trot.
 
 MOTHER GOOSE'S NURSERY 
 
 RHYMES, TALES AND 
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 MPLETE EDITION, WITH NOTES AND CRITICAL 
 ILLUSTRATIVE REMARKS 
 
 BY W. GANNON. 
 
 NEW YORK : 
 
 HURST & COMPANY, 
 
 PUBLISHERS.
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1902, BY HURST & COMPANY.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 "C*ROM the vantage ground of fifty that age when, forehanded, 
 
 swift we 
 
 Round up treasure in a thrifty pile for possible future use, 
 We're called, in gen'rous spirit, to debit life's demerit, 
 And credit own to first inspirings of our now successful Muse 
 To give and take with even hand the gain is Truth's, e'en 
 
 though we lose. 
 
 II. 
 Lose what! The lime-light glory, self-trained on "self-made" 
 
 story, 
 
 That in the days of yore we set such monumental store by ? 
 Though still fain we'd face the mirror where gleams the mirage 
 
 of our lives, 
 
 " A saner, sad reflection," a wiser introspection, 
 An early recollection slants the shadow, and it gives ! 
 
 III. 
 
 No architects of life are we ! our forbears duly earned the fee 
 Of knowledge, life and liberty, so freely hurled adown the 
 
 ages 
 
 If haply we assimilate a maxim or a thought that's great, 
 And primp it to a fine estate, may we loll back and pose as 
 
 sages ? 
 Ask the publisher, who coldly looks upon our work as pages. 
 
 2055999
 
 iv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 IV. 
 
 And so the boy's the pere of man, ( since Adam delved and ETC 
 
 span,") 
 
 And ere his Cupid's bow began its 'prenticeship to lispings, 
 His petaled ears and star-gemmed eyes had found a new and 
 
 wondrous use 
 In drawing in the honeyed rhyme, the cymbal-sounding eerie 
 
 chime 
 Of the " Once upon a time !" as told by Grand old Mother Goose. 
 
 V. 
 
 Ring the changes once again ! Let's hark back to Mother's 
 
 strain ! 
 Aside with pomp, with grime, with gain ! We call an honorable 
 
 truce ! 
 " Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn !" Rouse the echoes of 
 
 our morn ! 
 Appear ! thou " Maiden all Forlorn," " Old King Cole," "Wise 
 
 Doctor Goose," 
 " Simple Simon," " Little Bo-Peep, " and " Priest all Shaven and 
 
 Shorn !" 
 
 VI. 
 
 A thousand strings are thrummed all good or ill in life is 
 summed 
 
 Between those pictured leaves we thumbed in the days when 
 time was nought 
 
 Elfin cloudland, wraith of mistfield, peace of forest, rip of river, 
 
 In iridescent colors brushed, flacked with glow-worm gems en- 
 crushed, 
 
 Live with us until life is hushed, and will live on and on forever !
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 VII. 
 
 Who's he can sum the honest dues her goslings owe in th' ab- 
 struse 
 
 For life-guide hints to Mother Goose hints to fit or king or 
 clown: 
 
 As " One foot up, t'other down, that's the way to London town !" 
 
 So, self-help, plodding, gains the crown a leaven ever fresh for 
 use 
 
 From childhood's alma mater our charming second Mother 
 Goose ! 
 
 JULY 25, 1902.
 
 HISTORY OF MOTHER GOOSE. 
 
 nrO " begin at the beginning " with this immortal classic of 
 babyhood, we should probably have to go back to the Gar- 
 den of Eden, for to Mother Love must be accorded the progressive 
 authorship of " Mother Goose." 
 
 And the ways of motherhood are the same the wide world over 
 tender, watchful, vigilant madly proud of the first physical 
 essays that go to prove her bantling " the most wonderful ever" 
 keenly alert to catch and translate the earliest lispings of her 
 darling and prompt to fan into intelligence the first vital spark 
 of infantine intellect. 
 
 It is certain that the Chaldean, Hebrew and Roman matrons 
 crooned inspiring song and story into the infantile ears of 
 prophets, kings and warriors, just as "my lady" of to-day 
 breathes the story of " The House that Jack Built " or "The 
 Death of Cock Robin " into the ears of future presidents, states- 
 men, painters and poets. Indeed, the framework of "The 
 House that Jack Built " is Chaldean, as will be seen from the 
 curious addenda attached to that story in the present volume. 
 
 Andrew Lang, who has devoted some of his valuable time 
 toward the discovery of the authorship of " Mother Goose," 
 asks: " Had we a ' Mother Goose ' before Perrault's ' Mere 
 1'Oye ' became familiar here ? Grimm says Perrault borrowed 
 his title from 'a fabliau;' but this is vague, and Grimm may 
 have had La Reine Pedauque ' in his mind. We folk-lorists, 
 who trace kin in the early way through the mother's side we 
 goslings of Mother Goose should know more about the ances- 
 tress of us all." [London Aihenceum, vol. for 1887, page 287.] 
 vi
 
 HISTORY OF MOTHER GOOSE. vii 
 
 The title of the work referred to by Mr. Lang is usually trans- 
 lated, "Tales of my Mother Goose;" but it will be conceded 
 that the rendering is somewhat free. The Frenchman, Charles 
 Perrault, brought out this work a collection of fairy tales in 
 the year 1697, his daughter's name, Perrault d'Armancourt, ap- 
 pearing on the title-page as author. 
 
 There is no interior resemblance between Perrault's book and 
 our " Mother Goose," but the coincidence in title has served to 
 excite remark as well as to provoke research. 
 
 " Mother Goose " is very English in its allusions, idioms and 
 literary mannerisms, so much so that probably nine out of ten be- 
 lieve it had its origin in the land of Shakespeare and Milton. 
 That the rhymes and stories were, in the main, imported, via 
 folk-lore, there can be no manner of doubt and that all the 
 nations of the earth contributed to this grand mosaic is plainly 
 evident yet to our own great nation must be conceded the 
 honor of first collecting and printing " Mother Goose's Melodies," 
 substantially as we have them to-day. 
 
 Even to the title (notwithstanding the Perrault coincidence) 
 the work is American, being named in compliment to a Boston 
 lady, whose antecedents we have been enabled to follow so 
 closely as to eliminate any possible doubt from the matter. 
 
 To William A. Wheeler, author of a " Dictionary of Noted 
 Names of Fiction," are we indebted for the statement that 
 " Mother Goose " was named for a real character, whose true 
 name was Elizabeth Vergoose. 
 
 Vertigoose was the original family name of this good dame, 
 when her ancestors reached these shores from England, in the 
 year of 1650. This three-syllabled name was eventually clipped, 
 as above stated, from whence the transition to one syllable 
 Goose was familiarly simple. Under this name she had the 
 happy chance to meet with one Thomas Fleet, an English dis-
 
 viii HISTORY OF MOTHER GOOSE. 
 
 ciple of " the art preservative," who reached the town of Boston 
 in the early part of the eighteenth century, under cover of " seek- 
 ing his fortune." 
 
 He found it in marrying one of the numerous daughters of 
 the good dame supplementing this serious step by setting up a 
 printing office on his own account, which apparently flourished 
 from the start. It being a common thing in those days for 
 printers to add a publishing department, as a side issue to their 
 main business, the enterprising Fleet determined to enter the 
 lists with his competitors. And here he probably found a con- 
 genial work-mate in his mother-in law, whose large family pre- 
 supposes the acquirement and use of an extensive repertory of 
 child-satisfying story and verse, gleaned from her foregatherers, 
 and, no doubt added to by herselt, as she could easily pass for 
 the typical "old woman who lived in a shoe," being the mother 
 and stepmother of no less than sixteen children. At any rate, in 
 the Year of Our Lord, 1719, there appeared from Fleet's press an 
 unpretentious volume, entitled, "Songs for the Nursery, or, 
 Mother Goose's Melodies for Children printed by Thomas Fleet, 
 at his printing house, Pudding Lane. Price, Two Coppers." 
 
 It may be well to state here that Pudding Lane has disap- 
 peared from the face of Boston's map, giving place to a less 
 hearty but more euphonious designation Devonshire street. 
 
 The record of marriages in the City Registrar's office of Bos- 
 ton shows that, on June 8, 1715, the Rev. Cotton Mather married 
 Thomas Fleet to Elizabeth Goose. The happy couple took up 
 their residence in Pudding Lane, under the same roof that 
 covered the historic printing office. 
 
 All annals are silent as to the future efforts and history of the 
 Fleets and the Gooses, save the stone annals of the churchyard, 
 from which we gather that the last of the name of Goose died 
 nearly a hundred years ago (in 1807,) and was laid to rest in the
 
 HISTORY OF MOTHER GOOSE. ix 
 
 Old Granary Burying Ground, " where probably the whole brood 
 now repose." 
 
 Bowditch, in his book of " Suffolk Names," refers to " the 
 wealthy family of Goose," and says they were extensive land- 
 holders in Boston as early as 1660. 
 
 In order to present a full and impartial account of the origin 
 of this work, we must not fail to insert here a recent statement 
 made by an apparently well-informed correspondent of the 
 Boston Transcript, who, while conceding that ttn Boston 
 " Mother Goose " was the first collected edition of the famous 
 "Melodies" put into print, yet says: "It is well-known to 
 antiquarians that more than two hundred years ago there was 
 a small book in circulation in London, bearing the name of 
 1 Rhymes for the Nursery, or Lull-Bies for Children,' which con- 
 tained many of the identical pieces which have been handed 
 down to us under the ' Mother Goose ' title." 
 
 Wheeler declares that our English cousins have had no ac- 
 quaintance with any other "Mother Goose" than Perrault's and 
 Dibdin's no English bibliographical work consulted by him 
 contains the name; "it is not mentioned in any catalogue of 
 chap books,' garlands,' popular histories, old or rare books, or 
 the like." 
 
 Even Halliwell, in his " Nursery Rhymes of England," makes 
 no mention of " Mother Goose." 
 
 Wheeler's reference to Dibdin needs explanation. The lat- 
 ter's work was a pantomime, which turned on the theme of 
 "the goose that laid a golden egg," and which, of course, has 
 no bearing on the present inquiry. Charles Dibdin, though 
 remembered principally as a writer of sturdy sea-songs, was a 
 comedian and playwright of great power, who, in the year 1806, 
 produced this pantomime, under the name of " Mother Goose, 
 Or the Golden Egg." Strangely enough, through Charles
 
 x HISTORY OF MOTHER GOOSE. 
 
 Dickens, in his "Life of Grimaldi," we learn that this panto- 
 mime was produced at Covent Garden, and had a run of ninety- 
 two nights, " acquiring " we use the words of Dickens a de- 
 gree of popularity unprecedented in the history of pantomime." 
 Later on, our own pantomimist, Fox, it will be recalled, borrow- 
 ing his title, too, from " Mother Goose," played " Humpty 
 Dumpty" by the year, successively! beating all playhouse 
 records before or since. 
 
 Touch' n s on the curious similarity of title between the French 
 Dook of fairy tales and the American book of melodies, a French 
 writer, named Collin de Planay, furnishes a strange historical 
 narrative, explanatory of the naming of Perrault's book. The 
 tale is thus condensed, and given without prejudice to religion 
 or morals, solely for the purpose of throwing any side-light 
 available on any and everything connected with the authorship, 
 printing, and naming of " Mother Goose :" 
 
 King Robert II. of France took to wife his relative Bertha, 
 but was at once commanded by Pope Gregory V. to relinquish 
 her, and to perform a seven- years' penance for marrying within 
 the forbidden degree of consanguinity. The King refused, and 
 was promptly excommunicated. This action on the part of 
 Rome placed the Kingdom interdict, and the royal family found 
 itself forsaken by all, save two old retainers, who remained 
 loyal, despite their threatened spiritual death. The hardships 
 the royal pair endured during this first recorded example of 
 "boycott," brought on premature confinement to the Queen, 
 when her wily enemies contrived to foist upon the harassed 
 King a featherless goose, horrifying him with the thought that 
 his wife had given birth to it. And so he repented his sin, 
 repudiated Bertha, and made his peace with Rome. 
 
 From this tale has sprung a proverbial French saying in 
 reference to incredible or extravagant stories: that it must have
 
 HISTORY OF MOTHER GOOSE. xi 
 
 happened "when Queen Bertha spun," and they call such a tale 
 one of " Queen Goose's " or " Mother Goose's stories." This is said 
 to be carried out to the letter in the first editions of Perrault's 
 book, "where the front page pictures 'Mother Goose' at her 
 distaff, and surrounded by a group of children, whom she holds 
 entranced by her wondrous tales." 
 
 The writer has never had the good fortune to handle a copy 
 of the first "Mother Goose" the Thomas Fleet and Boston 
 publication but that it was fully in keeping with its two cop- 
 pers "price is well-known. The illustrations were startling at- 
 tempts, and the cover picture is described as "something, 
 probably intended to represent a goose, with a very long neck 
 and a very wide open mouth." 
 
 But Thomas Fleet " builded better than he knew," and, de- 
 spite the crude output from his modest press, the name of Fleet 
 will ever remain associated with his bantling, " Mother Goose." 
 
 And here it may not be deemed presumptuous of the publishers 
 of this present volume to make a little comparison and that as 
 little odious as possible between the mechanical and artistic 
 chasm that yawns between the first production of" MotherGoose" 
 and this, the last, which, with the reader's favor, stands as the 
 apotheosis of" Mother Goose" in the book-making world!
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Pag* 
 
 INTRODUCTION 3 
 
 HISTORY OF MOTHER GOOSE ..... 6 
 
 INDEX 407 
 
 FIRST CLASS. 
 HISTORICAL ........ 15 
 
 SECOND CLASS. 
 
 LITERAL 37 
 
 THIRD CLASS. 
 
 TALES 43 
 
 FOURTH CLASS. 
 PROVERBS ........ 70 
 
 FIFTH CLASS. 
 
 SCHOLASTIC 81 
 
 SIXTH CLASS. 
 
 SONGS . .87 
 
 SEVENTH CLASS. 
 RIDDLES ........ 133 
 
 EIGHTH CLASS 
 
 CHARMS 154 
 
 NINTH CLASS. 
 GAFFERS AND GAMMERS , , . 158 
 
 xii
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 TENTH CLASS. 
 
 p*z* 
 GAMES . . . . . . . . .178 
 
 ELEVENTH CLASS. 
 
 PARADOXES 232 
 
 TWELFTH CLASS. 
 
 LULLABIES 248 
 
 THIRTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 JINGLES . 258 
 
 FOURTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 NATURAL HISTORY 280 
 
 FIFTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 RELICS 328 
 
 SIXTEENTH CLASS. 
 LOCAL ........ 348 
 
 SEVENTEENTH CLASS. 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY 353 
 
 EIGHTEENTH CLASS. 
 ACCUMULATIVE STORIES 379 
 
 NINETEENTH CLASS. 
 FIRESIDE STORIES 399
 
 FIRST CLASS, 
 
 fiistorical. 
 
 m 
 
 The traditional Nursery Rhymes of England commence with a legend- 
 ary satire on King Cole, who reigned in Britain in the third century after 
 Christ. According to Robert of Gloucester, he was the father of St. 
 Helena. King Cole was a brave and popular man in his day. 
 
