I had a little husband,No bigger than my thumb;I put him in a pint pot,And there I bid him drum.I bought a little horse,That galloped up and down;[Pg 236]I bridled him, and saddled him,And sent him out of town.I gave him some garters,To garter up his hose,And a little handkerchief,To wipe his pretty nose.Wash me and comb meWash me and comb me,And lay me down softly,And lay me on a bank to dry,That I may look prettyWhen somebody comes by.[Pg 237]Come take up your hats, and away let us hastes_i163b_0s_i163b_1OMEtake up your hats, and away let us haste,To the Butterfly's Ball, and the Grasshopper's Feast.The trumpeter, Gad-fly, has summoned the crew,And the revels are now only waiting for you.On the smooth shaven grass, by the side of a wood,Beneath a broad oak which for ages had stood,See the children of earth, and the tenants of air,To an evening's amusement together repair.[Pg 238]And there came the Beetle so blind and so black,Who carried the Emmet, his friend, on his back.And there came the Gnat and the Dragonfly too,With all their relations, green, orange, and blue.And there came the Moth, with her plumage of down,And the Hornet with jacket of yellow and brown;And with him the Wasp, his companion, did bring,But they promised that evening to lay by their sting.[Pg 239]Then the sly little Dormouse peeped out of his hole,And led to the Feast his blind cousin the Mole:And the Snail, with her horns peeping out of her shell,Came, fatigued with the distance, the length of an ell.A mushroom the table, and on it was spreadA water-dock leaf, which their table-cloth made.The viands were various, to each of their taste,And the Bee brought the honey to sweeten the feast.[Pg 240]With steps most majestic the Snail did advance,And he promised the gazers a minuet to dance;But they all laughed so loud that he drew in his head,And went in his own little chamber to bed.Then, as evening gave way to the shadows of night,Their watchman, the Glow-worm, came out with his light.So home let us hasten, while yet we can see,For no watchman is waiting for you or for me.[Pg 241]I had a little ponyI had a little pony,They called him Dapple Grey,I lent him to a lady,To ride a mile away.She whipped him, she lashed him,She drove him through the mire,I wadna gie my pony yetFor all the lady's hire.Diddle-y-diddle-y-dumptyDiddle-y-diddle-y-dumpty,The cat run up the plum-tree,Half-a-crownTo fetch her down,Diddle-y-diddle-y-dumpty.[Pg 242]See, Saw, Margery Dawi174aEE, Saw, Margery Daw,Sold her bed and lay upon straw;Was not she a dirty slut,To sell her bed and lie in the dirt!Great A, little a, Bouncing B,The cat's in the cupboard, and she can't see.[Pg 243]There was a jovial beggari175HEREwas a jovial beggar,He had a wooden leg,Lame from his cradle,And forced for to beg.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!A bag for his oatmeal,Another for his salt;And a pair of crutches,To show that he can halt.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!A bag for his wheat,Another for his rye;A little bottle by his sideTo drink when he's a-dry.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go![Pg 244]Seven years I beggedFor my old Master Wild,He taught me to begWhen I was but a child.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!I begged for my master,And got him store of pelf;And now, Jove be praised!I'm begging for myself.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!In a hollow treeI live, and pay no rent;Providence provides for me,And I am well content.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go![Pg 245]Of all the occupations,A beggar's life's the best;For whene'er he's weary,He'll lay him down and rest.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go,And a-begging we will go!I fear no plots against me,I live in open cell;Then who would be a king,When beggars live so well?And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!Now what do you thinkNow what do you thinkOf little Jack Jingle?Before he was marriedHe used to live single.[Pg 246]Bobby ShaftoeBobby Shaftoe's gone to sea,Silver buckles on his knee;He'll come back and marry me,Bonny Bobby Shaftoe!Bobby Shaftoe's young and fair,Combing down his yellow hair,He's my love for evermore,Bonny Bobby Shaftoe.For want of a nailFor want of a nail, the shoe was lost,For want of the shoe, the horse was lost,For want of the horse, the rider was lost,For want of the rider, the battle was lost,For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost,And all from the want of a horseshoe nail![Pg 247]Rub-a-dub-dubi176UB-A-DUB-DUBThree men in a tub,And who do you think they be?The butcher, the baker,The candlestick-maker;Turn 'em out, knaves all three!There was an old woman called Nothing-at-allThere was an old woman called Nothing-at-all,Who rejoiced in a dwelling exceedingly small;A man stretched his mouth to its utmost extent, And down at one gulp house and old woman went.[Pg 248]Jacky, come give me thy fiddlei177ACKY, come give me thy fiddle,If ever thou mean to thrive.Nay; I'll not give my fiddleTo any man alive.If I should give my fiddle,They'll think that I'm gone mad;For many a joyful dayMy fiddle and I have had.Young Lambs to sellYoung Lambs to sell!Young Lambs to sell!If I'd as much money as I can tell, I never would cry—Young Lambs to sell![Pg 249]i178"Young Lambs To Sell"[Pg 251][Pg 250]Johnny Pringle had a little pigJohnny Pringle had a little pig,It was very little, so not very big:As it was playing on a dunghill,In a moment poor piggy was killed.So Johnny Pringle, he sat down and cried,Betsy Pringle, she lay down and died.There is the history of one, two, and three,Johnny Pringle, Betsy Pringle, and little Piggy.Yet didn't you seeYet didn't you see, yet didn't you see,What naughty tricks they put upon me:They broke my pitcher,And spilt my water,And huffed my mother,And chid her daughter,And kissed my sister instead of me.[Pg 252]Hot-cross Buns!Hot-cross Buns!Hot-cross Buns!One a penny, two a pennyHot-cross Buns!Hot-cross Buns!Hot-cross Buns!If ye have no daughters,Give them to your sons.[Pg 253]Jack JingleJack Jingle went 'prenticeTo make a horseshoe,He wasted the ironTill it would not do.His master came in,And began for to rail;Says Jack, "The shoe's spoiled,But 'twill still make a nail."He tried at the nail,But, chancing to miss,Says, "If it won't make a nail,It shall yet make a hiss."Then into the waterThrew the hot iron, smack."Hiss!" quoth the iron;"I thought so," says Jack.[Pg 254]Hey ding-a-dingHey ding-a-ding,I heard a bird sing,The parliament soldiersAre gone to the king.Willy boy, where are you going?Willy boy, Willy boy, where are you going?I will go with you, if that I may.I'm going to the meadow to see them a mowing,I'm going to help them make the hay.[Pg 255]Little Nancy EtticoatLittle Nancy Etticoat,In a white petticoat,And a red nose;The longer she stands,The shorter she grows.He that would thriveHe that would thrive,Must rise at five;He that hath thriven,May lie till seven;And he that by the plough would thrive,Himself must either hold or drive.[Pg 256]I had a little nut treei182HADa little nut tree, nothing would it bearBut a silver apple and a golden pear;The King of Spain's daughter came to see me,And all for the sake of my little nut tree.I skipped over water, I danced over sea,And all the birds in the air couldn't catch me.An apple pieAn apple pie, when it looks nice,Would make one long to have a slice,But if the taste should prove so, too,I fear one slice would scarcely do.So to prevent my asking twice,Pray, mamma, cut a good large slice.