ball
To wood-ball and sticks.
SOMEONEis knocking loud at the door,The dog is making a great uproar;Now I inquire, who can it be?'Tis only a donkey-man I see,Calling out at the top of his voice:Here's the place to get your rice,Coarse rice or fine,Just to your mind,Rice in the husk,Or cleaned by the wind.
SOMEONEis knocking loud at the door,
The dog is making a great uproar;
Now I inquire, who can it be?
'Tis only a donkey-man I see,
Calling out at the top of his voice:
Here's the place to get your rice,
Coarse rice or fine,
Just to your mind,
Rice in the husk,
Or cleaned by the wind.
IWENTten steps outside the gate,Which brought me to the ditches,And there I found some chicken skin,To mend my leather breeches;If there had been no chicken skin,I could not mend my trousers thin.
IWENTten steps outside the gate,
Which brought me to the ditches,
And there I found some chicken skin,
To mend my leather breeches;
If there had been no chicken skin,
I could not mend my trousers thin.
WEpush the mill,The flour we make,And then for grandmaA cake we'll bake.
WEpush the mill,
The flour we make,
And then for grandma
A cake we'll bake.
INSpring, plant the turnip,In summer, the beet,When harvest is over,We sow the buckwheat.
INSpring, plant the turnip,
In summer, the beet,
When harvest is over,
We sow the buckwheat.
WEpull the big saw,We push the big saw,To saw up the wood,To build us a house,In order that babyMay have a good spouse.
WEpull the big saw,
We push the big saw,
To saw up the wood,
To build us a house,
In order that baby
May have a good spouse.
APURSE, a purse, for better or worse,Indeed, would you know it, I've married a purse.My wife's little daughter once fell very ill,And we called for a doctor to give her a pill;
APURSE, a purse, for better or worse,
Indeed, would you know it, I've married a purse.
My wife's little daughter once fell very ill,
And we called for a doctor to give her a pill;
He wrote a prescription which now we will give her,In which he has ordered a mosquito's liver,And then in addition the heart of a flea,And half pound of fly wings to make her some tea.
He wrote a prescription which now we will give her,
In which he has ordered a mosquito's liver,
And then in addition the heart of a flea,
And half pound of fly wings to make her some tea.
THEREwas a little girl,Who would run upon the street,She took rice and changed itFor good things to eat.Her mother lost control of herUntil she bound her feet,But now she's just as good a girlAs you will ever meet.
THEREwas a little girl,
Who would run upon the street,
She took rice and changed it
For good things to eat.
Her mother lost control of her
Until she bound her feet,
But now she's just as good a girl
As you will ever meet.
THEbigfatmerchant,He opened up a stall,But had to sell his trousersTo get the capital.
THE
big
fat
merchant,
He opened up a stall,
But had to sell his trousers
To get the capital.
THEREwere two little sisters went walking one day,Partly for exercise—partly for play,Their kites they took with them they wanted to fly,Were a big centipede and a big butterfly;In a very few moments they floated up high,Like a dragon that seemed to be touching the sky.
THEREwere two little sisters went walking one day,
Partly for exercise—partly for play,
Their kites they took with them they wanted to fly,
Were a big centipede and a big butterfly;
In a very few moments they floated up high,
Like a dragon that seemed to be touching the sky.
IThas both nose and eyes,But it has not breathed since birth,It cannot go to heaven,And it will not stay on earth.
IThas both nose and eyes,
But it has not breathed since birth,
It cannot go to heaven,
And it will not stay on earth.
YELLOWdog, yellow dog,You stay and watch,While I gather rosesIn the south rose-patch.
YELLOWdog, yellow dog,
You stay and watch,
While I gather roses
In the south rose-patch.
THEday has come,I hear the cock;Get up and dress,'Tis six o'clock.
THEday has come,
I hear the cock;
Get up and dress,
'Tis six o'clock.
ONthe top of the mount,By the road, on a stone—Or a big pile of bricks—Sat a bald-headed crone.On her head were three hairs,Which you'll reckon were thin,In which she was tryingTo wear a jade pin.She put it in once,But once it fell out;She put it in twice,But twice it fell out.But the old woman said,"I know what I'm about,I'll not put it inAnd it cannot fall out."
ONthe top of the mount,
By the road, on a stone—
Or a big pile of bricks—
Sat a bald-headed crone.
On her head were three hairs,
Which you'll reckon were thin,
In which she was trying
To wear a jade pin.
She put it in once,
But once it fell out;
She put it in twice,
But twice it fell out.
But the old woman said,
"I know what I'm about,
I'll not put it in
And it cannot fall out."
WHILEout selling clothes,As our uncle must do,He married a wifeWho is aunt to us two.She loves to eat cake,As you'll readily see,For she's left but a half oneFor brother and me.
WHILEout selling clothes,
As our uncle must do,
He married a wife
Who is aunt to us two.
She loves to eat cake,
As you'll readily see,
For she's left but a half one
For brother and me.