 OLD King Cole 
 
 Was a merry old soul, 
 
 And a merry old soul 
 
 was he; 
 
 He called for his pipe, 
 And he called for his bowl, 
 And he called for his 
 
 fiddlers three. 
 
 Every fiddler he had a fine fiddle, 
 
 And a very fine fiddle had he; 
 
 Twee tweedle dee, tweedle dee, went the fiddlers. 
 
 Oh, there's none so rare 
 
 As can compare 
 
 With King Cole and his fiddlers three. 
 
 [15]
 
 16 NUESERY RHYMES. 
 
 WHEN Arthur first in Court began 
 To wear long hanging sleeves, 
 
 He entertained three servingmen 
 And all of them were thieves. 
 
 The first he was an Irishman, 
 
 The second was a Scot, 
 The third he was a Welshman, 
 
 And all were knaves, I wot. 
 
 The Irishman loved usquebaugh, 
 The Scot loved ale called bluecap, 
 
 The Welshman he loved toasted cheese, 
 And made his mouth like a mouse-trap. 
 
 Usquebaugh burnt the Irishman ; 
 
 The Scot was drowned in ale ; 
 The Welshman had like to be choked by a mouse, 
 
 But he pulled it out by the tail. 
 
 Written on occasion of the marriage of Mary, the daughter of James, 
 Duke of York, afterwards James II., with the young Prince of Orange. 
 
 WHAT is the rhyme for poringer ? 
 The King he had a daughter fair, 
 And gave the Prince of Orange her. 
 
 LITTLE General Monk 
 
 Sat upon a trunk, 
 Eating a crust of bread; 
 
 There fell a hot coal 
 
 And burnt in his clothes a hole, 
 Now General Monk is dead. 
 
 Keep always from the fire: 
 
 If it catch your attire, 
 You too, like Monk, will be dead
 
 HISTORICAL. 17 
 
 ROBIN HOOD, Robin 
 
 Hood, 
 
 Is in the mickle wood ! 
 Little John, Little John, 
 He to the town is gone. 
 Robin Hood, Robin 
 
 Hood, 
 
 Is telling his beads, 
 All in the greenwood, 
 Among the green 
 
 weeds. 
 
 Little John, Little John, 
 
 If he conies no more, 
 
 Robin Hood, Robin 
 
 Hood, 
 We shall fret full sore! 
 
 The following perhaps refers 
 to Joanna of Castile, who visit- 
 ed the Court of Henry VII., in 
 the year 1506. 
 
 I HAD a little nut-tree, 
 nothing would it bear 
 
 But a silver nutmeg and 
 a golden pear; 
 
 The King of Spam's 
 daughter came to visit 
 me, 
 
 And all was because of 
 my little nut-tree. 
 
 I skipped over water, I 
 danced over sea, 
 
 And all the birds in the 
 air couldn't catch me.
 
 18 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 WHEN good King Arthur ruled this land, 
 
 He was a goodly King; 
 He stole three pecks of barley-meal, 
 
 To make a bag-pudding. 
 A bag pudding the King 
 
 did make, 
 And stuffed it well 
 
 with plums, 
 And in it put great .umps 
 
 of fat, 
 
 As big as my two 
 thumbs.
 
 HISTORICAL. 
 
 19 
 
 The King and 
 Queen did 
 eat thereof, 
 And noble- 
 men beside; 
 
 And what they 
 could not eat 
 that night, 
 The Queen 
 next morn- 
 ing fried. 
 
 THE King of France, and four thousand men 
 They drew their swords and put them up again. 
 
 In a tract called " Pigges Corantoe, or Newes from the North," 4to. 
 Lond. 1642, p. 3, this is called " Old Tarlton's Song." It is perhaps a 
 parody on the popular epigram of "Jack and Jill." I do not know the 
 period of the battle to which it appears to allude, but Tarlton died in 
 the year 1588. 
 
 THE King of France went up the hill, 
 
 With twenty thousand men; 
 The King of France came down the hill, 
 
 And ne'er went up again.
 
 20 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THE King of France, with twenty thousand men, 
 Went up the hill, and then came down again. 
 The King of Spain, with twenty thousand more, 
 Climbed the same hill the French had climbed before. 
 
 Another version. The nurse sings the first line, and repeats it, time 
 after time, until the expectant little one asks, What next? Then comes 
 the climax. 
 
 THE King of France, the King of France, with forty 
 
 thousand men, 
 Oh, they all went up the hill, and so came back again. 
 
 At the siege of Belleisle All the while, all the while, 
 I was there all the while, At the siege of Belleisle. 
 
 THE rose is red, the grass is green, 
 
 Serve Queen Bess, our noble Queen; 
 Kitty the spinner 
 Will sit down to dinner, 
 
 And eat the leg of a frog; 
 All good people 
 Look over the steeple, 
 
 And see the cat play with the dog. 
 
 GOOD Queen Bess was a glorious dame, 
 
 When bonny King Jemmy from Scotland came; 
 
 We'll pepper their bodies, 
 
 Their peaceable noddies, 
 And give them a crack of the crown! 
 
 THE twenty-ninth of May Ring a ting ting, 
 
 Is oak-apple day. God save the King.
 
 HISTORICAL. 21 
 
 The word tory originated in the reign of Elizabeth, and represented a 
 class of "bog-trotters," who were a compound of the knave and the 
 highwayman. 
 
 Ho ! Master Teague, what is your story ? 
 I went to the wood to kill a tory ; 
 I went to the wood and killed another; 
 Was it the same, or was it his brother ? 
 
 I hunted him in, and I hunted him out, 
 Three times through the bog, about and about; 
 When out of a bush I saw his head, 
 So I fired my gun and shot him dead, 
 
 DOCTOR SACHEVEREL But Jacky Dawbin 
 
 Did very well, Grave him a warning. 
 
 The following nursery song alludes to William III. of England and 
 George, Prince of Denmark. 
 
 WILLIAM and Mary, George and Anne, 
 Four such children had never a man: 
 They put their father to flight and shame, 
 And called their brother a shocking bad name.
 
 22 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 A song on King William III. 
 
 As I walked by myself, I answered myself, 
 
 And talked to myself, And said to myself, 
 
 Myself said unto me, In the self -same repartee, 
 
 Look to thyself, Look to thyself, 
 
 Take care of thyself, Or not look to thyself, 
 
 For nobody cares The self-same thing 
 
 for thee. will be. 
 
 From a MS. in the old Royal Library, in the British Museum. It is 
 written in a hand of the time of Henry VIII., in an older manuscript. 
 
 We make no spare 
 
 Of John Hunkes' mare; 
 
 And now I think she will die; 
 He thought it good 
 To put her in the wood, 
 
 To seek where she might lie dry; 
 If the mare should chance to fail, 
 Then the crowns would for her sale. 
 
 Taken from MS. Douce, 357, fol. 124. See Echard's "History of 
 England." Book III. chap. I. 
 
 SEE saw, sack-a-day; 
 Monmouth is a pretie boy, 
 
 Richmond is another, 
 Grafton is my only joy, 
 And why should I these three destroy, 
 
 To please a pious brother ? 
 
 The following is partly quoted in an old song in a MS. at Oxford, 
 Ashmole, No. 36, fol. 113. 
 
 As I was going by Charing Cross, 
 I saw a black man upon a black horse; 
 They told me it was King Charles the First; 
 Oh, dear ! my heart was ready to burst !
 
 HISTORICAL. 
 
 Please to remember I know no reason 
 
 The Fifth of November, Why gunpowder treason 
 Gunpowder treason and plot ; Should ever be forgot. 
 
 HECTOR PROTECTOR was dressed all in green; 
 Hector Protector was sent to the Queen. 
 The Queen did not like him, nor more did the King; 
 So Hector Protector was sent back again.
 
 24 
 
 NURSER Y RHYMES. 
 
 From MS. Sloane, 1489, fol. 19, written in the time of Charles I. 
 It appears from MS. Harl. 390, fol. 85, that these verses were written 
 in 1626, against the Duke of Buckingham. 
 
 THERE was a monkey climbed 
 
 up a tree, 
 When he fell down, then 
 
 down fell he. 
 
 There was a crow sat on a 
 
 stone, 
 When he was gone, then 
 
 there was none. 
 
 There was an old wife did eat 
 
 an apple, 
 When she had eat two, she 
 
 had eat a couple. 
 
 There was a horse going to 
 
 the mill, 
 When he went on, he stood 
 
 not still. 
 
 There was a butcher cut his 
 
 thumb, 
 When it did bleed, then 
 
 blood did come. 
 
 There was a lackey ran a race, 
 When he ran fast, he ran apace.
 
 HISTORICAL. 
 
 There was a cobbler clouthing 
 
 shoon, 
 When they were mended, they 
 
 were done. 
 
 There was a chandler making 
 
 candle, 
 When he them strip, he did 
 
 them handle. 
 
 There was a navy went into 
 
 Spain, 
 When it returned, it came 
 
 again. 
 
 There was an old Crow set =-. 
 
 upon a Clod, 
 There is an end of my song 
 
 that's odd. 
 
 JIM and George were two great 
 
 lords, 
 
 They fought all in a churn; 
 And when that Jim got George 
 
 by the nose, 
 Then George began to gern. 
 
 EIGHTY-EIGHT wor Kirby feight, 
 When niver a man was slain; 
 
 They yat ther meat, an drank ther drink, 
 And sae com merrily heaam agayn.
 
 26 NUESER Y RHYMES. 
 
 POOR old Robinson Crusoe ! 
 Poor old Robinson Crusoe ! 
 They made him a coat 
 Of an old nanny goat 
 
 I wonder how they could do so! 
 With a ring a ting tang, 
 And a ring a ting tang, 
 
 Poor old Robinson Crusoe ! 
 
 HIGH diddle ding, 
 
 Did you hear the bells ring ? 
 
 The Parliament soldiers are gone to the King; 
 
 Some they did laugh, some they did cry, 
 
 To see the Parliament soldiers pass by. 
 
 HIGH ding a ding, and ho ding a ding, 
 The Parliament soldiers are gone to the King; 
 Some with new beavers, some with new bands, 
 The Parliament soldiers are all to be hanged. 
 
 OVER the water and over the lee, 
 And over the water to Charley, 
 Charley loves good ale and wine, 
 And Charley loves good brandy, 
 And Charley loves a pretty girl, 
 As sweet as sugar- candy. 
 
 Over the water, and over the sea, 
 
 And over the water to Charley, 
 
 I'll have none of your nasty beef, 
 
 Nor I'll have none of your barley; 
 
 But I'll have some of your very best flour, 
 
 To make a white cake for my Charley.
 
 SECOND CLASS. 
 
 Literal, 
 
 F for fig, 
 J for jig, 
 And N for 
 
 knuckle-bones, 
 I for John 
 
 the waterman, 
 And S for sack 
 of stones. 
 
 ONE, two, three, 
 
 I love coffee, 
 
 And Billy loves tea. 
 
 How good you be, 
 
 One, two, three, 
 
 I love coffee, 
 
 And Billy loves tea. 
 
 i, 2, 3, 4, 5! 
 I caught a hare alive ; 
 
 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ! 
 I let her go again.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 ONE, two, 
 
 Buckle my shoe ; 
 
 Three, four, 
 Shut the door; 
 
 Five, six, 
 Pick up sticks;
 
 LITERAL. 
 
 Seven, 
 
 eight, 
 Lay them 
 straight ; 
 
 Eleven, 
 
 twelve, 
 Who will 
 delve?
 
 NUR8EE7 RHYMES. 
 
 Thirteen, 
 
 fourteen, 
 Maids 
 
 a-courting; 
 Fifteen, 
 
 sixteen, 
 Maids 
 
 a-kissing; 
 Seventeen, 
 
 eighteen, 
 Maids 
 
 a- waiting; 
 
 Nineteen, 
 
 twenty, 
 My stomach's 
 empty.
 
 LITERAL. 
 
 31 
 
 Pray, playmates agree. 
 
 E, F, and G, 
 
 Well, so it shall be. 
 
 J, K, and L, 
 
 In peace we will dwell. 
 
 M, N, and O, 
 
 To play let us go. 
 
 P, Q, R, and S, 
 
 Love may we possess. 
 
 W, X, and Y, 
 
 Will not quarrel or die. 
 
 Z, and amperse and, 
 
 Go to school at command.
 
 32 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 GREAT A, little a, 
 
 Bouncing B ! 
 The cat's in the cupboard, 
 
 And she can't see. 
 
 Ax reck'ning let's play, 
 
 And, prithee, let's lay 
 A wager, and let it be this : 
 
 Who first to the sum 
 
 Of twenty doth come, 
 Shall have for his winning a kiss. 
 
 TWENTY, nineteen, eighteen, 
 Seventeen, sixteen, fifteen, 
 Fourteen, thirteen, twelve, 
 Eleven, ten, nine, 
 Eight, seven, six, 
 Five, four, three, 
 Two, one ; 
 The tenor o' the tune plays merrilie.
 
 LITERAL. 
 
 33 
 
 PAT-A-CAKE, pat-a-cake, baker's man! 
 So I will, master, as fast as I can : 
 Pat it, and prick it, and mark it with T, 
 Put in the oven for Tommy and me.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 A. B. C. tumble down D, 
 
 The cat's in the cupboard and 
 can't see me.
 
 LITERA 
 
 35 
 
 HICKERY, dickery, 6 and 7, 
 Alabone, Crackabone 10 and 1 1, 
 Spin span muskidan; 
 Twiddle 'um twaddle 'um, 2 1.
 
 36 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 A was an angler, 
 Went out in a fog; 
 
 Who fish'd all the day, 
 And caught only a frog. 
 
 B was cook Betty, 
 
 A-baking a pie 
 With ten or twelve apples 
 
 All piled up on high. 
 
 C was a custard 
 
 In a glass dish, 
 With as much cinnamon 
 
 As you could wish. 
 
 D was fat Dick, 
 
 Who did nothing but eat; 
 He would leave book and 
 play 
 
 For a nice bit of meat. 
 
 E was an egg, 
 
 In a basket with more, 
 Which Peggy will sell 
 
 For a shilling a score. 
 
 F was a fox, 
 
 So cunning and sly: 
 Who looks at the hen- 
 roost 
 
 I need not say why.
 
 LITEEAL. 
 
 37 
 
 G was a greyhound, 
 As fleet as the wind ; 
 
 In the race or the course 
 Left all others behind. 
 
 H was a heron, 
 
 Who lived near a pond; 
 Of gobbling the fishes 
 
 He was wondrously fond. 
 
 I was the ice 
 
 On which Billy would 
 
 skate ; 
 So up went his heels, 
 
 And down went his pate. 
 
 J was Joe Jenkins, 
 
 Who played on the fiddle ; 
 He began twenty tunes, 
 
 But left off in the middle. 
 
 K was a kitten, 
 
 Who jumped at a cork, 
 And learned to eat mice 
 
 Without plate, knife, or 
 
 fork. 
 L was a lark, 
 
 Who sings us a song, 
 And wakes us betimes 
 
 Lest we sleep too long. 
 
 M was Miss Molly, 
 
 Who turned in her toes, 
 And hung down her head 
 
 Till her knees touched 
 her nose. 
 
 N was a nosegay, 
 Sprinkled with dew, 
 
 Pulled in the morning 
 And presented to you. 
 