[Pg 257]i183I Had a Little Nut Tree[Pg 259][Pg 258]I saw three ships come sailing byI saw three ships come sailing by,Sailing by, sailing by,I saw three ships come sailing by,On New-Year's Day in the morning.And what do you think was in them then,In them then, in them then?And what do you think was in them then,On New-Year's Day in the morning.Three pretty girls were in them then,In them then, in them then,Three pretty girls were in them then,On New-Year's Day in the morning.And one could whistle, and one could sing,And one could play on the violin,Such joy there was at my wedding,On New-Year's Day in the morning.[Pg 260]Oh, who is so merryOh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho!As the light-hearted fairy, heigh ho! heigh ho!He dances and singsTo the sound of his wings,With a hey and a heigh and a ho!Oh, who is so merry, so airy, heigh ho!As the light-hearted fairy, heigh ho! heigh ho!His nectar he sipsFrom a primrose's lips,With a hey and a heigh and a ho!Oh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho!As the light-footed fairy, heigh ho! heigh ho!His night is the noonAnd his sun is the moon,With a hey and a heigh and a ho![Pg 261]One, two, three, four, fivei184aNE, two, three, four, five,I have caught a fish alive;Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,I have let it go again.Why did you let it go?Because it bit my finger so.Which finger did it bite?The little one on the right.Little Polly FlindersLittle Polly FlindersSat among the cinders,Warming her pretty little toes!Her mother came and caught her, And whipped her little daughter,For spoiling her nice new clothes.[Pg 262]A curious discourseA curious discourse about an Apple-pie, that passed between the Twenty-five Letters at Dinner-time.Says A, Give me a good large slice.Says B, A little Bit, but nice.Says C, Cut me a piece of Crust.Says D, It is as Dry as Dust.Says E, I'll Eat now, fast who will.Says F, I vow I'll have my Fill.Says G, Give it to me Good and Great.Says H, A little bit I Hate.Says I, I love the Juice the best.And K the very same confessed.Says L, There's nothing more I Love.Says M, It makes your teeth to Move.N Noticed what the others said.O Others' plates with grief surveyed.P Praised the cook up to the life.Q Quarrelled 'cause he'd a bad knife.Says R, It Runs short, I'm afraid.S Silent sat, and nothing said.T thought that Talking might lose time.U Understood it at meals a crime.W Wished there had been a quince in.Says X, Those cooks there's no convincing.[Pg 263]Says Y, I'll eat, let others wish.Z sat as mute as any fish.While ampersand, he licked the dish.The man in the moonThe man in the moonCame tumbling down,And asked his way to Norwich;He went by the south,And burnt his mouth,With supping cold pease-porridge.[Pg 264]There were three jovial WelshmenThere were three jovial Welshmen,As I have heard them say,And they would go a-huntingUpon St. David's day.All the day they hunted,And nothing could they find;But a ship a-sailing,A-sailing with the wind.One said it was a ship.The other he said "Nay;"The third said it was a house,With the chimney blown away.And all the night they hunted,And nothing could they find,But the moon a-gliding,A-gliding with the wind.[Pg 265]One said it was the moon,The other he said "Nay;"The third said it was a cheese,And half o' it cut away.The Hart he loves the high woodThe Hart he loves the high wood,The Hare she loves the hill,The Knight he loves his bright sword,The Lady—loves her will.I had a little moppetI had a little moppet,I kept it in my pocket,And fed it with corn and hay,There came a proud beggarWho swore he would have her,And stole little moppet away.[Pg 266]Wee Willie WinkieWee Willie Winkie runs through the town,Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown,Rapping at the window, crying through the lock,"Are the children in their beds, for now it's eight o'clock?"There was a little womanThere was a little woman, as I've been told,Who was not very young, nor yet very old,Now this little woman her living got,By selling codlins, hot, hot, hot!Around the green gravelAround the green gravel the grass grows green,And all the pretty maids are plain to be seen;Wash them with milk, and clothe them with silk,And write their names with a pen and ink.[Pg 267]Buttons a farthing a pairButtons a farthing a pair,Come, who will buy them of me?They're round and sound and pretty,And fit for the girls of the city.Come, who will buy them of me,Buttons a farthing a pair?As little Jenny WrenAs little Jenny WrenWas sitting by the shed,She waggled with her tail,And nodded with her head.She waggled with her tail,And nodded with her head,As little Jenny WrenWas sitting by the shed.[Pg 268]Three blind miceThree blind mice, see how they run!They all ran after the farmer's wife,Who cut off their tails with the carving-knife,Did you ever see such a thing in your life?As three blind mice.[Pg 269]The north wind doth blowThe north wind doth blow,And we shall have snow,And what will poor Robin do then?Poor thing!He'll sit in a barn,And to keep himself warm,Will hide his head under his wing.Poor thing![Pg 270]Bless you, burny-beeBless you, bless you, burny-bee:Say when will your wedding be?If it be to-morrow day,Take your wings and fly away.The rose is redThe rose is red, the violet blue,The gilly-flower sweet, and so are youThese are the words you bade me sayFor a pair of new gloves on Easter-day.Simple Simon met a piemanSimple Simon met a piemanGoing to the fair;Says Simple Simon to the pieman,"Let me taste your ware."[Pg 271]i188Simple Simon[Pg 273]Says the pieman to Simple Simon,"Show me first your penny."Says Simple Simon to the pieman,"Indeed, I have not any."Simple Simon went a-fishing,For to catch a whale;All the water he had gotWas in his mother's pail.[Pg 274]Yankee DoodleYankee Doodle went to town,Upon a little pony;He stuck a feather in his hat,And called it Macaroni.i190Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-deeTweedle-dum and Tweedle-deeResolved to have a battle,For Tweedle-dum said Tweedle-deeHad spoiled his nice new rattle.[Pg 275]Just then flew by a monstrous crow,As big as a tar barrel,Which frightened both the heroes so,They quite forgot their quarrel.Here's Sulky SueHere's Sulky Sue,What shall we do?Turn her face to the wallTill she comes to.[Pg 276]Jack Sprat had a catJack SpratHad a cat,It had but one ear;It went to buy butter,When butter was dear.A long-tailed pigi192aLONG-TAILEDpig, and a short-tailed pig,Or a pig without e'er a tail,A sow pig, or a boar pig,Or a pig with a curly tail.[Pg 277]i193As I was going up Pippen Hill.As I was going up Pippen HillPippen Hill was dirty;There I met a pretty miss,And she dropped me a curtsey.Little miss, pretty miss,Blessings light upon you!If I had half-a-crown a day,I'd spend it all on you.[Pg 278]Lavender blue and rosemary greenLavender blue and rosemary green,When I am king you shall be queen;Call up my maids at four o'clock,Some to the wheel and some to the rock,Some to make hay and some to shear corn,And you and I will keep ourselves warm.Hey, my kitten, my kittenHey, my kitten, my kitten,And hey, my kitten, my deary!Such a sweet pet as thisWas neither far nor neary.Here we go up, up, up,And here we go down, down, downy;And here we go backwards and forwards,And here we go round, round, roundy.[Pg 279]i194"Here we go backwards and forwards."[Pg 281]Polly put the kettle oni195ai195bOLLY, put the kettle on,Polly, put the kettle on,Polly, put the kettle on,And we'll all have tea.Sukey, take it off again,Sukey, take it off again,Sukey, take it off again,They're all gone away.There was a little boy went into a barnThere was a little boy went into a barn,And lay down on some hay;An owl came out and flew about,And the little boy ran away.[Pg 282]The old woman and her pigi196Nold woman was sweeping her house, and she found a little crooked sixpence. "What," said she, "shall I do with this little sixpence? I will go to market, and buy a little pig."As she was coming home, she came to a stile; but the pig would not go over the stile.She went a little farther, and she met a dog. So she said to the dog—"Dog, dog, bite pig!Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the dog would not.She went a little farther, and she met a stick. So she said—"Stick, stick, beat dog!Dog won't bite pig;[Pg 283]Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the stick would not.She went a little farther, and she met a fire. So she said—"Fire, fire, burn stick!Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the fire would not.She went a little farther, and she met some water. So she said—"Water, water, quench fire!Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;[Pg 284]Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the water would not.She went a little farther, and she met an ox. So she said—"Ox, ox, drink water!Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the ox would not.She went a little farther, and she met a butcher. So she said—"Butcher, butcher, kill ox!Ox won't drink water;[Pg 285]Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the butcher would not.She went a little farther, and she met a rope. So she said—"Rope, rope, hang butcher!Butcher won't kill ox;Ox won't drink water;Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."[Pg 286]But the rope would not.She went a little farther, and she met a rat. So she said—"Rat, rat, gnaw rope!Rope won't hang butcher;Butcher won't kill ox;Ox won't drink water;Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the rat would not.She went a little farther, and she met a cat. So she said[Pg 287]—"Cat, cat, kill rat!Rat won't gnaw rope;Rope won't hang butcher;Butcher won't kill ox;Ox won't drink water;Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."The cat said, "If you will give me a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat."So the old woman gave the cat the milk, and when she had lapped up the milk—The cat began to kill the rat;The rat began to gnaw the rope;[Pg 288]The rope began to hang the butcher;The butcher began to kill the ox;The ox began to drink the water;The water began to quench the fire;The fire began to burn the stick;The stick began to beat the dog;The dog began to bite the pig;The pig jumped over the stile;And so the old woman got home that night.Tit, tat, toeTit, tat, toe,My first go,Three jolly butcher boysAll of a row;Stick one up,Stick one down,Stick one in the old man's crown.[Pg 289]Monday aloneMonday alone,Tuesday together,Wednesday we walkWhen it's fine weather.Thursday we kiss,Friday we cry,Saturday's hoursSeem almost to fly.But of all days in the weekWe will callSunday, the rest day,The best day of all.As I was going o'er Westminster BridgeAs I was going o'er Westminster Bridge,I met with a Westminster scholar;He pulled off his cap,an' drewoff his glove,And wished me a very good-morrow,What is his name?[Pg 290]i197aAs I walked by myselfi197bSI walked by myself,I talked to myself,And the self-same self said to me,Look out for thyself,Take care of thyself,For nobody cares for thee.[Pg 291]I answered myself,And said to myselfIn the self-same repartee,i198Look to thyself,Or not look to thyself,The self-same thing will be.[Pg 292]i199There was a Little man and he woo'd a Little maidThere was a little man,And he wooed a little maid,And he said, "Little maid, will you wed, wed, wed?I have little more to say,Than will you, yea or nay,For least said is soonest mended-ded, ded, ded."[Pg 293]The little maid replied,Some say a little sighed,"But what shall we have for to eat, eat, eat?Will the love that you're so rich inMake a fire in the kitchen?Or the little god of Love turn the spit, spit, spit?"Pussy sits beside the firePussy sits beside the fire,How can she be fair?In comes the little dog,Pussy, are you there?So, so, Mistress Pussy,Pray how do you do?Thank you, thank you, little dog,I'm very well just now.[Pg 294]
I had a little husband,No bigger than my thumb;I put him in a pint pot,And there I bid him drum.I bought a little horse,That galloped up and down;[Pg 236]I bridled him, and saddled him,And sent him out of town.I gave him some garters,To garter up his hose,And a little handkerchief,To wipe his pretty nose.Wash me and comb meWash me and comb me,And lay me down softly,And lay me on a bank to dry,That I may look prettyWhen somebody comes by.[Pg 237]Come take up your hats, and away let us hastes_i163b_0s_i163b_1OMEtake up your hats, and away let us haste,To the Butterfly's Ball, and the Grasshopper's Feast.The trumpeter, Gad-fly, has summoned the crew,And the revels are now only waiting for you.On the smooth shaven grass, by the side of a wood,Beneath a broad oak which for ages had stood,See the children of earth, and the tenants of air,To an evening's amusement together repair.[Pg 238]And there came the Beetle so blind and so black,Who carried the Emmet, his friend, on his back.And there came the Gnat and the Dragonfly too,With all their relations, green, orange, and blue.And there came the Moth, with her plumage of down,And the Hornet with jacket of yellow and brown;And with him the Wasp, his companion, did bring,But they promised that evening to lay by their sting.[Pg 239]Then the sly little Dormouse peeped out of his hole,And led to the Feast his blind cousin the Mole:And the Snail, with her horns peeping out of her shell,Came, fatigued with the distance, the length of an ell.A mushroom the table, and on it was spreadA water-dock leaf, which their table-cloth made.The viands were various, to each of their taste,And the Bee brought the honey to sweeten the feast.[Pg 240]With steps most majestic the Snail did advance,And he promised the gazers a minuet to dance;But they all laughed so loud that he drew in his head,And went in his own little chamber to bed.Then, as evening gave way to the shadows of night,Their watchman, the Glow-worm, came out with his light.So home let us hasten, while yet we can see,For no watchman is waiting for you or for me.[Pg 241]I had a little ponyI had a little pony,They called him Dapple Grey,I lent him to a lady,To ride a mile away.She whipped him, she lashed him,She drove him through the mire,I wadna gie my pony yetFor all the lady's hire.Diddle-y-diddle-y-dumptyDiddle-y-diddle-y-dumpty,The cat run up the plum-tree,Half-a-crownTo fetch her down,Diddle-y-diddle-y-dumpty.[Pg 242]See, Saw, Margery Dawi174aEE, Saw, Margery Daw,Sold her bed and lay upon straw;Was not she a dirty slut,To sell her bed and lie in the dirt!Great A, little a, Bouncing B,The cat's in the cupboard, and she can't see.