 O was an owl, 
 Who looked wondrously 
 
 wise; 
 
 But he's watching a mouse 
 With his large round eyes. 
 
 P was a parrot, 
 
 With feathers like gold, 
 Who talks just as much, 
 
 And no more than he's 
 
 told. 
 Q is the Queen 
 
 Who governs the land, 
 And sits on a throne 
 
 Very lofty and grand. 
 
 R is a raven 
 
 Perched on an oak, 
 Who with a gruff voice 
 
 Cries Croak, croak, croak ! 
 
 S was a stork 
 
 With a very long bill, 
 Who swallows down fishes 
 
 And frogs to his fill. 
 
 T is a trumpeter 
 
 Blowing his horn, 
 Who tells us the news 
 
 As we rise in the 
 
 morn.
 
 38 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Y is the year 
 
 That is passing away, 
 And still growing shorter 
 
 Every day. 
 
 Z is a zebra, 
 
 Whom you've heard of 
 
 before; 
 So here ends my rhyme 
 
 Till I find you some more. 
 
 U is a unicorn, 
 Who, as it is said, 
 
 Wears an ivory bodkin 
 On his forehead. 
 
 V is a vulture 
 
 Who eats a great deal, 
 Devouring a dog 
 
 Or a cat as a meal. 
 
 "W was a watchman 
 Who guarded the 
 
 street, 
 Lest robbers or 
 
 thieves 
 
 The good people 
 should meet. 
 
 X was King Xerxes, 
 Who, if you don't 
 know, 
 
 Reigned over Persia 
 A great while ago. 
 
 ONE'S none; 
 Two's some; 
 Three's a many; 
 Four's a penny; 
 Five is a little hundred. 
 
 WHO is that I heard call ? Little Sam in the hall. 
 What does he do there ? He asked for some fruit. 
 For some fruit did he ask ? Can he yet read his book I 
 He can't read it yet; then he shan't have a bit. 
 But pray give him a bite when he says his task right; 
 And till that is well done, take you care he has none.
 
 LITERAL. 
 
 Tom Thumb's Alphabet. 
 
 A was an Archer, and shot at a frog, 
 
 B was a Butcher, and had a great dog, 
 
 C was a Captain, all covered with lace, 
 
 D was a Drunkard, and had a red face. 
 
 E was an Esquire, with pride on his brow, 
 
 F was a Farmer, and followed the plough, 
 
 G was a Gamester, who had but ill luck, 
 
 H was a Hunter, and hunted a buck. 
 
 I was an Innkeeper, who loved to bouse, 
 
 J was a Joiner, and built up a house. 
 
 K was King William, once governed this land, 
 
 L was a Lady, who had a white hand. 
 
 M was a Miser, and hoarded up gold, 
 
 N was a Nobleman, gallant and bold, 
 
 O was an Oyster Wench, and went about town, 
 
 P was a Parson, and wore a black gown. 
 
 Q was a Queen, who was fond of good flip, 
 
 R was a Robber, and wanted a whip, 
 
 S was a Sailor, and spent all he got, 
 
 T was a Tinker, and mended a pot. 
 
 U was an Usurer, a miserable elf, 
 
 V was a Vintner, who drank all himself. 
 
 \7 was a Watchman, and guarded the door, 
 
 X was expensive, and so became poor. 
 
 Y was a Youth, that did not love school, 
 
 Z was a Zany, a poor harmless fool. 
 
 APPLE-PIE, pudding, and pancake, 
 All begin with A. 
 
 Miss One, Two, and Three could never agree, 
 While they gossiped round a tea-caddy.
 
 NUXSEMY RHYMES. 
 
 COME hither, little puppy dog; 
 
 I'll give you a new collar, 
 
 If you will learn to read your 
 
 book 
 
 And be a clever scholar. 
 No, no ! replied the puppy dog, 
 
 I've other fish to fry, 
 For I must learn to guard 
 
 your house, 
 And bark when thieves 
 
 come nigh. 
 
 With a tingle, tangle, tit- 
 mouse ! 
 
 Robin knows great A, 
 And B, and C, and D, and E, 
 F, G, H, I, J, K. 
 
 COME hither, pretty cockatoo ; 
 
 Come and learn your letters, 
 And you shall have a knife 
 and fork 
 
 To eat with, like your 
 
 betters. 
 No, no ! the cockatoo replied, 
 
 My beak will do as well; 
 I'd rather eat my victuals thus 
 
 Than go and learn to spell. 
 With a tingle, tangle, tit- 
 mouse ! 
 
 Robin knows great A, 
 And B, and C, and D, and E, 
 
 F, G, H, I, J, K.
 
 LITERAL. 
 
 41 
 
 Come hither, little pussy cat; 
 If you'll your grammar 
 
 study 
 give you silver clogs to 
 
 wear, 
 Whene'er the gutter's 
 
 muddy 
 b ! whilst I grammar learn, 
 
 says Puss, 
 
 Your house will in a trice 
 overrun from top to bottom 
 With flocks of rats and mice, 
 ith a tingle, tangle, tit- 
 mouse! - 
 
 Robin knows great A, 
 And B, and C, and D, and E, 
 F, G, H, I, J, K. 
 
 Come hither, then, good little 
 
 boy, 
 
 And learn your alphabet, 
 And you a pair of boots and 
 
 spurs, 
 
 Like your papa's, shall get, 
 Oh, yes! I'll learn my alpha- 
 bet; 
 
 And when I well can read, 
 Perhaps papa will give, me too, 
 A pretty long-tail'd steed. 
 With a tingle, tangle, tit- 
 mouse ! 
 
 Robin knows great A, 
 And B, and C, and D, and E, 
 F, G, H, I, J, K.
 
 42 NUBSEEY RHYMES. 
 
 A for the ape, that we saw at the fair ; 
 
 B for a blockhead, who ne'er shall go there; 
 
 C for a cauliflower, white as a curd; 
 
 D for a duck, a very good bird; 
 
 E for an egg, good in pudding or pies; 
 
 F for a farmer, rich, honest, and wise; 
 
 G for a gentleman, void of all care; 
 
 H for the hound, that ran down the hare; 
 
 I for an Indian, soothy and dark; 
 
 K for the keeper, that looked to the park; 
 
 L for a lark, that soared in the air; 
 
 M for a mole, ne'er could get there; 
 
 N for Sir Nobody, ever in fault; 
 
 O for an otter, that ne'er could be caught; 
 
 P for a pudding, stuck full of plums; 
 
 Q was for quartering it, see here he comes; 
 
 R for a rook, that croaked in the trees; 
 
 S for a sailor, that ploughed the deep seas; 
 
 T for a top, that doth prettily spin; 
 
 V for a virgin, of delicate mien; 
 
 W for wealth, in gold, silver, and pence; 
 
 X for old Xenophone, noted for sense; 
 
 Y for a yew, which for ever is green; 
 
 Z for the zebra, that belongs to the Queen.
 
 THIRD CLASS. 
 
 tales. 
 
 SOLOMON GRUNDY, 
 Born on a Monday, 
 Christened on Tuesday, 
 Married on Wednesday, 
 Took ill on Thursday, 
 Worse on Friday, 
 Died on Saturday, 
 Buried on Sunday; 
 This is the end 
 Of Solomon Grundy. 
 
 HAVE you ever heard of Billy Pringle's pig? 
 It was very little and not very big; 
 When it was alive it lived in clover; 
 But now it's dead, and that's all over. 
 Billy Pringle he lay down and died, 
 Betsy Pringle she sat down and cried; 
 So there's an end of all the three, 
 
 Billy Pringle he, Betsy Pringle she, and poor little piggy 
 wigee. 
 
 [43]
 
 44 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 MY dear, do you know, 
 
 How, a long time ago, 
 Two poor little children, 
 
 Whose names I don't know, 
 Were stolen away on a fine summer's day, 
 And left in a wood, as I've heard people say. 
 
 And when it was night, 
 
 So sad was their plight, 
 The sun it went down, 
 
 And the moon gave no light ! 
 
 They sobbed and they sighed, and they bitterly cried, 
 And the poor little things, they lay down and died. 
 
 And when they were dead, 
 The Robins so red 
 
 Brought strawberry- leaves 
 And over them spread;
 
 TALES. 
 
 45 
 
 And all the day long 
 
 They sung them this song j 
 
 "Poor babes in the wood ! Poor l/bes in the wood! 
 And don't you remember the bab(*s in the wood ? " 
 
 THERE was a fat man of Bombay, 
 Who was smoking one sunshiny day, 
 
 When a bird, called a snipe, 
 
 Flew away with his pipe, 
 Which vexed the fat man of Bombay. 
 
 LITTLE Tom Tittlemouse lived in a bell-house; 
 The bell-house broke, and Tom Tittlemouse woke.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 PUNCH and Judy 
 Fought for a pie; 
 
 Punch gave Judy 
 A sad blow on the eye. 
 
 ROBIN the Bobbin, the big-headed Ben, 
 
 He ate more meat than fourscore men; 
 
 He ate a cow, he ate a calf, 
 
 He ate a butcher and a half; 
 
 He ate a church, he ate a steeple, 
 
 He ate the priest and all the people ! 
 
 A cow and a calf, 
 
 An ox and a half, 
 
 A church and a steeple, 
 
 And all the good people, 
 And yet he complained that his stomach wasn't full. 
 
 THERE was a jolly miller 
 Lived on the River Dee ; 
 
 He looked upon his pillow, 
 And there he saw a flea. 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Flea, 
 
 You have been biting me, 
 And you must die." 
 
 So he cracked his bones 
 
 Upon the stones, 
 And there he let him lie.
 
 TALES. 
 
 47 
 
 SIMPLE SIMON met a pieman, 
 
 Going to the fair; 
 Says Simple Simon to the pieman, 
 
 "Let me taste your ware." 
 
 Says the pieman to Simple Simon, 
 "Show me first your penny,"
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 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 got 
 
 Was in his mother's pail. 
 
 LITTLE Jack Jelf 
 Was put on the shelf 
 Because he would not spell 
 
 "pie;" 
 When his aunt, Mrs. 
 
 Grace, 
 
 Saw his sorrowful face, 
 She could not help saying, 
 "Oh, fie!" 
 
 And since Master Jelf 
 
 Was put on the shelf 
 
 Because he would not spell 
 
 "pie," 
 Let him stand there so 
 
 grim, 
 
 And no more about him, 
 For I wish him a very good 
 bye! 
 
 LITTLE Tommy Tittlemouse 
 Lived in a little house; 
 
 He caught fishes 
 
 In other men's ditches.
 
 TALES. 
 
 49 
 
 THERE was a crooked man, and he went a crooked mile, 
 He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile: 
 He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked 
 
 mouse, 
 And they all lived together in a little crooked house.
 
 50 
 
 NDESERY EHTMES. 
 
 THERE was a man, and he had nought, 
 And robbers came to rob him ; 
 
 He crept up to the chimney-pot, 
 And then they thought they had him. 
 
 But he got down on t'other side, 
 And then they could not find him. 
 
 He ran fourteen miles in fifteen days, 
 And never looked behind him.
 
 TALES. 
 
 51
 
 62 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THERE was a little man, And he took it home 
 
 And he had a little gun, To his old wife Joan, 
 
 And he went to the brook, And told her to make up a 
 And he shot a little rook; fire,
 
 TALES. 
 
 53 
 
 While he went back 
 To fetch, the little drake; 
 But when he got there, 
 
 The drake was fled for fear; 
 
 And, like an old novice, he 
 
 turned back again. 
 
 Two little dogs Said one little dog 
 
 Sat by the fire, To the other little dog, 
 
 Over a fender of coal-dust ; If you don't talk, why, I must 
 
 BRYAN O'Lin and his wife and wife's mother, 
 They all went over a bridge together : 
 The bridge was broken, and they all fell in, 
 "The deuce go with all!" quoth Bryan O'Lin. 
 
 LITTLE Tom Twig bought a fine bow and arrow, 
 And what did he shoot? why, a poor little sparrow. 
 Oh, fie, little Tom, with your fine bow and arrow, 
 How cruel to shoot at a poor little sparrow !
 
 6-i 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 OLD Mother Goose, when 
 She wanted to wander, 
 
 Would ride through the air 
 On a very fine gander. 
 
 Mother Goose had a house, 
 'Twas built in a wood, 
 
 Where an owl at the door 
 For sentinel stood. 
 
 She sent him to market, 
 A live goose he bought: 
 
 " Here ! mother, " says he, 
 "It will not go for 
 nought. " 
 
 Jack's goose and her gander 
 
 Grew very fond; 
 They'd both eat together, 
 
 Or swim in one pond. 
 
 Jack found one morning, 
 As I have been told, 
 
 His goose had laid him 
 An egg of pure gold. 
 
 Jack rode to his mother, 
 The news for to tell. 
 
 She called him a good boy, 
 And said it was well. 
 
 Jack sold his gold eggf 
 To a rogue of a Jew, 
 
 Who cheated him out of 
 The half of his due. 
 
 Then Jack went a-courting 
 
 A lady so gay, 
 As fair as the lily, 
 
 And sweet as the May. 
 
 The Jew and the Squire 
 Came behind his back, 
 
 And began to belabor 
 The sides of poor Jack. 
 
 The old Mother Goose, 
 That instant came in, 
 
 And turned her son Jack 
 Into famed Harlequin.
 
 TALES. 
 
 55 
 
 She then with her wand 
 Touched the lady so fine, 
 
 And turned her at once 
 Into sweet Columbine. 
 
 The gold egg into the sea 
 Was thrown then, 
 
 When Jack jumped in, 
 And got the egg back 
 again. 
 
 The Jew got the goose, 
 Which he vowed he 
 would kill, 
 
 Resolving at once 
 His pockets to fill. 
 
 Jack's mother came in, 
 And caught the goos 
 soon, 
 
 And mounting its back, 
 Flew up to the moon. 
 
 WHEN I was a little girl, about seven years old, 
 I hadn't got a petticoat to cover me from the cold; 
 So I went into Darlington, that pretty little town, 
 And there I bought a petticoat, a cloak, and a gown t 
 I went into the woods and built me a kirk, 
 And all the birds of the air, they helped me to work. 
 The hawk with his long claws pulled down the stone, 
 The dove, with her rough bill, brought me them home: 
 The parrot was the clergyman, the peacock was the clerk, 
 The bullfinch played the organ, and we made merry work 
 
 ROBIN and Richard were two pretty men ; 
 They lay in bed till the clock struck ten ; 
 Then up starts Robin and looks at the 
 
 sky; 
 Oh! brother Richard, the sun's very 
 
 high: 
 
 The bull's in the barn threshing the 
 
 corn; 
 The cock's on the dunghill blowing his 
 
 horn, 
 
 The cat's at the fire frying of fish, 
 The dog's in the pantry breaking his 
 
 dish.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 T*HREE wise men of Gotham went to sea in a bowl, 
 And if the bowl had been stronger, my song would have 
 been longer.
 
 TALES. 
 
 57 
 
 WHEN little 
 Fred went 
 
 to bed 
 He always 
 said his 
 
 prayers. 
 He kissed 
 mamma and 
 
 then papa, 
 And straight- 
 way went 
 upstairs. 
 
 LITTLE Willie Winkle runs through the town, 
 Upstairs and downstairs, in his nightgown, 
 Rapping at the window, crying through the lock, 
 u Are the children in their beds? for now it's eight 
 o'clock,"
 
 58 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 PEMMY was a pretty girl, 
 But Fanny was a better; 
 
 Pemmy looked like any churl, 
 When little Fanny let her. 
 
 Pemmy had a pretty nose, 
 But Fanny had a better; 
 
 Pemmy oft would come to blows, 
 But Fanny would not let her. 
 
 Pemmy had a pretty doll, 
 But Fanny had a better; 
 
 Pemmy chattered like a poll, 
 When little Fanny let her. 
 
 Pemmy had a pretty song, 
 But Fanny had a better, 
 
 Pemmy would sing all day long, 
 But Fanny would not let her. 
 
 Pemmy loved a pretty lad, 
 And Fanny loved a better; 
 
 And Pemmy wanted for to wed, 
 But Fanny would not let her. 
 
 OUR saucy boy Dick 
 Had a nice little stick 
 Cut from a hawthorn 
 
 tree, 
 
 And with this pretty stick 
 He thought he could beat 
 A boy much bigger than 
 he. 
 
 But the boy turned round, 
 And hit him a rebound. 
 Which did so frighten 
 
 poor Dick, 
 
 That, without more delay, 
 He ran quite away, 
 And over a hedge he 
 jumped quick.
 
 TALES. 
 
 69 
 
 THE lion and the unicorn 
 Were fighting for the 
 
 crown : 
 
 The lion beat the uni- 
 corn 
 All round about the 
 
 town. 
 Some gave them white 
 
 bread, 
 And some gave them 
 
 brown ; 
 Some gave them plum 
 
 cake, 
 And sent them out of 
 
 town. 
 
 Moss was a little man, and a little mare did buy, 
 
 For kicking and for sprawling none her could come nigh ; 
 
 She could trot, she could amble, and could canter here 
 
 and there; 
 But one night she strayed away so Moss lost his mare. 
 
 Moss got up next morning to catch her fast asleep, 
 And round about the frosty fields so nimbly he did creep. 
 Dead in a ditch he found her, and glad to find her there, 
 So I'll tell you, by-and-bye, how Moss caught his mare. 
 
 " Rise! stupid, rise!" he thus to her did say: 
 
 "Arise, you beast, you drowsy beast, get up without 
 
 delay, 
 For I must ride you to the town, so don't lie sleeping 
 
 there." 
 He put the halter round her neck so Moss caught his 
 
 mare. 
 
 LITTLE King Boggen he built a fine hall, 
 Pie-crust and pastry-crust, that was the wall; 
 The windows were made of black- puddings and white, 
 And slated with pancakes; you ne'er saw the like.
 
 NURSES, Y RHYMES. 
 
 Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a thief; 
 Taffy came to my house and stole a piece of beef; 
 I went to Taffy's house, Taffy was not at home ; 
 Tafj,came to my house and stole a marrow-bone. 
 
 I went to Taffy's house, Taffy was not in; 
 Taffy came to my house and stole a silver pin; 
 I went to Taffy's house, Taffy was in bed, 
 I took up a poker and flung it at his head.
 
 TALES. 
 
 61 
 
 DOCTOR Foster went to Glo'ster 
 
 In a shower of rain; 
 He stepped in a puddle, up to the middle, 
 
 And never went there again. 
 
 TOMMY kept a chandler's Tommy gave him such a 
 shop, knock, 
 
 Richard went to buy a That sent him out of his 
 mop, chandler's shop.
 
 62 
 
 NUESEEY RHYMES. 
 
 TOM, Tom, the piper's son, 
 Stole a pig, and away he run; 
 
 The pig was eat, and Tom was beat, 
 And Tom ran roaring down the street. 
 
 LITTLE Blue Betty lived in a lane, 
 She sold good ale to gentlemen;
 
 TALES. 
 
 Gentlemen came every day, 
 
 And little Betty Blue hopped away. 
 
 She hopped upstairs to make her bed, 
 
 And she tumbled down and broke her head. 
 
 THE man in the moon 
 
 Came tumbling down, 
 And asked his way to Norwich: 
 
 He went by the south, 
 
 And burnt his mouth 
 With supping cold pease-porridge. 
 
 My Lady Wind, my Lady Wind, 
 Went round about the house to find 
 
 A chink to get her foot in: 
 She tried the key-hole in the door, 
 She tried the crevice in the floor, 
 
 And drove the chimney soot in. 
 And then one night when it was dark, 
 She blew up such a tiny spark 
 
 That all the house was pothered: 
 From it she raised up such a flame 
 As flamed away to Belting Lane, 
 
 And White Cross folks were smothered. 
 And thus when once, my little dears, 
 A whisper reaches itching ears, 
 
 The same will come, you'll find: 
 Take my advice, restrain the tongue, 
 Remember what old Nurse has sung 
 
 Of busy Lady Wind! 
 
 OLD Abram Brown is dead and gone, 
 You'll never see him more; 
 
 He used to wear a long brown coat, 
 That buttoned down before.
 
 64 
 
 NUBSERY RHYMES. 
 
 j 
 
 The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts, 
 
 All on a summer's day; 
 The Knave of Hearts, he stole the tarts, 
 
 And took them clean away. 
 
 The King of Hearts called for the tarts, 
 And beat the Knave full sore;
 
 TALES. 
 
 The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts, 
 And vowed he'd steal no more. 
 
 THERE was an old man of Cantyre, 
 Who always stood back to the fire, 
 And was quite at a loss 
 To know why folks looked cross; 
 That selfish old man of Cantyre,
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 I HAD a little hobby- 
 horse, 
 And it was dapple 
 
 grey; 
 Its head was made of 
 
 pea-straw, 
 
 Its tail was made of 
 hay. 
 
 I sold it to an old 
 
 woman 
 
 For a copper groat; 
 And I'll not sing my 
 
 song again 
 Without a new coat. 
 
 The rhyme of Jack Homer has been stated to be a satire on the Puri- 
 tanical aversion to Christmas pies and such-like abominations. It forms 
 part of a metrical chap-book history, founded on the same story as the 
 Friar and the Boy, entitled "The Pleasant History of Jack Horner, con- 
 taining his witty tricks and pleasant pranks which he played from his 
 youth to his riper years: right pleasant and delightful for winter and 
 summer's recreation," embellished with frightful woodcuts, which have 
 not much connectioji with the tale. The pleasant history commences as 
 follows: 
 
 Jack Horner was a pretty lad. 
 
 Near London he did dwell, 
 His father's heart he made full glad, 
 
 His mother lov'd him well. 
 While little Jack was sweet and young, 
 
 If he by chance should cry, 
 His mother pretty sonnets sung, 
 
 With a lul.la-ba-by, 
 
 With such a dainty curious tone. 
 
 As Jack sat on her knee, 
 So that ere he could go alone 
 
 He sang as well as she. 
 A pretty boy of curious wit. 
 
 All people spoke his p*aise, 
 And in the corner would he lit 
 
 In Christmas holidays.
 
 TALES. 
 
 67 
 
 When friends they did together meet 
 
 To pass away the time, 
 Why. little Jack, he sure would eat 
 
 His Christmas pie in rhyme. 
 
 And said, Jack Homer, in the corner, 
 
 Eats good Christmas pie, 
 And with his thumbs pulls out the plums, 
 
 And said, Good boy am 1 1 
 
 Here we have an important discovery ! Who before ever suspected that 
 the nursery rhyme was written by Jack Horner himself? 
 
 LITTLE Jack Horner sat in the corner, 
 Eating a Christmas pie; 
 
 He put in his thumb, and took out a plum, 
 And said, "What a good boy am I ! "
 
 68 NURSERY RHYMES. ^ 
 
 THERE was an old woman who rode on a broom, 
 
 With a high gee ho, gee humble; 
 And she took her old cat behind for a groom, 
 
 With a bimble, bamble, bumble. 
 
 They travelled along till they came to the sky, 
 
 With a high gee ho, gee humble; 
 But the journey so long made them very hungry, 
 
 With a bimble, bamble, bumble. 
 
 Says Tom, " I can find nothing here to eat, 
 
 With a high gee ho, gee humble; 
 So let us go back again, I entreat, 
 
 With a bimble, bamble, bumble. " 
 
 The old woman would not go back so soon, 
 
 With a high gee ho, gee humble ; 
 For she wanted to visit the Man in the Moon, 
 
 With a bimble, bamble, bumble. 
 
 Says Tom, "I'll go back by myself to our house, 
 
 With a high gee ho, gee humble ; 
 For there I can catch a good rat or a mouse, 
 
 With a bimble, bamble, bumble." 
 
 " But," says the old woman, " how will you go ? 
 
 With a high gee ho, gee humble ; 
 Y"4m shan't have my nag, I protest and vow, 
 
 With a bimble, bamble, bumble. " 
 
 <; No, no," says Tom, "I've a plan of my own, 
 
 With a high gee ho, gee humble; " 
 So he slid down the rainbow, and left her alone, 
 
 With a bimble, bamble, bumble. 
 
 So now, if you happen to visit the sky, 
 
 With a high gee ho, gee humble, 
 And want to come back, you Tom's method may try, 
 
 With a bimble, bamble, bumble.
 
 TALES. 
 
 A DOG and a cock a journey once took, 
 They travelled along till 't was late; 
 
 The dog he made free in the hollow of a tree; 
 And the cock on the boughs of it sate. 
 
 The cock, nothing knowing, 
 
 In the morn fell a- crowing, 
 Upon which comes a fox to the tree-, 
 
 Say she, "I declare 
 
 Your voice is above 
 All the creatures I ever did see. 
 
 Oh, would you come down, 
 
 I the fav'rite might own! " 
 Said the cock, "There's a porter below; 
 
 If you will go in, 
 
 I promise I'll come down." 
 So he went and was worried for it too. 
 
 THERE was a King, and he had three daughter, 
 And they all lived in a basin of water; 
 
 The basin bended, 
 
 My story's ended. 
 If the basin had been stronger 
 My story would have been longer.
 
 FOURTH CLASS 
 
 ST. SWITHIN'S Day, if thou dost rain, 
 For forty days it will remain : 
 St S within 's Day, if thou be fair, 
 For forty days 't will rain na mair. 
 
 BOUNCE BUCKRAM, velvet's dear: 
 Christmas comes but once a year. 
 
 SHOE the horse and shoe the mare; 
 But let the little colt go bare. 
 
 [Hours of sleep.] 
 
 NATURE requires five; Laziness takes nine, 
 
 Custom gives seven; And Wickedness eleven. 
 
 170]
 
 PROVERBS. 
 
 71 
 
 To make your candles last for aye, 
 You wives and maids give ear-o f 
 
 To put 'em out's the only way, 
 Says honest John Boldero. 
 
 A SWARM of bees in May 
 Is worth a load of hay;
 
 72 NURSEEY EHYMES. 
 
 A swarm of bees in June A swarm of bees in July 
 Is worth a silver spoon ; Is not worth a fly. 
 
 IF wishes were horses, 
 
 Beggars would ride; 
 If turnips were watches, 
 
 I would wear one by my side. 
 
 A MAN of words and not of deeds, 
 
 Is like a garden full of weeds; 
 
 And when the weeds begin to grow, 
 
 It's like a garden full of snow; 
 
 And when the snow begins to fall, 
 
 It's like a bird upon the wall; 
 
 And when the bird away does fly, 
 
 It's like an eagle in the sky; 
 
 And when the sky begins to roar, 
 
 It's like a lion at the door; 
 
 And when the door begins to crack, 
 
 It's like a stick across your back; 
 
 And when your back begins to smart, 
 
 It's like a penknife in your heart; 
 
 And when your heart begins to bleed, 
 
 You're dead, and dead, and dead indeed. 
 
 A MAN of words and not of deeds, 
 Is like a garden full of weeds; 
 For when the weeds begin to grow, 
 Then doth the garden overflow. 
 
 FOR every every evil under the sun 
 There is a remedy, or there is none. 
 If there be one, try and find it; 
 If there be none, never mind it.
 
 PROVERBS. 73 
 
 T?' 
 
 NEEDLES and pins, 
 needles and pins, 
 
 When a man marries 
 his trouble begins. 
 
 A SUNSHINY shower 
 Won't last half an 
 hour 
 
 A PULLET in the pen 
 
 Is worth a hundred in the fen. 
 
 IF you sneeze on Monday, you sneeze for danger; 
 
 Sneeze on a Tuesday, kiss a stranger; 
 
 Sneeze on a Wednesday, sneeze for a letter; 
 
 Sneeze on a Thursday, something better; 
 
 Sneeze on a Friday, sneeze for sorrow ; 
 
 Sneeze on a Saturday, see your sweetheart to-morrow. 
 
 THEY that wash on Monday 
 
 Have all the week to dry; 
 They that wash on Tuesday 
 
 Are not so much awry; 
 They that wash on Wednesday 
 
 Are not so much to blame; 
 They that wash on Thursday, 
 
 Wash for shame; 
 They that wash on Friday, 
 
 Wash in need; 
 And they that wash on Saturday, 
 
 Oh ! they're sluts indeed. 
 
 As the days grow longer 
 The storms grow stronger.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 WHEN the wind is in the east, 
 
 'T is neither good for man nor beast; 
 
 When the wind is in the north, 
 The skilful fisher goes not forth j
 
 PROVERBS. 
 
 75 
 
 When the wind is in 
 
 the south, 
 It blows the bait in 
 
 the fishes' mouth; 
 
 ,Vhen the wind is in 
 
 the west, 
 Then 't is at the very 
 
 best
 
 76 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THREE straws on a staff, 
 
 Would make a baby cry and laugh. 
 
 SEE a pin and pick it up, 
 
 All the day you'll have good luck; 
 
 See a pin and let it lay, 
 
 Bad luck you'll have all the day. 
 
 Go to bed first, a golden purse; 
 
 Go to bed second, a golden pheasant; 
 
 Go to bed third, a golden bird! 
 
 As the days lengthen 
 So the storms strengthen.
 
 PROVERBS. 
 
 77 
 
 In Suffolk, children are often reminded of the decorum due to the 
 Sabbath by the following lines. 
 
 YEOW mussent sing a' Sunday, 
 
 Becaze it is a sin, 
 But yeow may sing a' Monday 
 
 Till Sunday cums agin. 
 
 HE that goes to see his wheat in May, 
 Comes weeping away. 
 
 LAZY Lawrence, let me go, 
 
 Don't hold me summer and winter too. 
 
 This distich is said by a boy who feels very lazy, yet wishes to exert 
 himself. Lazy Lawrence is a proverbial expression for an idle person, 
 and there is an old chap-book, entitled "the History of Lawrence Lazy, 
 containing his birth and slotful breeding ; how he served the school- 
 master, his wife, the squire's cook, and the farmer, which, by the laws 
 of Lubberland, was accounted high treason." A west country proverb^ 
 relating to a disciple of this hero, runs thus: 
 
 Sluggardy guise, 
 Loth to go to bed, 
 And loth to rise.
 
 78 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 HE that would thrive He that hath thriven 
 Must rise at five ; May lie till seven; 
 
 And he that by the plough would thrive, 
 Himself must either hold or drive. 
 
 IN July, In August, 
 
 Some reap rye; If one will not the other 
 
 must. 
 