[Pg 243]There was a jovial beggari175HEREwas a jovial beggar,He had a wooden leg,Lame from his cradle,And forced for to beg.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!A bag for his oatmeal,Another for his salt;And a pair of crutches,To show that he can halt.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!A bag for his wheat,Another for his rye;A little bottle by his sideTo drink when he's a-dry.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go![Pg 244]Seven years I beggedFor my old Master Wild,He taught me to begWhen I was but a child.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!I begged for my master,And got him store of pelf;And now, Jove be praised!I'm begging for myself.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!In a hollow treeI live, and pay no rent;Providence provides for me,And I am well content.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go![Pg 245]Of all the occupations,A beggar's life's the best;For whene'er he's weary,He'll lay him down and rest.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go,And a-begging we will go!I fear no plots against me,I live in open cell;Then who would be a king,When beggars live so well?And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!Now what do you thinkNow what do you thinkOf little Jack Jingle?Before he was marriedHe used to live single.[Pg 246]Bobby ShaftoeBobby Shaftoe's gone to sea,Silver buckles on his knee;He'll come back and marry me,Bonny Bobby Shaftoe!Bobby Shaftoe's young and fair,Combing down his yellow hair,He's my love for evermore,Bonny Bobby Shaftoe.For want of a nailFor want of a nail, the shoe was lost,For want of the shoe, the horse was lost,For want of the horse, the rider was lost,For want of the rider, the battle was lost,For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost,And all from the want of a horseshoe nail![Pg 247]Rub-a-dub-dubi176UB-A-DUB-DUBThree men in a tub,And who do you think they be?The butcher, the baker,The candlestick-maker;Turn 'em out, knaves all three!There was an old woman called Nothing-at-allThere was an old woman called Nothing-at-all,Who rejoiced in a dwelling exceedingly small;A man stretched his mouth to its utmost extent, And down at one gulp house and old woman went.[Pg 248]Jacky, come give me thy fiddlei177ACKY, come give me thy fiddle,If ever thou mean to thrive.Nay; I'll not give my fiddleTo any man alive.If I should give my fiddle,They'll think that I'm gone mad;For many a joyful dayMy fiddle and I have had.Young Lambs to sellYoung Lambs to sell!Young Lambs to sell!If I'd as much money as I can tell, I never would cry—Young Lambs to sell![Pg 249]i178"Young Lambs To Sell"[Pg 251][Pg 250]Johnny Pringle had a little pigJohnny Pringle had a little pig,It was very little, so not very big:As it was playing on a dunghill,In a moment poor piggy was killed.So Johnny Pringle, he sat down and cried,Betsy Pringle, she lay down and died.There is the history of one, two, and three,Johnny Pringle, Betsy Pringle, and little Piggy.Yet didn't you seeYet didn't you see, yet didn't you see,What naughty tricks they put upon me:They broke my pitcher,And spilt my water,And huffed my mother,And chid her daughter,And kissed my sister instead of me.[Pg 252]Hot-cross Buns!Hot-cross Buns!Hot-cross Buns!One a penny, two a pennyHot-cross Buns!Hot-cross Buns!Hot-cross Buns!If ye have no daughters,Give them to your sons.[Pg 253]Jack JingleJack Jingle went 'prenticeTo make a horseshoe,He wasted the ironTill it would not do.His master came in,And began for to rail;Says Jack, "The shoe's spoiled,But 'twill still make a nail."He tried at the nail,But, chancing to miss,Says, "If it won't make a nail,It shall yet make a hiss."Then into the waterThrew the hot iron, smack."Hiss!" quoth the iron;"I thought so," says Jack.[Pg 254]Hey ding-a-dingHey ding-a-ding,I heard a bird sing,The parliament soldiersAre gone to the king.Willy boy, where are you going?Willy boy, Willy boy, where are you going?I will go with you, if that I may.I'm going to the meadow to see them a mowing,I'm going to help them make the hay.[Pg 255]Little Nancy EtticoatLittle Nancy Etticoat,In a white petticoat,And a red nose;The longer she stands,The shorter she grows.He that would thriveHe that would thrive,Must rise at five;He that hath thriven,May lie till seven;And he that by the plough would thrive,Himself must either hold or drive.[Pg 256]I had a little nut treei182HADa little nut tree, nothing would it bearBut a silver apple and a golden pear;The King of Spain's daughter came to see me,And all for the sake of my little nut tree.I skipped over water, I danced over sea,And all the birds in the air couldn't catch me.An apple pieAn apple pie, when it looks nice,Would make one long to have a slice,But if the taste should prove so, too,I fear one slice would scarcely do.So to prevent my asking twice,Pray, mamma, cut a good large slice.[Pg 257]i183I Had a Little Nut Tree[Pg 259][Pg 258]I saw three ships come sailing byI saw three ships come sailing by,Sailing by, sailing by,I saw three ships come sailing by,On New-Year's Day in the morning.And what do you think was in them then,In them then, in them then?And what do you think was in them then,On New-Year's Day in the morning.Three pretty girls were in them then,In them then, in them then,Three pretty girls were in them then,On New-Year's Day in the morning.And one could whistle, and one could sing,And one could play on the violin,Such joy there was at my wedding,On New-Year's Day in the morning.[Pg 260]Oh, who is so merryOh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho!As the light-hearted fairy, heigh ho! heigh ho!He dances and singsTo the sound of his wings,With a hey and a heigh and a ho!Oh, who is so merry, so airy, heigh ho!As the light-hearted fairy, heigh ho! heigh ho!His nectar he sipsFrom a primrose's lips,With a hey and a heigh and a ho!Oh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho!As the light-footed fairy, heigh ho! heigh ho!His night is the noonAnd his sun is the moon,With a hey and a heigh and a ho![Pg 261]One, two, three, four, fivei184aNE, two, three, four, five,I have caught a fish alive;Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,I have let it go again.Why did you let it go?Because it bit my finger so.Which finger did it bite?The little one on the right.Little Polly FlindersLittle Polly FlindersSat among the cinders,Warming her pretty little toes!Her mother came and caught her, And whipped her little daughter,For spoiling her nice new clothes.[Pg 262]A curious discourseA curious discourse about an Apple-pie, that passed between the Twenty-five Letters at Dinner-time.Says A, Give me a good large slice.Says B, A little Bit, but nice.Says C, Cut me a piece of Crust.Says D, It is as Dry as Dust.Says E, I'll Eat now, fast who will.Says F, I vow I'll have my Fill.Says G, Give it to me Good and Great.Says H, A little bit I Hate.Says I, I love the Juice the best.And K the very same confessed.Says L, There's nothing more I Love.Says M, It makes your teeth to Move.N Noticed what the others said.O Others' plates with grief surveyed.P Praised the cook up to the life.Q Quarrelled 'cause he'd a bad knife.Says R, It Runs short, I'm afraid.S Silent sat, and nothing said.T thought that Talking might lose time.U Understood it at meals a crime.W Wished there had been a quince in.Says X, Those cooks there's no convincing.