 Proverbial many years ago, when the guinea in gold was of a higher 
 value than its nominal representative in silver. 
 
 A GUINEA it would sink, 
 
 And a pound it would float; 
 
 Yet I'd rather have a guinea, 
 Than your one pound note. 
 
 THE art of good driving is a paradox quite, 
 Though custom has proved it so long: 
 
 If you go to the left, you're sure to go right, 
 If you go to the right, you go wrong. 
 
 THE mackerel's cry 
 Is never long dry.
 
 PROVERBS. 
 
 79 
 
 The proverb of tit for tat may perhaps be said to be going out of 
 fashion, but it is still a universal favorite with children. When any one 
 is ill-natured, and the sufferer wishes to hint his intention of retaliating 
 at the first convenient opportunity, he cries out 
 
 TIT for tat, 
 
 If you kill my dog, 
 
 I'll kill your cat. 
 
 MARCH will search, 
 April will try, 
 
 May will tell ye if ye'll 
 live or die. 
 
 WHEN the sand doth feed the clay, 
 England woe and well-a-day! 
 But when the clay doth feed the sand, 
 Then it is well with Angle-land. 
 
 A CAT may look at a King, 
 And surely I may look at an ugly thing. 
 Said in derision by one child to another, who com- 
 plains of being stared at. 
 
 FRIDAY night's dream 
 On the Saturday told, 
 
 Is sure to come true, 
 Be it never so old. 
 
 TRIM tram, 
 Like master like man. 
 
 Prom an old manuscript political treatise, dated 1652, entitled 
 may lopk at a King/'
 
 80 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 HE that hath it and will not keep it, 
 He that wanteth it and will not seek it, 
 He that drinketh and is not dry, 
 Shall want money as well as I. 
 From Howell's English Proverbs, 1659, p. 21. 
 
 Sow in the sop, 
 
 'T will be heavy a-top. 
 
 That is, land in a soppy or wet state is in a favorable condition for re- 
 ceiving seed ; a statement, however, somewhat questionable. 
 
 GRAY'S Inn for walks, 
 
 Lincoln's Inn for a wall, 
 The Inner-Temple for a garden, 
 
 And the Middle for a hall. 
 A proverb, no doubt, true in former times, but now only partially correct. 
 
 IN time of prosperity friends will be plenty, 
 In time of adversity not one amongst twenty. 
 
 From Howell's English Proverbs, p. 20. The expression, not one 
 amongst twenty, is a generic one for not one out of a large number. It 
 occurs in Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," V., 2. 
 
 BEER a bumble, 
 
 'T will kill you 
 
 Afore 't will make ye tumble. 
 
 A proverbial phrase applied to very small beer, an home brewed 
 beverage formerly very common in the rural parts of England, implying 
 that no quantity of it will cause intoxication. 
 
 THE fair maid who, the first of May, 
 Goes to the fields at break of day, 
 And washes in dew from the hawthorn-tree, 
 Will ever after handsome be.
 
 FIFTH CLASS. 
 
 Scholastic. 
 
 A DILLER, a dollar, 
 
 A ten o'clock scholar, 
 What makes you come so 
 
 soon? 
 You used to come at ten 
 
 o'clock, 
 But now you come at noon. 
 
 SPEAK when you're spoken 
 to, 
 
 Come when one call, 
 Shut the door after you, 
 
 And turn to the wall. 
 
 BIRCH and green holly, 
 boys, 
 
 Birch and green holly. 
 If you get beaten, boys, 
 
 'T will be your own folly.
 
 82 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 TELL tale, tit ! 
 Your tongue shall be slit, 
 And all the dogs in the town 
 Shall have a little bit. 
 
 A Greek bill of fare. 
 LEGOMOTON, 
 Acapon, 
 Afatgheuse, 
 Pasti venison. 
 
 The joke of the following consists in saying it so quick that it cannot 
 be told whether it is English or gibberish. It was a schoolboy's rhyme 
 in the fifteenth century. 
 
 IN fir tar is, 
 In oak none is. 
 In mud eel is, 
 
 In clay none is. 
 Goat eat ivy, 
 Mare eat oats. 
 
 The dominical letters attached to the first days of the several months 
 are remembered by the following lines: 
 
 At Dover Dwells George Brown Esquire, 
 Good Christopher Finch, And David Friar. 
 
 COME when you're 
 
 called, 
 
 Do what you're bid, 
 Shut the door after 
 
 you, 
 Never be chid. 
 
 THE rose is red, 
 
 The grass is green; 
 And in this book 
 
 My name, is, seen.
 
 SCHOLASTIC. 
 
 83 
 
 MULTIPLICATION is vexation, 
 
 Division is as bad; 
 The Rule of Three doth puzzle me, 
 
 And Practice drives me mad.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 CROSS-PATCH, 
 Draw the latch, 
 Sit by the fire and spin; 
 
 Take a cup, 
 And drink it up, 
 Then call your neighbors 
 in.
 
 SCHOLASTIC. 
 
 DOCTOR FAUSTUS was a good 
 
 man, 
 He whipped his scholars now 
 
 and then; 
 When he whipped them he made 
 
 them dance 
 
 Out of Scotland into France, 
 Out of France into Spain, 
 And then he whipped them back 
 
 again ! 
 
 WHEN I was a little boy I had 
 
 but little wit; 
 It is some time ago, and I've 
 
 more yet; 
 Nor ever ever shall until that I 
 
 die, 
 For the longer I live the more 
 
 fool am I. 
 
 The following memorial lines are by no means modern. They occur, 
 with slight variations, in an old play called " The Returne from Parnas- 
 sus," 4to. Lond. 1606. 
 
 THIRTY days hath September, 
 April, June, and November; 
 February has twenty- eight alone, 
 All the rest have thirty- one, 
 Excepting Leap-year, that's the time 
 When February's days are twenty-nine. 
 
 A laconic reply to a person who indulges much in supposition. 
 
 IF "ifs"and "ands" 
 Were pots and pans, 
 There would be no nee.d for tinkers!
 
 86 NUfiSEB Y J2HYMES. 
 
 MISTRESS MARY, quite contrary, 
 How does your garden grow? 
 
 With cockle-shells and silver bells 
 And mussels all a-row. 
 
 MY story's ended, Go to the next door 
 
 My spoon is bended: And get it mended. 
 
 If you don't like it, 
 
 On arriving at the end of a book, boys have a practice of reciting the 
 following absurd lines which form the word y?z'j backward and forwards 
 by the initials of the words. 
 
 FATHER IOHNSON Nicholas Johnson's Son 
 Son lohnson Nicholas Johnson's Father. 
 
 To "get to Father Johnson," therefore, was to reach the end of the book. 
 
 WHEN V and I together meet, 
 They make the number Six complete. 
 When I with V doth meet once more, 
 Then 't is they Two can make but Four. 
 And when that V from I is gone, 
 Alas ! poor I can make but One.
 
 SIXTH CLASS. 
 
 Songs. 
 
 OH, where are you going, 
 
 My pretty maiden fair, 
 With your red rosy cheeks, 
 
 And your coal-black 
 
 hair? 
 I'm going a-milking, 
 
 Kind sir, says she, 
 And it's dabbling in the dew 
 
 Where you'll find me. 
 
 May I go with you, 
 My pretty maiden fair, 
 etc. 
 
 Oh, you may go with me, 
 Kind sir, says she, etc. 
 
 If I should chance to kiss 
 
 you, 
 
 My pretty maiden fair, 
 
 etc. 
 
 The wind may take it off 
 again, 
 Kind sir, says she, etc. 
 
 And what is your father, 
 My pretty maiden fair ? 
 etc. 
 
 My father's a farmer, 
 Kind sir, says she, etc. 
 
 And what is your mother, 
 My pretty maiden fair ? 
 
 [87]
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 With your red rosy cheeks, 
 And your coal-black 
 
 hair? 
 
 My mother's a dairymaid, 
 Kind sir, says she, 
 
 And it's dabbling in the dew 
 Where you'll find me. 
 
 WHERE are you going, my pretty maid, 
 With your rosy cheeks and golden hair ? 
 
 "I'm going a-milking, sir," she said; 
 The strawberry-leaves make maidens fair.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 89 
 
 Shall I go with you, my pretty maid, 
 
 With your rosy cheeks and golden hair ? 
 " Yes, if you please, kind sir," she said; 
 
 The strawberry-leaves make maidens fair. 
 
 What is your father, my pretty maid, 
 
 With your rosy cheeks and golden hair ? 
 *' My father's a farmer, sir," she said; 
 
 The strawberry-leaves make maidens fair. 
 
 What is your fortune, my pretty maid, 
 
 With your rosy cheeks and golden hair ? 
 " My face is my fortune, sir," she said; 
 
 The strawberry-leaves make maidens fair. 
 
 Then I won't have you, my pretty maid, 
 With your rosy cheeks and golden hair. 
 ** Nobody asked you, sir," she said; 
 
 The strawberry-leaves make maidens fair. 
 
 You shall have an apple, 
 You shall have a plum, 
 
 You shall have a rattle-basket, 
 When your dad comes home. 
 
 LEND me thy mare to ride a mile? 
 She is lamed, leaping over a stile. 
 Alack ! and I must keep the fair ! 
 I'll give thee money for thy mare. 
 Oh, oh ! say you so ? 
 Money will make the mare to go. 
 
 UP at Piccadilly oh ! the coachman takes his stand, 
 And when he meets a pretty girl, he takes her by the hand; 
 Whip away for ever oh ! drive away so clever oh ! 
 All the way to Bristol oh ! he drives her four-in-hand.
 
 90 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 POLLY, put the kettle on, 
 
 Polly, put the kettle on, 
 
 Polly, put the kettle on, 
 
 And let's drink tea. 
 
 Sukey, take it off again, 
 Sukey, take it off again, 
 Sukey, take it off again, 
 They're all gone away. 
 
 JEANIE come tie my, 
 Jeanie come tie my, 
 Jeanie come tie my bonnie 
 
 cravat ; 
 
 I've tied it behind, 
 I've tied it before, 
 And I've tied it so often, I'll 
 tie it no more.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 91
 
 92 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 &L> 
 
 The original of the 
 following is to be 
 found in " Deute- 
 romelia, or the sec- 
 ond part of Musicks 
 Melodic," 4to, Lond. 
 1609, where the mu- 
 sic is also given. 
 
 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 fools in your 
 life? 
 Three blind mice.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 THE fox and his wife they had a great strife, 
 The never ate mustard in all their whole life; 
 They ate their meat without fork or knife, 
 And loved to be picking a bone, e-ho ! 
 
 The fox jumped up on a moonlight night, 
 The stars they were shining, and all things bright; 
 Oh, ho! said the fox, it's a very fine night 
 For me to go through the town, e-ho ! 
 
 The fox when he came to yonder stile, 
 He lifted his lugs and he listened awhile; 
 Oh, ho ! said the fox, it's but a short mile 
 From this unto yonder wee town, e-ho! 
 
 The fox when he came to the farmer's gate, 
 Who should he see but the farmer's drake: 
 I love you well for your master's sake, 
 And long to be picking your bone, e-ho! 
 
 Then the old man got up in his red cap, 
 And swore he would catch the fox in a trap; 
 But the fox was too cunning, and gave him the slip, 
 And ran thro' the town, the town, e-oh !
 
 94 NUBSEE Y RHYMES. 
 
 When he got to the top of the hill, 
 He blew his trumpet both loud and shrill, 
 For joy that he was safe 
 Through the town, e-oh! 
 
 When the fox came back to his den, 
 He had young ones both nine and ten, f 
 
 ' You're welcome home, daddy ; you may go again, 
 If you bring us such nice meat 
 From the town, e-oh!" 
 
 The grey goose she ran round the hay-stack, 
 Oh, ho ! said the fox, you are very fat ; 
 You'll grease my beard and ride on my back 
 From this into yonder wee town, e-ho ! 
 
 Old Gammer Hippie-hopple hopped out of bed, 
 She opened the casement, and popped out her head; 
 Oh ! husband, oh ! husband, the grey goose is dead, 
 And the fox is gone through the town, oh! 
 
 ONE misty moisty morning 
 When cloudy was the weather, 
 
 There I met an old man 
 Clothed all in leather; 
 Clothed all in leather, 
 
 With cap under his chin, 
 How do you do, and how do you do, 
 
 And how do you do again ? 
 
 From W. Wager's play, called "The longer thou livest, the more foole 
 thou art," 4to, Lond. 
 
 THE white dove sat on the castle wall, 
 
 I bend my bow and shoot her I shall; 
 
 I put her in my glove both feathers and all; 
 
 I laid my bridle upon the shelf, 
 
 If you will any more, sing it yourself.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 05 
 
 LITTLE Tom Dogget, 
 
 What does thou mean, 
 To kill thy poor Colly 
 
 Now she's so lean ? 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, 
 
 Colly, my cow; 
 For Colly will give me 
 
 No more milk now. 
 
 I had better have kept her 
 Till fatter she had been, 
 
 For now, I confess, 
 She's a little too lean. 
 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, etc. 
 
 First in comes the tanner 
 With his sword by his 
 
 side, 
 
 And he bids me five shil- 
 lings, 
 
 For my poor cow's hide. 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, etc. 
 
 Then in comes the tallow- 
 chandler, 
 
 Whose brains were but 
 shallow, 
 And he bids me two-and- 
 
 sixpence 
 
 For my cow's tallow. 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, etc. 
 
 Then in comes the hunts- 
 maii 
 
 So early in the morn, 
 He bids me a penny 
 
 For my cow's horn. 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, etc. 
 
 Then in comes the tripe- 
 woman, 
 
 So fine and so neat, 
 She bids me three half- 
 pence 
 
 For my cow's feet. 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, etc.
 
 96 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Then in comes the butcher, 
 That nimble- tongued 
 
 youth, 
 
 Who said she was carrion, 
 But he spoke not the 
 
 truth. 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, etc. 
 
 The skin of my cowly 
 Was softer than silk, 
 
 And three times a day 
 My poor cow would 
 
 give milk. 
 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, etc. 
 
 She every year 
 
 A fine calf did me bring, 
 Which fetched me a pound, 
 
 For it came in the spring. 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, etc. 
 
 But now I have killed her 
 
 I can't her recall; 
 I will sell my poor Colly, 
 
 Hide, horns and all. 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, etc. 
 
 The butcher shall have her, 
 Though he gives but a 
 
 pound, 
 
 And he knows in his heart 
 That my Colly was 
 
 sound. 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, etc. 
 
 And when he has bought 
 her, 
 
 Let him sell altogether 
 The flesh for to eat, 
 
 And the hide for leather. 
 Sing, oh poor Colly, etc. 
 
 A different version from the above, commencing, " My Billy Aroma," is 
 current in the nurseries of Cornwall. One verse runs as follows: 
 
 In comes the homer, 
 
 Who roguery scorns, 
 And he gives me three farthings 
 
 For poor cowly's horns. 
 
 This is better than our reading, and concludes thus: 
 
 There's an end to my cowly, 
 
 Now she's dead and gone; 
 For the loss of my cowly 
 
 I sob and I mourn. 
 
 A north of England song. 
 