[Pg 263]Says Y, I'll eat, let others wish.Z sat as mute as any fish.While ampersand, he licked the dish.The man in the moonThe man in the moonCame tumbling down,And asked his way to Norwich;He went by the south,And burnt his mouth,With supping cold pease-porridge.[Pg 264]There were three jovial WelshmenThere were three jovial Welshmen,As I have heard them say,And they would go a-huntingUpon St. David's day.All the day they hunted,And nothing could they find;But a ship a-sailing,A-sailing with the wind.One said it was a ship.The other he said "Nay;"The third said it was a house,With the chimney blown away.And all the night they hunted,And nothing could they find,But the moon a-gliding,A-gliding with the wind.[Pg 265]One said it was the moon,The other he said "Nay;"The third said it was a cheese,And half o' it cut away.The Hart he loves the high woodThe Hart he loves the high wood,The Hare she loves the hill,The Knight he loves his bright sword,The Lady—loves her will.I had a little moppetI had a little moppet,I kept it in my pocket,And fed it with corn and hay,There came a proud beggarWho swore he would have her,And stole little moppet away.[Pg 266]Wee Willie WinkieWee Willie Winkie runs through the town,Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown,Rapping at the window, crying through the lock,"Are the children in their beds, for now it's eight o'clock?"There was a little womanThere was a little woman, as I've been told,Who was not very young, nor yet very old,Now this little woman her living got,By selling codlins, hot, hot, hot!Around the green gravelAround the green gravel the grass grows green,And all the pretty maids are plain to be seen;Wash them with milk, and clothe them with silk,And write their names with a pen and ink.[Pg 267]Buttons a farthing a pairButtons a farthing a pair,Come, who will buy them of me?They're round and sound and pretty,And fit for the girls of the city.Come, who will buy them of me,Buttons a farthing a pair?As little Jenny WrenAs little Jenny WrenWas sitting by the shed,She waggled with her tail,And nodded with her head.She waggled with her tail,And nodded with her head,As little Jenny WrenWas sitting by the shed.[Pg 268]Three blind miceThree blind mice, see how they run!They all ran after the farmer's wife,Who cut off their tails with the carving-knife,Did you ever see such a thing in your life?As three blind mice.[Pg 269]The north wind doth blowThe north wind doth blow,And we shall have snow,And what will poor Robin do then?Poor thing!He'll sit in a barn,And to keep himself warm,Will hide his head under his wing.Poor thing![Pg 270]Bless you, burny-beeBless you, bless you, burny-bee:Say when will your wedding be?If it be to-morrow day,Take your wings and fly away.The rose is redThe rose is red, the violet blue,The gilly-flower sweet, and so are youThese are the words you bade me sayFor a pair of new gloves on Easter-day.Simple Simon met a piemanSimple Simon met a piemanGoing to the fair;Says Simple Simon to the pieman,"Let me taste your ware."[Pg 271]i188Simple Simon[Pg 273]Says the pieman to Simple Simon,"Show me first your penny."Says Simple Simon to the pieman,"Indeed, I have not any."Simple Simon went a-fishing,For to catch a whale;All the water he had gotWas in his mother's pail.[Pg 274]Yankee DoodleYankee Doodle went to town,Upon a little pony;He stuck a feather in his hat,And called it Macaroni.i190Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-deeTweedle-dum and Tweedle-deeResolved to have a battle,For Tweedle-dum said Tweedle-deeHad spoiled his nice new rattle.[Pg 275]Just then flew by a monstrous crow,As big as a tar barrel,Which frightened both the heroes so,They quite forgot their quarrel.Here's Sulky SueHere's Sulky Sue,What shall we do?Turn her face to the wallTill she comes to.[Pg 276]Jack Sprat had a catJack SpratHad a cat,It had but one ear;It went to buy butter,When butter was dear.A long-tailed pigi192aLONG-TAILEDpig, and a short-tailed pig,Or a pig without e'er a tail,A sow pig, or a boar pig,Or a pig with a curly tail.[Pg 277]i193As I was going up Pippen Hill.As I was going up Pippen HillPippen Hill was dirty;There I met a pretty miss,And she dropped me a curtsey.Little miss, pretty miss,Blessings light upon you!If I had half-a-crown a day,I'd spend it all on you.[Pg 278]Lavender blue and rosemary greenLavender blue and rosemary green,When I am king you shall be queen;Call up my maids at four o'clock,Some to the wheel and some to the rock,Some to make hay and some to shear corn,And you and I will keep ourselves warm.Hey, my kitten, my kittenHey, my kitten, my kitten,And hey, my kitten, my deary!Such a sweet pet as thisWas neither far nor neary.Here we go up, up, up,And here we go down, down, downy;And here we go backwards and forwards,And here we go round, round, roundy.[Pg 279]i194"Here we go backwards and forwards."[Pg 281]Polly put the kettle oni195ai195bOLLY, put the kettle on,Polly, put the kettle on,Polly, put the kettle on,And we'll all have tea.Sukey, take it off again,Sukey, take it off again,Sukey, take it off again,They're all gone away.There was a little boy went into a barnThere was a little boy went into a barn,And lay down on some hay;An owl came out and flew about,And the little boy ran away.[Pg 282]The old woman and her pigi196Nold woman was sweeping her house, and she found a little crooked sixpence. "What," said she, "shall I do with this little sixpence? I will go to market, and buy a little pig."As she was coming home, she came to a stile; but the pig would not go over the stile.She went a little farther, and she met a dog. So she said to the dog—"Dog, dog, bite pig!Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the dog would not.She went a little farther, and she met a stick. So she said—"Stick, stick, beat dog!Dog won't bite pig;[Pg 283]Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the stick would not.She went a little farther, and she met a fire. So she said—"Fire, fire, burn stick!Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the fire would not.She went a little farther, and she met some water. So she said—"Water, water, quench fire!Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;[Pg 284]Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the water would not.She went a little farther, and she met an ox. So she said—"Ox, ox, drink water!Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the ox would not.She went a little farther, and she met a butcher. So she said—"Butcher, butcher, kill ox!Ox won't drink water;[Pg 285]Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the butcher would not.She went a little farther, and she met a rope. So she said—"Rope, rope, hang butcher!Butcher won't kill ox;Ox won't drink water;Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."[Pg 286]But the rope would not.She went a little farther, and she met a rat. So she said—"Rat, rat, gnaw rope!Rope won't hang butcher;Butcher won't kill ox;Ox won't drink water;Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the rat would not.She went a little farther, and she met a cat. So she said[Pg 287]—"Cat, cat, kill rat!Rat won't gnaw rope;Rope won't hang butcher;Butcher won't kill ox;Ox won't drink water;Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."The cat said, "If you will give me a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat."So the old woman gave the cat the milk, and when she had lapped up the milk—The cat began to kill the rat;The rat began to gnaw the rope;[Pg 288]The rope began to hang the butcher;The butcher began to kill the ox;The ox began to drink the water;The water began to quench the fire;The fire began to burn the stick;The stick began to beat the dog;The dog began to bite the pig;The pig jumped over the stile;And so the old woman got home that night.Tit, tat, toeTit, tat, toe,My first go,Three jolly butcher boysAll of a row;Stick one up,Stick one down,Stick one in the old man's crown.[Pg 289]Monday aloneMonday alone,Tuesday together,Wednesday we walkWhen it's fine weather.Thursday we kiss,Friday we cry,Saturday's hoursSeem almost to fly.But of all days in the weekWe will callSunday, the rest day,The best day of all.As I was going o'er Westminster BridgeAs I was going o'er Westminster Bridge,I met with a Westminster scholar;He pulled off his cap,an' drewoff his glove,And wished me a very good-morrow,What is his name?[Pg 290]i197aAs I walked by myselfi197bSI walked by myself,I talked to myself,And the self-same self said to me,Look out for thyself,Take care of thyself,For nobody cares for thee.[Pg 291]I answered myself,And said to myselfIn the self-same repartee,i198Look to thyself,Or not look to thyself,The self-same thing will be.[Pg 292]i199There was a Little man and he woo'd a Little maidThere was a little man,And he wooed a little maid,And he said, "Little maid, will you wed, wed, wed?I have little more to say,Than will you, yea or nay,For least said is soonest mended-ded, ded, ded."[Pg 293]The little maid replied,Some say a little sighed,"But what shall we have for to eat, eat, eat?Will the love that you're so rich inMake a fire in the kitchen?Or the little god of Love turn the spit, spit, spit?"Pussy sits beside the firePussy sits beside the fire,How can she be fair?In comes the little dog,Pussy, are you there?So, so, Mistress Pussy,Pray how do you do?Thank you, thank you, little dog,I'm very well just now.[Pg 294]
I had a little husband,No bigger than my thumb;I put him in a pint pot,And there I bid him drum.I bought a little horse,That galloped up and down;[Pg 236]I bridled him, and saddled him,And sent him out of town.I gave him some garters,To garter up his hose,And a little handkerchief,
To wipe his pretty nose.
Wash me and comb me
Wash me and comb me,And lay me down softly,And lay me on a bank to dry,That I may look prettyWhen somebody comes by.
[Pg 237]
Come take up your hats, and away let us haste
OMEtake up your hats, and away let us haste,To the Butterfly's Ball, and the Grasshopper's Feast.The trumpeter, Gad-fly, has summoned the crew,And the revels are now only waiting for you.On the smooth shaven grass, by the side of a wood,Beneath a broad oak which for ages had stood,See the children of earth, and the tenants of air,To an evening's amusement together repair.[Pg 238]And there came the Beetle so blind and so black,Who carried the Emmet, his friend, on his back.And there came the Gnat and the Dragonfly too,With all their relations, green, orange, and blue.And there came the Moth, with her plumage of down,And the Hornet with jacket of yellow and brown;And with him the Wasp, his companion, did bring,But they promised that evening to lay by their sting.[Pg 239]Then the sly little Dormouse peeped out of his hole,And led to the Feast his blind cousin the Mole:And the Snail, with her horns peeping out of her shell,Came, fatigued with the distance, the length of an ell.A mushroom the table, and on it was spreadA water-dock leaf, which their table-cloth made.The viands were various, to each of their taste,And the Bee brought the honey to sweeten the feast.[Pg 240]With steps most majestic the Snail did advance,And he promised the gazers a minuet to dance;But they all laughed so loud that he drew in his head,And went in his own little chamber to bed.Then, as evening gave way to the shadows of night,Their watchman, the Glow-worm, came out with his light.So home let us hasten, while yet we can see,For no watchman is waiting for you or for me.
[Pg 241]
I had a little pony
I had a little pony,They called him Dapple Grey,I lent him to a lady,To ride a mile away.She whipped him, she lashed him,She drove him through the mire,I wadna gie my pony yetFor all the lady's hire.
Diddle-y-diddle-y-dumpty
Diddle-y-diddle-y-dumpty,The cat run up the plum-tree,Half-a-crownTo fetch her down,Diddle-y-diddle-y-dumpty.
[Pg 242]
See, Saw, Margery Daw
EE, Saw, Margery Daw,Sold her bed and lay upon straw;Was not she a dirty slut,To sell her bed and lie in the dirt!
Great A, little a, Bouncing B,The cat's in the cupboard, and she can't see.
[Pg 243]
There was a jovial beggar
HEREwas a jovial beggar,He had a wooden leg,Lame from his cradle,And forced for to beg.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!A bag for his oatmeal,Another for his salt;And a pair of crutches,To show that he can halt.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!A bag for his wheat,Another for his rye;A little bottle by his sideTo drink when he's a-dry.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go![Pg 244]Seven years I beggedFor my old Master Wild,He taught me to begWhen I was but a child.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!I begged for my master,And got him store of pelf;And now, Jove be praised!I'm begging for myself.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!In a hollow treeI live, and pay no rent;Providence provides for me,And I am well content.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go![Pg 245]Of all the occupations,A beggar's life's the best;For whene'er he's weary,He'll lay him down and rest.And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go,And a-begging we will go!I fear no plots against me,I live in open cell;Then who would be a king,When beggars live so well?And a-begging we will go, we'll go, we'll go;And a-begging we will go!
Now what do you think
Now what do you thinkOf little Jack Jingle?Before he was marriedHe used to live single.
[Pg 246]
Bobby Shaftoe
Bobby Shaftoe's gone to sea,Silver buckles on his knee;He'll come back and marry me,Bonny Bobby Shaftoe!Bobby Shaftoe's young and fair,Combing down his yellow hair,He's my love for evermore,Bonny Bobby Shaftoe.
For want of a nail
For want of a nail, the shoe was lost,For want of the shoe, the horse was lost,For want of the horse, the rider was lost,For want of the rider, the battle was lost,For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost,And all from the want of a horseshoe nail!
[Pg 247]
Rub-a-dub-dub
UB-A-DUB-DUBThree men in a tub,And who do you think they be?The butcher, the baker,The candlestick-maker;Turn 'em out, knaves all three!
There was an old woman called Nothing-at-all
There was an old woman called Nothing-at-all,Who rejoiced in a dwelling exceedingly small;A man stretched his mouth to its utmost extent, And down at one gulp house and old woman went.
[Pg 248]
Jacky, come give me thy fiddle
ACKY, come give me thy fiddle,If ever thou mean to thrive.Nay; I'll not give my fiddleTo any man alive.If I should give my fiddle,They'll think that I'm gone mad;For many a joyful dayMy fiddle and I have had.
Young Lambs to sell
Young Lambs to sell!Young Lambs to sell!If I'd as much money as I can tell, I never would cry—Young Lambs to sell!