 SAYS t' auld man tit oak-tree, 
 
 Young and lusty was I when I kenn'd thee; 
 I was young and lusty, I was fair and clear, 
 
 Young and lusty was I mony a lang year; 
 But sair fail'd am I, sair fail'd now, 
 
 Sair fail'd am I sen I kenn'd thou.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 MY maid Mary she minds her dairy, 
 While I go a-hoeing and mowing each morn; 
 
 Merrily run the reel and the little spinning-wheel 
 Whilst I am singing and mowing my corn. 
 
 LITTLE Bo-peep has lost 
 
 his sheep, 
 And can't tell where to 
 
 find them ; 
 Leave them alone, and 
 
 they'll come home, 
 And bring their tails be- 
 hind them. 
 
 Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep, 
 And dreamt he heard them bleating; 
 
 But when he awoke he found it a joke, 
 For they were all still fleeting. 
 
 Then up he took his little crook, 
 
 Determined for to find them; 
 He found them indeed, but it made his heart bleed, 
 
 For they'd left all their tails behind 'em I
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 WHEN I was a little boy 
 
 I lived by myself ; 
 And all the bread and 
 cheese I got 
 
 I put upon the shelf. 
 
 The rats and the mice 
 They made such a strife, 
 
 I was forced to go to Lon- 
 don town 
 To buy me a wife. 
 
 The streets were so broad, 
 
 And the lanes were so narrow, 
 
 I was forced to bring my wife home 
 In a wheelbarrow.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 99 
 
 The wheelbarrow broke, 
 And my wife had a fall, 
 
 Down came wheelbarrow, 
 Wife and all. 
 
 A PRETTY little girl in a round- 
 eared cap 
 
 I met in the streets t' other day ; 
 She gave me such a thump, 
 
 That my heart it went bump; 
 I thought I should have fainted 
 
 away! 
 
 I thought I should have fainted 
 away! 
 
 As I was going along, long, long, 
 A- singing a comical song, song, 
 
 song, 
 The lane that I went was so long, 
 
 long, long, 
 And the song that I sung was as 
 
 long, long, long, 
 And so I went singing along.
 
 100 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 The first line of this nursery rhyme is quoted in Beaumont and 
 Fletcher's "Bonduca," Act V., sc. 2. It is probable also that Sir 
 Toby alludes to this song in "Twelfth Night," Act II., sc. 2, when he 
 says " Come on ; there is sixpence for you: let's have a song." In 
 "Epulario, or the Italian Banquet," 1589, is a receipt "to make pies 
 so that the birds may be alive in them and flie out when it is cut up," 
 a mere device, live birds being introduced after the pie is made 
 This may be the original subject of the following song :
 
 SONGS. 
 
 101 
 
 SING a song of sixpence, 
 
 A bag full of rye ; 
 Four-and-twenty blackbirds 
 
 Baked in a pie; 
 When the pie was opened 
 
 The birds began to sing; 
 Was not that a dainty dish 
 
 To set before the King ? 
 The King was in his counting-house, 
 
 Counting out his money; 
 The Queen was in the parlour, 
 
 Eating bread and honey; 
 The maid was in the garden 
 
 Hanging out the clothes; 
 By came a little bird, 
 
 And snapt off her nose. 
 
 Jenny was so mad 
 
 She didn't know what to do; 
 She put her finger in her ear, 
 
 And cracked it right in two.
 
 102 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 ABOUT the bush, Willy, Five and five shillings. 
 About the bee- hive, Five and a crown, 
 
 About the bush, Willy, Five and five shillings 
 I'll meet thee alive. Will buy a new gown. 
 
 Then to my ten shillings Five and five shillings, 
 Add you but a groat, Five and a groat ; 
 
 I'll go to Newcastle, Five and five shillings 
 And buy a new coat. Will buy a new coat 
 
 From "Histrio-ma?tix; or, the Player Whipt," 4to, Lond. 1610. Mr. 
 Rimbaultsays this is common in Yorkshire. 
 
 SOME up and some down, Besides we that travel, 
 
 There's players in the With pumps full of 
 
 town, gravel, 
 
 You wot well who they be Made all of such running 
 
 The sun doth arise leather, 
 
 To three companies, That once in a week 
 
 One, two, three, four, New masters we seek, 
 
 make we ! And never can hold to- 
 gether. 
 
 OLD Father of the Pye, 
 
 I cannot sing, my lips are dry; 
 
 But when my lips are very well wet, 
 
 Then I can sing with the Heigh go Bet ! 
 
 This appears to be an old hunting song. Go bet is a very ancient sport- 
 ing phrase, equivalent to go along. It occurs in Chaucer. 
 
 As I was going up the hill, 
 
 I met with Jack the piper, 
 And all the tunes that he could play 
 
 Was "Tie up your petticoats tighter." 
 I tied them once, I tied them twice, 
 
 I tied them three times over ; 
 And all the songs that he could sing 
 
 Was "Carry me safe to Dover."
 
 103 
 
 MY father he died, but I can't tell 
 
 you how, 
 He left me six horses to drive in 
 
 my plough : 
 
 With my wing wang waddle oh, 
 Jack sing saddle oh, 
 Blowsey boys buble oh, 
 Under the broom. 
 
 I sold my six horses, and I bought me a cow, 
 I'd fain have made a fortune, but did not know how: 
 With my, &c. 
 
 I sold my cow, and I bought me a calf ; 
 I'd fain have made a fortune, but lost the best half : 
 With my, &c. 
 
 I sold my calf, and I bought me a cat ; 
 A pretty thing she was, in my chimney corner sat: 
 With my, &c. 
 
 I sold my cat, and bought me a mouse ; 
 He carried fire in his tail, and burnt down my house : 
 With my, &c. 
 
 THERE was a jolly miller 
 
 Lived on the River Dee ; 
 He worked and sung from morn till night, 
 
 No lark so blithe as he ;
 
 104 
 
 And tkis the burden of his song 
 For ever used to be 
 
 I jump mejerrime jee ! 
 I care for nobody no ! not I, 
 
 Since nobody cares for me. 
 
 TRIP upon trenches, and 
 
 dance upon dishes, 
 My mother sent me for 
 some barm, some 
 
 barm: 
 
 She bade me tread 
 lightly, a-nd come 
 
 again quickly, 
 For fear the young men 
 should do me some 
 
 harm. 
 Yet didn't you see, yet 
 
 didn't you see, 
 What naughty tricks they 
 put upon me: 
 
 They broke my pitcher, 
 And spilt the water, 
 
 And huffed my mother, 
 
 And chid her daughter, 
 And kissed my sister instead of me. 
 
 IF I'd as much money as I could spend, 
 I never would cry old chairs to mend; 
 Old chairs to mend, old chairs to mend, 
 I never would cry old chairs to mend.
 
 105 
 
 If I'd as much money as I could tell, 
 I never would cry old clothes to sell, 
 Old clothes to sell, old clothes to sell, 
 I never would cry old clothes to sell. 
 
 LONDON "bridge is broken 
 
 down, 
 
 Dance o'er my Lady Lee ; 
 London bridge is broken 
 
 down, 
 With a gay ladye. 
 
 How shall we build it up 
 
 again ? 
 
 Dance o'er my Lady Lee ; 
 How shall we build it up 
 
 again? 
 With a gay ladye. 
 
 Silver and gold will be 
 
 stole away, 
 
 Dance o'er my Lady Lee ; 
 Silver and gold will be 
 
 stole away, 
 With a gay ladye. 
 
 Build it up again with iron 
 
 and steel, 
 
 Dance o'er my Lady Lee ; 
 Build it up with iron and 
 
 steel, 
 With a gay ladye. 
 
 Iron and steel will bend 
 
 and bow, 
 
 Dance o'er my Lady Lee ; 
 Iron and steel will bend 
 
 and bow, 
 With a gay ladye. 
 
 Build it up with wood and 
 
 clay, 
 
 Dance o'er my Lady Lee ; 
 Build it up with wood and 
 
 clay, 
 With a gay ladye.
 
 106 
 
 NURSES, Y RE YMES. 
 
 Wood and clay will wash 
 
 away, 
 
 Dance o'er my Lady Lee ; 
 Wood and clay will wash 
 
 away, 
 With a gay ladye. 
 
 Build it up with stone so 
 
 strong, 
 
 Dance o'er my Lady Lee ; 
 Huzza. I t'will last for ages 
 
 long, 
 With a gay ladye. 
 
 The following catch is found in Ben Jonson's "Masque of Oberon," and 
 is a most common nursery song at the present day. 
 
 Buz, quoth the blue fly, 
 Hum, quoth the bee, 
 Buz and hum they cry, 
 
 And so do we : 
 In his ear, in his nose, thus, 
 
 do you see ? 
 
 He ate the dormouse, else it 
 was he. 
 
 JACKY, come give me 
 
 the fiddle, 
 If ever thou mean to 
 
 thrive, 
 Nay, I'll not give my 
 
 fiddle 
 To any man alive. 
 
 If I should give my 
 
 fiddle 
 They '11 think that I'm 
 
 gone mad, 
 
 :"or many a joyful day 
 My fiddle and I have 
 had.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 107 
 
 JOHNNY shall have a new bonnet, 
 
 And Johnny shall go to the fair, 
 And Johnny shall have a blue 
 ribbon 
 
 To tie up his bonny brown hair. 
 And why may not I love Johnny ? 
 
 And why may not Johnny love 
 
 me? 
 And why may not I love Johnny, 
 
 As well as another body ? 
 And here's a leg for a stocking, 
 
 And here is a leg for a shoe, 
 And he has a kiss for his daddy, 
 
 And two for his mammy, I trow. 
 And why may not I love Johnny ? 
 
 And why may not Johnny love 
 
 me ? 
 And why may not I love Johnny 
 
 As well as another body ? 
 
 I LOVE sixpence, pretty little sixpence, 
 I love sixpence better than my life ; 
 
 I spent a penny of it, I spent another, 
 And took fourpence home to my wife. 
 
 Oh, my little fourpence, pretty little fourpence, 
 I love fourpence better than my life- 
 
 I spent a penny of it, I spent another, 
 And I took twopence home to my wife. 
 
 Oh, my little twopence, my pretty little twopence, 
 I love twopence better than my life ; 
 
 I spent a penny of it, I spent another, 
 And I took nothing home to my
 
 108 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Oh, my little nothing, my pretty little nothing, 
 What will nothing buy for my wife ? 
 
 I have nothing, I spend nothing, 
 I love nothing better than my wife. 
 
 I HAVE been to market, my 
 
 lady, my lady. 
 Then you've not been to the 
 
 fair, says pussy, says pussy. 
 I bought me a rabbit, my 
 
 lady, my lady. 
 Then you did not buy a hare, 
 
 says pussy, says pussy. 
 
 I roasted it my lady, 
 
 my lady. 
 Then you did not boil 
 
 it, says pussy, says 
 
 pussy. 
 I ate it, my lady, my 
 
 lady. 
 And I'll eat you! 
 
 says pussy. 
 
 I ploughed it with a ram's 
 
 horn, 
 
 Sing ivy, sing ivy; 
 And sowed it all over with 
 
 one peppercorn, 
 Sing holly, go whistle 
 and ivy! 
 
 MY father left me three 
 
 acres of land, 
 Sing ivy, sing ivy; 
 My father left me three 
 
 acres of land, 
 Sing holly go whistle 
 and ivy!
 
 I harrowed it with a bram- I got the mice to carry it 
 
 ble bush, to the barn, 
 
 Sing ivy, sing ivy; Sing ivy, sing ivy; 
 
 And reaped it with my And thrashed it with a 
 
 little penknife, goose's quill, 
 
 Sing holly, go whistle, Sing holly, go whistle, 
 
 and ivy 1 and ivy 1 
 
 I got the cat to carry it to the mill, 
 
 Sing ivy, sing ivy ; 
 
 The miller he swore he would have her paw, 
 And the cat she swore she would scratch his face, 
 
 Sing holly, go whistle, and ivy I 
 
 WOOLEY FOSTER has gone to sea, 
 With silver buckles at his knee, 
 When he comes back he'll marry me, 
 Bonny Wooley Foster 1
 
 110 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Wooley Foster has a cow, Wooley Foster has a hen, 
 
 Black and white about 
 the mow, 
 
 Cockle button, cockle 
 hen, 
 
 Open the gates and let her She lays eggs for gentle- 
 
 through, 
 
 Wooley Foster's ain 
 cow ! 
 
 men, 
 
 But none for Wooley 
 Foster ! 
 
 Elsie Marley is said to have been a merry ale-wife who lived near 
 Chester, England, and the remainder of this song relating to her will be 
 found in the "Chester Garland." The first iour lines have become 
 favorites in the nursery. 
 
 ELSIE MARLEY is grown so fine 
 She wont get up to serve the 
 
 swine, 
 But lies in bed till eight or 
 
 nine, 
 And surely she does take her 
 
 time. 
 And do you ken Elsie Marley, 
 
 honey ? 
 The wife who sells the barley, 
 
 honey; 
 She won't get up to serve her 
 
 swine, 
 And do you ken Elsie Marley, 
 
 honey ?
 
 SONGS. 
 
 Ill 
 
 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! 
 
 JOHN COOK had a little grey mare; he haw, hum ! 
 Her back stood up, and her bones they were bare; he 
 haw hum ! 
 
 John Cook was riding up Shuter's bank; he haw, hum! 
 And there his nag did kick and prank; he, haw hum! 
 
 John Cook was riding up Shuter's hill ; he haw, hum ! 
 His mare fell down, and she made her will; he, haw, 
 hum! 
 
 The bridle and saddle were laid on the shelf; he, haw, 
 
 hum! 
 If you want any more you must sing it yourself; he, 
 
 haw, hum!
 
 112 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Hot-cross Buns! 
 
 Hot-cross Buns! 
 
 One a penny, two a penny. 
 
 Hot-cross Bunsl
 
 SONGS. 
 
 113 
 
 Hot-cross Buns! 
 Hot-cross Buns! 
 If ye have no daughters 
 
 Give them to your sons. 
 
 The following lines are part of an old song, the whole of which may 
 be found in " Deuteromelia, " 1609, and also in MS. Additional, 5336, 
 fbl. 5 . 
 
 OF all the gay birds 
 
 that e'r I did see, 
 The owl is the fair- 
 est by far to me ; 
 For all the day long 
 
 she sits on a tree, 
 And when the night 
 comes away flies 
 
 she, 
 
 Te-wit, te-whou, 
 Sir knave to thou, 
 
 This song is well sung, I make you a vow, 
 And he is a knave that drinketh not now. 
 
 SING song! merry go 
 
 round, 
 Here we go up to the 
 
 moon, oh, 
 Little Johnnie a penny has 
 
 found, 
 And so we'll sing a tune, 
 
 oh! 
 
 What shall I buy ? 
 
 Johnnie did cry, 
 With the penny I, ve found 
 So bright and round ? 
 
 What shall you buy ? 
 
 A kite that will fly 
 
 Up to the moon, all 
 
 through the sky! 
 But if, when it gets there, 
 It should stay in the air. 
 Or the man in the moon 
 Should open the door, 
 And take it in with his 
 
 long, long paw, 
 We should sing to another 
 
 tune, oh I
 
 114 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 The music to the following song, with different words, is given in 
 'Melismata,"4to, Lond. 1611. See also the "Pills to Purge Melan- 
 choly," 1719, vol. i., p. 14. The well-known song, "A Frog he would 
 a-wooing go," appears to have been borrowed from this. See Dauney's 
 "Ancient Scottish Melodies," 1838, p. 53. The story is of old date, 
 and in 1580 there was licensed " A most strange weddinge ot the frogge 
 and the mouse," as appears from the books of the Stationers' Company 
 quoted in Warton's Hist. Engl. Poet., ed. 1840, vol. iii, p. 360. 
 