[Pg 249]
i178
"Young Lambs To Sell"
[Pg 251]
[Pg 250]
Johnny Pringle had a little pig
Johnny Pringle had a little pig,It was very little, so not very big:As it was playing on a dunghill,In a moment poor piggy was killed.So Johnny Pringle, he sat down and cried,Betsy Pringle, she lay down and died.There is the history of one, two, and three,Johnny Pringle, Betsy Pringle, and little Piggy.
Yet didn't you see
Yet didn't you see, yet didn't you see,What naughty tricks they put upon me:They broke my pitcher,And spilt my water,And huffed my mother,And chid her daughter,And kissed my sister instead of me.
[Pg 252]
Hot-cross Buns!
Hot-cross Buns!Hot-cross Buns!One a penny, two a pennyHot-cross Buns!
Hot-cross Buns!Hot-cross Buns!If ye have no daughters,Give them to your sons.
[Pg 253]
Jack Jingle
Jack Jingle went 'prenticeTo make a horseshoe,He wasted the ironTill it would not do.His master came in,And began for to rail;Says Jack, "The shoe's spoiled,But 'twill still make a nail."He tried at the nail,But, chancing to miss,Says, "If it won't make a nail,It shall yet make a hiss."Then into the waterThrew the hot iron, smack."Hiss!" quoth the iron;"I thought so," says Jack.
[Pg 254]
Hey ding-a-ding
Hey ding-a-ding,I heard a bird sing,The parliament soldiersAre gone to the king.
Willy boy, where are you going?
Willy boy, Willy boy, where are you going?I will go with you, if that I may.I'm going to the meadow to see them a mowing,I'm going to help them make the hay.
[Pg 255]
Little Nancy Etticoat
Little Nancy Etticoat,In a white petticoat,And a red nose;The longer she stands,The shorter she grows.
He that would thrive
He that would thrive,Must rise at five;He that hath thriven,May lie till seven;And he that by the plough would thrive,Himself must either hold or drive.
[Pg 256]
I had a little nut tree
HADa little nut tree, nothing would it bearBut a silver apple and a golden pear;The King of Spain's daughter came to see me,And all for the sake of my little nut tree.I skipped over water, I danced over sea,And all the birds in the air couldn't catch me.
An apple pie
An apple pie, when it looks nice,Would make one long to have a slice,But if the taste should prove so, too,I fear one slice would scarcely do.So to prevent my asking twice,Pray, mamma, cut a good large slice.
[Pg 257]
i183
I Had a Little Nut Tree
[Pg 259]
[Pg 258]
I saw three ships come sailing by
I saw three ships come sailing by,Sailing by, sailing by,I saw three ships come sailing by,On New-Year's Day in the morning.And what do you think was in them then,In them then, in them then?And what do you think was in them then,On New-Year's Day in the morning.Three pretty girls were in them then,In them then, in them then,Three pretty girls were in them then,On New-Year's Day in the morning.And one could whistle, and one could sing,And one could play on the violin,Such joy there was at my wedding,On New-Year's Day in the morning.
[Pg 260]
Oh, who is so merry
Oh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho!As the light-hearted fairy, heigh ho! heigh ho!He dances and singsTo the sound of his wings,With a hey and a heigh and a ho!Oh, who is so merry, so airy, heigh ho!As the light-hearted fairy, heigh ho! heigh ho!His nectar he sipsFrom a primrose's lips,With a hey and a heigh and a ho!Oh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho!As the light-footed fairy, heigh ho! heigh ho!His night is the noonAnd his sun is the moon,With a hey and a heigh and a ho!
[Pg 261]
One, two, three, four, five
NE, two, three, four, five,I have caught a fish alive;Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,I have let it go again.Why did you let it go?Because it bit my finger so.Which finger did it bite?The little one on the right.
Little Polly Flinders
Little Polly FlindersSat among the cinders,Warming her pretty little toes!Her mother came and caught her, And whipped her little daughter,For spoiling her nice new clothes.
[Pg 262]
A curious discourse
A curious discourse about an Apple-pie, that passed between the Twenty-five Letters at Dinner-time.Says A, Give me a good large slice.Says B, A little Bit, but nice.Says C, Cut me a piece of Crust.Says D, It is as Dry as Dust.Says E, I'll Eat now, fast who will.Says F, I vow I'll have my Fill.Says G, Give it to me Good and Great.Says H, A little bit I Hate.Says I, I love the Juice the best.And K the very same confessed.Says L, There's nothing more I Love.Says M, It makes your teeth to Move.N Noticed what the others said.O Others' plates with grief surveyed.P Praised the cook up to the life.Q Quarrelled 'cause he'd a bad knife.Says R, It Runs short, I'm afraid.S Silent sat, and nothing said.T thought that Talking might lose time.U Understood it at meals a crime.W Wished there had been a quince in.Says X, Those cooks there's no convincing.[Pg 263]Says Y, I'll eat, let others wish.Z sat as mute as any fish.While ampersand, he licked the dish.
The man in the moon
The man in the moonCame tumbling down,And asked his way to Norwich;He went by the south,And burnt his mouth,With supping cold pease-porridge.
[Pg 264]
There were three jovial Welshmen
There were three jovial Welshmen,As I have heard them say,And they would go a-huntingUpon St. David's day.All the day they hunted,And nothing could they find;But a ship a-sailing,A-sailing with the wind.One said it was a ship.The other he said "Nay;"The third said it was a house,With the chimney blown away.And all the night they hunted,And nothing could they find,But the moon a-gliding,A-gliding with the wind.[Pg 265]One said it was the moon,The other he said "Nay;"The third said it was a cheese,And half o' it cut away.
The Hart he loves the high wood
The Hart he loves the high wood,The Hare she loves the hill,The Knight he loves his bright sword,The Lady—loves her will.
I had a little moppet
I had a little moppet,I kept it in my pocket,And fed it with corn and hay,There came a proud beggarWho swore he would have her,And stole little moppet away.
[Pg 266]
Wee Willie Winkie
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown,Rapping at the window, crying through the lock,"Are the children in their beds, for now it's eight o'clock?"
There was a little woman
There was a little woman, as I've been told,Who was not very young, nor yet very old,Now this little woman her living got,By selling codlins, hot, hot, hot!
Around the green gravel
Around the green gravel the grass grows green,And all the pretty maids are plain to be seen;Wash them with milk, and clothe them with silk,And write their names with a pen and ink.
[Pg 267]
Buttons a farthing a pair
Buttons a farthing a pair,Come, who will buy them of me?They're round and sound and pretty,And fit for the girls of the city.Come, who will buy them of me,Buttons a farthing a pair?
As little Jenny Wren
As little Jenny WrenWas sitting by the shed,She waggled with her tail,And nodded with her head.She waggled with her tail,And nodded with her head,As little Jenny WrenWas sitting by the shed.