 THERE was a frog lived in Cock me carry, Kitty alone, 
 
 a well, 
 
 Kitty alone, Kitty alone; 
 There was a frog lived in a 
 
 well; 
 Kitty alone and I ! 
 
 There was a frog lived in 
 
 a well ; 
 And a farce* mouse in a 
 
 mill, 
 
 Kitty alone and I. 
 
 This frog he would a-woo- 
 ing ride, 
 Kitty alone, &c. 
 This frog he would a-woo- 
 ing ride, 
 And on a snail he got 
 
 astride, 
 Cock me carry, &c. 
 
 'Merry.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 115 
 
 He rode till he came to 
 
 my Lady Mouse Hall, 
 
 Kitty alone, &c. 
 
 He rode till he came to 
 
 my Lady Mouse Hall, 
 
 And there he did both 
 
 knock and call, 
 Cock me carry, &c. 
 
 Quoth he, "Miss Mouse, 
 I'm come to thee," 
 Kitty alone, &c. 
 Quoth he, "Miss Mouse, 
 
 I'm come to thee, 
 To see if thou canst fancy 
 
 me." 
 Cock me carry, &c. 
 
 Quoth she, "Answer 
 I'll give you 
 none" 
 Kitty alone, &c. 
 Quoth she, "Answer I'll 
 
 give you none 
 Until my Uncle Rat come 
 
 home." 
 Cock me carry, &c. 
 
 And when her Uncle Rat 
 
 came home, 
 Kitty alone, &c. 
 And when her Uncle Rat 
 
 came home: 
 "Who's been here since 
 
 I've been gone ? " 
 Cock me carry, &c. 
 
 1 ' Sir there's been a worthy 
 
 gentleman " 
 Kitty alone, &c. 
 "Sir there'sbeen a worthy 
 
 gentleman 
 That's been here since 
 
 you've been gone. " 
 Cock me carry, &c. 
 
 The frog he came whistling 
 
 through the brook, 
 
 Kitty alone, &c. 
 
 The frog he came whist- 
 
 ling through the 
 
 brook, 
 And there he met with 
 
 a dainty duck. 
 Cock me carry, &c. 
 
 This duck she swallowed him up with a pluck, 
 
 Kitty alone, Kitty alone ; 
 
 This duck she swallowed him up with a pluck 
 So there's an end of my history-book. 
 
 Cock me carry, Kitty alone, 
 
 Kitty alone and I.
 
 116 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Part of this is in a song called "Jockey's Lamentation," in the "Pills 
 to Purge Melancholy," 1719, vol. v, p. 317. 
 
 TOM he was a piper's son, 
 He learned to play when he was young, 
 But all the tunes that he could play, 
 Was " Over the hills and far away," 
 Over the hills and a great way off, 
 And the wind will blow my top- knot off. 
 
 Now, Tom with his pipe made such a noise, 
 That he pleased both the girls and boys, 
 And they stopped to hear him play 
 " Over the hills and far away."
 
 SONGS. 
 
 117 
 
 Tom with his pipe did play with such skill, 
 That those who heard him could never keep still; 
 Whenever they heard they began for to dance, 
 Even pigs on their hind legs would after him prance. 
 
 As Dolly was milking- her cow one day, 
 
 Tom took out his pipe and began for to play; 
 
 So Doll and the cow danced "the Cheshire round, H 
 
 Till the pail was broke, and the milk ran on the ground. 
 
 He met old Dame Trot with a basket of eggs, 
 He used his pipe and she used her legs; 
 She danced about till the eggs were all broke, 
 She began for to fret, but he laughed at the joke. 
 
 He saw a cross fellow was beating an ass, 
 Heavy laden with pots, pans, dishes and glass;
 
 118 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 
 He took out his pipe and played them a tune, 
 And the jackass's load was lightened full soon. 
 
 MERRY are the bells, and merry would they ring, 
 Merry was myself, and merry could I sing; 
 With a merry ding-dong, happy, gay, and free, 
 And a merry sing-song, happy let us be! 
 
 Waddle goes your gait, and hollow are your hose, 
 Noddle goes your pate, and purple is your nose; 
 Merry is your sing-song, happy, gay, and free, 
 With a merry ding-dong, happy let us be ! 
 
 Merry have we met, and merry have we been, 
 Merry let us part, and merry meet again; 
 With our merry sing-song, happy, gay, and free, 
 And a merry ding-dong, happy let us be!
 
 SONGS. 
 
 119 
 
 WHAT is your father, my pretty maid ? 
 My father's a farmer, sir, she said 
 Say, will you marry me, my pretty maid ? 
 Yes, if you please, kind sir, she said. 
 
 Will you be constant, my pretty maid ? 
 That I can't promise you, sir, she said. 
 Then I won't marry you, my pretty maid; 
 Nobody asked you sir ! she said.
 
 120 NUESEB Y RHYMES. 
 
 A CARRION crow sat on an oak, 
 
 Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, 
 
 Watching a tailor shape his cloak. 
 Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow, 
 Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 121 
 
 Wife, bring me my old bent bow, 
 
 Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, 
 That I may shoot yon carrion crow. 
 
 Sing heigh ho, &c. 
 The tailor he shot and missed his mark, 
 
 Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, 
 And shot his own sow quite to the heart; 
 
 Sing heigh ho, &c. 
 Wife, bring brandy in a spoon; 
 
 Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, 
 For our old sow is in a swoon, 
 
 Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow, 
 
 Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, di ding do. 
 
 Another version from MS. Sloane, 1489, fol. 17, written in the time 
 of Charles I. 
 
 Hie hoc, the carrion crow, 
 
 For I have shot something too low; 
 
 I have quite missed my mark, 
 
 And shot the poor sow to the heart; 
 
 Wife, bring treacle in a spoon, 
 
 Or else the poor sow's heart will down. 
 
 THERE were two birds 
 
 sat on a stone, 
 Fa, la, la, la, lal, de; 
 One flew away, and 
 
 then there was one, 
 Fa, la, la, la, lal, de; 
 
 The other flew after, and 
 
 then there was none, 
 Fa, la, la, la, lal de; 
 And so the poor stone 
 
 was left all alone, 
 Fa, la, la, la, lal, de!
 
 122 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Of these two birds one Said one to the other, 
 
 back again flew, ' ' Pray how do you do ? " 
 
 Fa, la, la, la, lal, de; Fa, la, la, la, lal, de; 
 
 The other came after, "Very well, thank you, 
 
 and then there were two, and pray how do you ? " 
 
 Fa, la, la, la, lal, de; Fa, la, la, la, lal, de! 
 
 [Song of a little boy while passing 
 AWAY, birds, away, 
 Take a little, and leave 
 
 a little, 
 And do not come again ; 
 
 THERE were three jovial 
 
 huntsmen, 
 As I have heard them 
 
 say, 
 And they would go a- 
 
 hunting 
 All on a summer'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 said Nay; 
 
 his hour of solitude in a cornfield.] 
 
 For if you do, 
 
 I will shoot you through, 
 
 And there is an end 
 
 of you. 
 
 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. 
 One said it was the moon, 
 
 The other said Nay; 
 The third said it was a 
 
 cheese, 
 And half o't cut away.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 123 
 
 DAME, get up and bake your pies, 
 Bake your pies, bake your pies, 
 
 Dame, get up and bake your pies 
 On Christmas Day in the morning. 
 
 Dame, what makes your maidens lie, 
 
 Maidens lie, maidens lie, 
 Dame, what makes your maidens lie 
 
 On Christmas Day in the morning ? 
 
 Dame, what makes your ducks to die, 
 Ducks to die, ducks to die, 
 
 Dame, what makes your ducks to die 
 On Christmas day in the morning. 
 
 How does my 
 lady's garden 
 
 grow? 
 
 How does my 
 lady's garden 
 
 grow? 
 
 With cockle- 
 shells and 
 silver bells, 
 'And pretty 
 maids all 
 of a row.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 A FROG he would a-wooing go, 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 Whether his mother would let him or no. 
 
 With a rowley powley, gammon and spinach, 
 
 Heigho, says Anthony Rowley. 
 
 So off he set with his opera hat, 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley. 
 
 And on the road he met with a rat. 
 
 With a rowley, powley, &c.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 125
 
 126 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 "Pray, Mr. Rat, will you go with me, 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 
 Kind Mrs. Mousey for to see ? " 
 
 With a rowley powley, &cx 
 
 When they came to the door of Mousey's hall, 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 
 They gave a loud knock and they gave a loud call. 
 
 With a rowley powley, &c. 
 
 "Pray, Mrs. Mouse, are you within ?" 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 
 "Oh, yes, kind sirs, I'm sitting to spin." 
 
 With a rowley powley, &c. 
 
 "Pray, Mrs. Mouse, will you give us some beer? 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 For Froggy and I are fond of good cheer. " 
 
 With a rowley powley, &c. 
 
 "Pray, Mr. Frog, will you give us a song ? 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 But let it be something that's not very long. " 
 
 With a rowley powley, &c. 
 
 "Indeed, Mrs. Mouse, " replied the frog, 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 
 "A cold has made me as hoarse as a dog." 
 
 With a rowley powley, &c. 
 
 'Since you have caught cold, Mr. Frog," Mousey said, 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 "I'll sing you a song that I have just made. " 
 
 With a rowley powley, &c,, 
 
 But while they were all a merry-making, 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 
 A cat and her kittens came tumbling in 
 
 With a rowley powley, &c.
 
 SONGS. 127 
 
 The cat she seized the rat by the crown; 
 
 Heigh o, says Rowley. 
 The kittens they pulled the little mouse down. 
 
 With a rowley powley, &c. 
 
 This put Mr. Prog in a terrible fright, 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 
 He took up his hat, and he wished them good night. 
 
 With a rowley powley, &c. 
 
 But as Froggy was crossing over a brook, 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 
 A lily-white duck came and gobbled him up. 
 
 With a rowley powley, &c. 
 
 So there was an end of one, two, and three, 
 
 Heigho, says Rowley, 
 The Rat, the Mouse, and the little Frog- gee! 
 
 With a rowley powley, gammon and spinach 
 
 Heigho, says Anthony Rowley.
 
 128 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 WHISTLE, daughter, whistle; whistle, daughter, dear. 
 I cannot whistle, mamma, I cannot whistle clear. 
 Whistle, daughter, whistle; whistle for a pound. 
 I cannot whistle, mammy, I cannot make a sound. 
 
 Song on the bells of Derby, England, on foot-ball morning, a custom 
 now discontinued. 
 
 PANCAKES and fritters, 
 Say All Saints and St. 
 
 Peters; 
 
 When will the BALL come ? 
 Say the bells of St Alk- 
 mun; 
 
 At two they will throw, 
 Says Saint Werabo, 
 Oh, very well, 
 Says little Michel. 
 
 I'LL sing you a song, 
 Though not very long, 
 Yet I think it as pretty as 
 any; 
 
 Put your hand in your 
 
 purse, 
 
 You'll never be worse, 
 And give the poor singer 
 
 a penny.
 
 SONGS. 
 
 THE miller he grinds his corn, his corn; 
 The miller he grinds his corn, his corn; 
 The little boy blue comes winding his horn, 
 
 With a hop, step, and a jump. 
 The carter he whistles aside his team ; 
 The carter he whistles aside his team ; 
 And Dolly comes tripping with the nice clouted cream, 
 
 With a hop, step, and a jump. 
 The nightingale sings when we're at rest; 
 The nightingale sings when we're at rest; 
 The little bird climbs the tree for his nest, 
 
 With a hop, step, and a jump. 
 
 The damsels are churning for curds and whey; 
 The damsels are churning for curds and whey: 
 The lads in the field are making the hay, 
 With a hop, step, and a jump. 
 
 THERE was a man in our toone, in our toone, in our toone, 
 There was a man in our toone, and his name was Billy 
 
 Pod; 
 And he played upon an old razor, an old razor, an old 
 
 razor, 
 And he played upon an old razor, with my fiddle fiddle 
 
 fe fum fo. 
 
 And his hat it was made of the good roast beef, the 
 good roast beef, the good roast beef, 
 
 And his hat was made of the good roast beef, and his 
 name was Billy Pod; 
 
 And he played upon an old razor, <S^c. 
 
 And his coat it was made of the/good fat tripe, the 
 good fat tripe, the good fat tripe, 
 
 And his coat it was made of the good fat tripe, and hi# 
 name was Billy Pod; 
 
 And he played upon an old razor, &c.
 
 130 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 And his breeks were made of the bawbie baps, the 
 
 bawbie baps, the bawbie baps, 
 And his breeks were made of the bawbie baps, and his 
 
 name was Billy Pod; 
 And he played upon an old razor, &c. 
 
 And there was a man in tither toone, in tither toone, in 
 
 tither toone, 
 And there was a man in tither toone, and his name was 
 
 Edrin Drum ; 
 And he played upon an old laadle, an old laadle, an old 
 
 laadle, 
 And he played upon an old laadle, with my fiddle fiddle 
 
 f e f um f o. 
 
 And he ate up all the good roast beef, the good roast 
 
 beef, &c. 
 And he ate up all the good fat tripe, the good fat 
 
 tripe, &c. 
 And he ate up all the bawbie baps, &c., and his name 
 
 was Edrin Drum. 
 
 I SAW three ships come sailing by, 
 
 Come sailing by, come sailing by 
 
 I saw three ships come sailing by, 
 New Year's Day in the morning. 
 
 And what do you think was in them then, 
 Was in them then, was in them then ? 
 
 And what do you think was in them then ? 
 New Year's Day in the morning. 
 
 Three pretty girls were in them then, 
 
 Were in them then, were in them then 
 
 Three pretty girls were in them then, 
 New Year's Day in the morning. 
 
 One could whistle, and another could sing, 
 And the other could play on the violin
 
 SONGS. 131 
 
 Such joy was there at my wedding, 
 New Year's Day in the morning. 
 
 OH, who is so merry, so 
 
 merry, heigh ho ! 
 As the light-hearted fairy, 
 
 heigh ho, heigh ho ! 
 He dances and sings 
 To 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-headed fairy, 
 
 heigh ho, heigh ho ! 
 His nectar he sips 
 From the primrose's lips, 
 With a hey, and a heigh, 
 and a ho ! 
 
 Oh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh "no! 
 As the light-footed fairy, heigh ho, heigh ho ! 
 
 His night is the noon, 
 
 And his sun is the moon, 
 With a hey, and a heigh, and a ho !
 
 132 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 As I was going to Derby all on a market-day, 
 
 I met the finest ram, sir, that ever was fed upon hay; 
 
 Upon hay, upon hay, upon hay; 
 I met the finest ram, sir, that ever was fed upon hay. 
 
 This ram was fat behind, sir; this ram was fat before; 
 This ram was ten yards round, sir ; indeedhe wasnomore. 
 