[Pg 268]
Three blind mice
Three blind mice, see how they run!They all ran after the farmer's wife,
Who cut off their tails with the carving-knife,Did you ever see such a thing in your life?As three blind mice.
[Pg 269]
The north wind doth blow
The north wind doth blow,And we shall have snow,And what will poor Robin do then?Poor thing!He'll sit in a barn,And to keep himself warm,Will hide his head under his wing.Poor thing!
[Pg 270]
Bless you, burny-bee
Bless you, bless you, burny-bee:Say when will your wedding be?If it be to-morrow day,Take your wings and fly away.
The rose is red
The rose is red, the violet blue,The gilly-flower sweet, and so are youThese are the words you bade me sayFor a pair of new gloves on Easter-day.
Simple Simon met a pieman
Simple Simon met a piemanGoing to the fair;Says Simple Simon to the pieman,"Let me taste your ware."
[Pg 271]
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Simple Simon
[Pg 273]
Says the pieman to Simple Simon,"Show me first your penny."Says Simple Simon to the pieman,"Indeed, I have not any."
Simple Simon went a-fishing,For to catch a whale;All the water he had gotWas in his mother's pail.
[Pg 274]
Yankee Doodle
Yankee Doodle went to town,Upon a little pony;He stuck a feather in his hat,And called it Macaroni.
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Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee
Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-deeResolved to have a battle,For Tweedle-dum said Tweedle-deeHad spoiled his nice new rattle.[Pg 275]Just then flew by a monstrous crow,As big as a tar barrel,Which frightened both the heroes so,They quite forgot their quarrel.
Here's Sulky Sue
Here's Sulky Sue,What shall we do?Turn her face to the wallTill she comes to.
[Pg 276]
Jack Sprat had a cat
Jack SpratHad a cat,It had but one ear;It went to buy butter,When butter was dear.
A long-tailed pig
LONG-TAILEDpig, and a short-tailed pig,Or a pig without e'er a tail,A sow pig, or a boar pig,Or a pig with a curly tail.
[Pg 277]
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As I was going up Pippen Hill.
As I was going up Pippen HillPippen Hill was dirty;There I met a pretty miss,And she dropped me a curtsey.Little miss, pretty miss,Blessings light upon you!If I had half-a-crown a day,I'd spend it all on you.
[Pg 278]
Lavender blue and rosemary green
Lavender blue and rosemary green,When I am king you shall be queen;Call up my maids at four o'clock,Some to the wheel and some to the rock,Some to make hay and some to shear corn,And you and I will keep ourselves warm.
Hey, my kitten, my kitten
Hey, my kitten, my kitten,And hey, my kitten, my deary!Such a sweet pet as thisWas neither far nor neary.Here we go up, up, up,And here we go down, down, downy;And here we go backwards and forwards,And here we go round, round, roundy.
[Pg 279]
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"Here we go backwards and forwards."
[Pg 281]
Polly put the kettle on
OLLY, put the kettle on,Polly, put the kettle on,Polly, put the kettle on,And we'll all have tea.Sukey, take it off again,Sukey, take it off again,Sukey, take it off again,They're all gone away.
There was a little boy went into a barn
There was a little boy went into a barn,And lay down on some hay;An owl came out and flew about,And the little boy ran away.
[Pg 282]
The old woman and her pig
Nold woman was sweeping her house, and she found a little crooked sixpence. "What," said she, "shall I do with this little sixpence? I will go to market, and buy a little pig."
As she was coming home, she came to a stile; but the pig would not go over the stile.She went a little farther, and she met a dog. So she said to the dog—
"Dog, dog, bite pig!Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the dog would not.
She went a little farther, and she met a stick. So she said—
"Stick, stick, beat dog!Dog won't bite pig;[Pg 283]Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the stick would not.
She went a little farther, and she met a fire. So she said—
"Fire, fire, burn stick!Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the fire would not.
She went a little farther, and she met some water. So she said—
"Water, water, quench fire!Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;[Pg 284]Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the water would not.
She went a little farther, and she met an ox. So she said—
"Ox, ox, drink water!Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the ox would not.
She went a little farther, and she met a butcher. So she said—
"Butcher, butcher, kill ox!Ox won't drink water;[Pg 285]Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the butcher would not.
She went a little farther, and she met a rope. So she said—
"Rope, rope, hang butcher!Butcher won't kill ox;Ox won't drink water;Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."[Pg 286]But the rope would not.
She went a little farther, and she met a rat. So she said—
"Rat, rat, gnaw rope!Rope won't hang butcher;Butcher won't kill ox;Ox won't drink water;Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."But the rat would not.
She went a little farther, and she met a cat. So she said[Pg 287]—
"Cat, cat, kill rat!Rat won't gnaw rope;Rope won't hang butcher;Butcher won't kill ox;Ox won't drink water;Water won't quench fire;Fire won't burn stick;Stick won't beat dog;Dog won't bite pig;Pig won't get over the stile;And I shan't get home to-night."
The cat said, "If you will give me a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat."So the old woman gave the cat the milk, and when she had lapped up the milk—
The cat began to kill the rat;The rat began to gnaw the rope;[Pg 288]The rope began to hang the butcher;The butcher began to kill the ox;The ox began to drink the water;The water began to quench the fire;The fire began to burn the stick;The stick began to beat the dog;The dog began to bite the pig;The pig jumped over the stile;And so the old woman got home that night.
Tit, tat, toe
Tit, tat, toe,My first go,Three jolly butcher boysAll of a row;Stick one up,Stick one down,Stick one in the old man's crown.
[Pg 289]
Monday alone
Monday alone,Tuesday together,Wednesday we walkWhen it's fine weather.Thursday we kiss,Friday we cry,Saturday's hoursSeem almost to fly.But of all days in the weekWe will callSunday, the rest day,The best day of all.
As I was going o'er Westminster Bridge
As I was going o'er Westminster Bridge,I met with a Westminster scholar;He pulled off his cap,an' drewoff his glove,And wished me a very good-morrow,What is his name?
[Pg 290]
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As I walked by myself
SI walked by myself,I talked to myself,And the self-same self said to me,Look out for thyself,Take care of thyself,For nobody cares for thee.[Pg 291]I answered myself,And said to myselfIn the self-same repartee,
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Look to thyself,Or not look to thyself,The self-same thing will be.
[Pg 292]
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There was a Little man and he woo'd a Little maid
There was a little man,And he wooed a little maid,And he said, "Little maid, will you wed, wed, wed?I have little more to say,Than will you, yea or nay,For least said is soonest mended-ded, ded, ded."[Pg 293]The little maid replied,Some say a little sighed,"But what shall we have for to eat, eat, eat?Will the love that you're so rich inMake a fire in the kitchen?Or the little god of Love turn the spit, spit, spit?"
Pussy sits beside the fire
Pussy sits beside the fire,How can she be fair?In comes the little dog,Pussy, are you there?So, so, Mistress Pussy,Pray how do you do?Thank you, thank you, little dog,I'm very well just now.
[Pg 294]