 No more, no more, no more ; 
 This ram was ten yards round, sir; indeedhe wasnomore. 
 
 The horns that grew on his head, sir, they were so 
 
 wondrous high, 
 As I've been plainly told, sir, they reached up to the sky. 
 
 The sky, the sky, the sky; 
 As I've been plainly told, sir, they reached up to the sky. 
 
 The tail that grew from his back, sir, was six yards and 
 
 an ell; 
 And it was sent to Derby to toll the market bell; 
 
 The bell, the bell, the bell; 
 And it was sent to Derby to toll the market bell. 
 
 I WILL sing you a song, 
 Though it is not very long, 
 Of the woodcock and the sparrow, 
 Of the little dog that burned his 
 
 tail, 
 
 And the boy that must be whipt 
 to-morrow.
 
 SEVENTH CLASS. 
 
 Riddles. 
 
 THERE was a girl in our towne, 
 
 Silk an' satin was her gowne, 
 
 Silk an' satin, gold an' velvet, 
 
 Guess her name three times I've tell'd it. Ann. 
 
 [133]
 
 134 NURSEEY RHYMES. 
 
 RIDDLE-ME, riddle-me, riddle-me-ree, 
 Perhaps you can tell what this riddle may be: 
 As deep as a house, as round as a cup, 
 And all the King's horses can't draw it up. 
 
 A well. 
 
 I WENT to the wood and got it, 
 
 I sat me down and looked at it; 
 
 The more I looked at it the less I liked it, 
 
 And brought it home because I couldn't help it. 
 
 A thorn. 
 
 I'M in every one's way, My four horns every day 
 
 But no one I stop; In every way play, 
 
 And my head is nailed on at the top. 
 
 A turnstile. 
 
 THE cuckoo and the gowk, 
 The laverock and the lark, 
 The twire-snipe, the weather-bleak, 
 How many birds is that ? 
 Three, for the second name in each line is a synonym. 
 
 [The cuckoo is called a gowk in the north of England; the lark, a 
 laverock ; and the twire-snipe and weather-bleak, or weather-bleater, 
 are the same birds.]
 
 RIDDLES. 135 
 
 HODDY-DODDY, 
 
 With a round black body; 
 
 Three feet and a wooden hat: 
 
 What's that ? An iron pot. 
 
 An iron pot with three legs, and a wooden cover, the latter raised or 
 put on by means of a peg at the top, is used for suspending over a fire, 
 or to place on the hearth with a wood fire. 
 
 THE fiddler and his wife, 
 
 The piper and his mother, 
 Ate three half cakes, three whole cakes, 
 
 And three quarters of another: 
 How much did each get ? 
 
 The fiddler's wife was the piper's mother. Each one 
 therefore got + i + or i|. 
 
 RIDDLE me, riddle me, what is that, 
 Over the head and under the hat ? Hair. 
 
 [From Kent.] 
 
 THERE was a little green ho use 
 And in the little green house 
 There was a little brown house, 
 And in the little brown house 
 There was a little yellow house, 
 And in the little yellow house 
 There was a little white house, 
 And in the little white house 
 There was a little heart. 
 
 A walnut. 
 
 A FLOCK of white sheep Here they go, there they go, 
 On a red hill ; Now they stand still ! 
 
 The teeth and gums. 
 
 As I was going o'er London Bridge, 
 I met a cart full of fingers and thumbs ! 
 
 Gloves.
 
 136 NURSERY EHTMES. 
 
 LIVES in winter, Dies in summer, 
 And grows with its root upwards ! 
 
 An icicle. 
 
 OLD father Greybeard, If you'll give me your finger, 
 Without tooth or tongue, I'll give you my thumb. 
 
 WHEN I went up sandy hill, 
 
 I met a sandy boy; 
 I cut his throat, I sucked his blood, 
 
 And left his skin a-hanging-o. 
 
 As I was going o'er London Bridge, 
 
 And peeped through a nick, 
 I saw four-and-twenty ladies 
 
 Riding on a stick ! 
 
 A firebrand with sparks on it 
 
 I HAVE a little sister, they call her peep, peep; 
 She wades the waters deep, deep, deep; 
 She climbs the mountains high, high, high ; 
 Poor little creature ! she has but one eye. 
 
 A star. 
 
 HICK-A-MORE, Hack-a-more, 
 
 On the King's kitchen- door; 
 
 All the King's horses, 
 
 And all the King's men, 
 
 Couldn't drive Hick-a-more, Hack-a-more, 
 
 Off the King's kitchen-door! 
 
 Sunshine. 
 
 OLD Mother Twitchett had but one eye, 
 And a long tail which she let fly; 
 And every time she went over a gap, 
 She left a bit of her tail in a trap. 
 
 A needle and thread.
 
 EIDDLES. 
 
 137 
 
 WHAT shoemaker makes shoes without leather, 
 With all the four elements put together ? 
 
 Fire and water, earth and air; 
 
 Every customer has two pair. 
 
 A horse-shoer.
 
 133 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 I WENT into my grandmother's garden, 
 And there I found a farthing. 
 I went into my next-door neighbor's, 
 There I bought a pipkin and a popkin, 
 
 A slipkin and a slopkin, 
 
 A nailboard, a sailboard, 
 
 And all for a farthing. A pipe. 
 
 MADE in London, Stops a bottle, 
 
 Sold at York, And is a cork. 
 
 The allusion to Oliver Cromwell satisfactorily fixes the date of the riddle 
 to belong to the seventeenth century. The answer is, a rainbow. 
 
 PURPLE, yellow, red, and green, 
 The King cannot reach it, nor the Queen; 
 Nor can old Noll, whose power's so great: 
 Tell me this riddle while I count eight. 
 
 HIGGEDLY piggeldy 
 
 Here we lie, 
 Picked and plucked, 
 And put in a pie. 
 
 My first is snapping, snarling, growl- 
 ing* 
 
 My second's industrious, romping, and 
 prowling. 
 
 Higgeldy piggeldy 
 
 Here we lie, 
 Picked and plucked, 
 And put in a pie. Currants. 
 
 As I looked out of my chamber window 
 
 I heard something fall; 
 I sent my maid to pick it up, 
 
 But she couldn't pick it all. Snuff.
 
 EIDDLES. 139 
 
 HUMPTY DUMPTY sat on a wall, 
 Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, 
 Threescore men and threescore more 
 Cannot place Humpty Dumpty as he was before. 
 
 An Egg.
 
 140 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 BLACK we are, but much 
 admired ; 
 
 Men seek for us till they are 
 tired. 
 
 We tie the horse, but com- 
 fort man: 
 
 Tell me this riddle if you 
 can. Coal 
 
 THOMAS A TATTAMUS took 
 
 two Ts 
 To tie two tups to two tall 
 
 trees, 
 To frighten the terrible 
 
 Thomas a Tattamus! 
 Tell me how many Ts there 
 
 are in all THAT ? 
 
 WHEN I was taken from the fair body, 
 They then cut off my head, 
 And thus my shape was altered. 
 It's I that make peace between King and King, 
 
 And many a true lover glad : 
 All this I do, and ten times more, 
 
 And more I could do still ; 
 But nothing can I do 
 
 Without my guider's will. A pen. 
 
 ARTHUR O'BowER has broken his band; 
 He comes roaring up the land. 
 The King of Scots with all his power, 
 Cannot turn Arthur of the Bower ! 
 
 A storm of wind. 
 
 THE calf, the goose, the bee, 
 The world is ruled by these three. 
 
 Parchment, pens, and wax.
 
 BIDDLES. 141 
 
 TWELVE pears hanging Each knight took a 
 
 high, pear, 
 
 Twelve knights riding by; And yet left eleven there ! 
 
 WHAT GOD never sees, What we may every day: 
 
 What the King seldom Read my riddle, I pray, 
 sees, An Equal. 
 
 THE land was white, It'll take a good scholar 
 
 The seed was black; To riddle me that 
 
 Paper and writing. 
 
 As high as a castle, And all the King's horses 
 
 As weak as a wastle; Cannot pull it down. 
 
 Smoke. 
 
 A wastle is a North of England term for a twig or withy, possibly con- 
 nected with A. S. wcedl. 
 
 As white as milk As red as blood, 
 
 And not milk; And not blood; 
 
 As green as grass As black as soot, 
 
 And not grass, And not soot ! 
 
 A bramble blossom. 
 
 A young man and a young woman quarrelled, and the former, in his 
 anger, exclaimed, 
 
 Three words I know to be true, 
 All which begin with W. 
 
 The young woman immediately guessed the enigma, and replied in a 
 similiar strain, 
 
 I too know them, 
 
 And eke three which begin with M. 
 
 Woman Wants Wit. Man Much More.
 
 142 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 BANKS full, braes full, 
 
 Though ye gather all day, 
 Ye'll not gather your hands full. The mist. 
 
 From Northumberland, England. Sometimes thus: 
 
 A hill full, a hole full, 
 Ye cannot catch a bowlful. 
 
 IN marble walls as white as milk, 
 
 Lined with a skin as soft as silk, 
 
 Within a fountain crystal clear 
 
 A golden apple doth appear. 
 
 No doors there are to this stronghold, 
 
 Yet thieves break in and steal the gold. 
 
 I'VE seen you where you never was, 
 
 And where you ne'er will be, 
 And yet you in that very same place 
 
 May still be seen by me. 
 The reflection of a face in a looking-glass. 
 
 MAKE three-fourths of a 
 
 cross, 
 
 And a circle complete; 
 And let two semicircles 
 
 On a perpendicular 
 
 meet; 
 
 Next add a triangle 
 
 That stands on two feet; 
 Next two semicircles, 
 
 And a circle complete. 
 Tobacco.
 
 RIDDLES. 143 
 
 THERE was a King met a King 
 
 In a narrow lane, 
 Says this King to that King, 
 "Where have you been?" 
 
 "Oh! I've been a-hunting 
 
 With my dog and my doe. " 
 
 "Pray lend him to me, 
 That I may do so," 
 
 " There's the dog, take the dog." 
 
 "What's the dog's name?" 
 "I've told you already." 
 
 "Pray tell me again." 
 
 FLOUR of England, fruit of Spain, 
 Met together in a shower of rain ; 
 Put in a bag tied round with a string: 
 If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a ring. 
 
 A plum pudding. 
 
 As I was going o'er yon moor of moss, 
 
 I met a man on a grey horse; 
 
 He whipped and he wailed; 
 
 I asked him what he ailed; 
 
 He said he was going to his father's funeral, 
 
 Who died seven years before he was born ! 
 
 His father was a dyer.
 
 U4 NVRSERY RHYMER. 
 
 As I was going o'er London Bridge 
 I met a drove of guinea pigs ; 
 They were nicked and they were nacked, 
 And they were all yellow backed. 
 
 A swarm of bees. 
 
 Not a very likely family to meet in that neighborhood, at least now- 
 adays; but some of the authors of these poems seem to have been con- 
 tinually traversing London Bridge. 
 
 Which weighs heavier Or a stone of feather? 
 A stone of lead They both weigh alike. 
 
 LILLYLOW, lillylow, set up on an end, 
 See little baby go out at town end. 
 
 A candle. 
 
 " Lillylow " is a North of England term for the flame of a candle. Low 
 A.S. lig, is universal. 
 
 AT the end of my yard there is a vat, 
 Four- and- twenty ladies dancing in that; 
 Some in green gowns, and some with blue hat : 
 He is a wise man who can tell me that. 
 
 A field of flax. 
 
 THERE was a man went over the Wash, 
 
 Grizzle grey was his horse; 
 
 Bent was his saddle-bow: 
 
 I've told you his name three times, 
 
 And yet you don't know ! Gaffer Was. 
 
 I AM become of flesh and blood, 
 
 As other creatures be ; 
 Yet there's neither flesh nor blood 
 
 Doth remain in me. 
 I make Kings that they fall out: 
 
 I make them agree; 
 And yet there's neither flesh nor blood 
 
 Doth remain in me. A pen.
 
 RIDDLES. 145 
 
 BLACK'M, saut'm, rough'm glower'm saw, 
 Click'm, gatt'm, flaug'm into girnigaw. 
 
 Eating a sloe. 
 
 A North of England riddle, given by Brockett. "Girnigaw" is the 
 cavity of the mouth. 
 
 INTO my house came neighbor John, 
 With three legs and a wooden one; 
 If one be taken from the same, 
 Then just five there will remain. 
 
 He had a IV-legged stool with him, and 
 
 taking away the left-hand numeral, there 
 
 remains V. 
 
 JACKATAWAD ran over the moor: 
 Never behind, but always before ! 
 
 The ignis fatuus, or Will-o'-the-wisp. 
 
 " Jackatawad " is an English provincial term for this phenomenon. 
 
 LINK lank on a bank, 
 Ten against four. A milkmaid. 
 
 Two legs sat upon three legs, 
 With four legs standing by; 
 Four then were drawn by ten: 
 Read my riddle ye can't, 
 However much ye try. 
 An amplification of the above, the milk- 
 maid, of course, sitting on a three- 
 legged stool. 
 
 As straight as a maypole, As bent as a bucker, 
 As little as a pin, And as round as a ring. 
 
 We do not know the solution of this riddle. A "bucker" is a bent 
 piece of wood by which slaughtered sheep are hung up by their ex- 
 panded hind legs, before being cut out.
 
 146 
 
 NURSEEY RHYMES. 
 
 OVER the water, 
 And under the water, 
 And always with its head down. 
 
 A nail in the bottom of a ship. 
 
 ELIZABETH, Elspeth, Betsy and 
 
 Bess, 
 They all went together to seek 
 
 a bird's nest. 
 They found a bird's nest with 
 
 five eggs in, 
 They all took one, and left four 
 
 in. 
 
 EVERY lady in this land 
 
 Has twenty nails upon each 
 
 hand, 
 Five and twenty hands and 
 
 feet: 
 All this is true without deceit. 
 
 LONG legs, crooked thighs, 
 Little head, and no eyes. 
 
 Pair of tongs. 
 
 A HOUSE full, a yard full, 
 - And ye can't catch a bowl full. 
 Smoke. 
 
 THIRTY white horses upon a red hill, 
 Now they tramp, now they champ, now they stand still. 
 
 Teeth and gums. 
 
 THE moon nine days old, 
 The next sign to Cancer, 
 Pat, rat without a tail; 
 
 And now, sir, for your 
 answer. 
 
 C-leo-pat-ra.
 
 tiTDDLE?. 147 
 
 From MS. Sloane, 1489, fol. 16, written in the time of Charles I. 
 
 THERE were three sisters in a hall, 
 
 There came a knight amongst them all; 
 
 Good morrow, aunt, to the one, 
 
 Good morrow, aunt, to the other, 
 
 Good morrow, gentlewoman, to the third: 
 
 If you were my aunt, as the other two be, 
 
 I would say good morrow, then aunts all three. 
 
 CONGEALED water and Cain's brother, 
 
 That was my lover's name, and no other. Isabel. 
 
 BLACK within and red Four corners round about, 
 without A chimney. 
 
 THERE was a man rode through our town, 
 
 Gray Grizzle was his name; 
 His saddle-bow was gilt with gold: 
 
 Three times I've named his name. 
 
 PEASE-PORRIDGE hot, pease- porridge cold, 
 Pease-porridge in the pot, nine days old. 
 Spell me that without a P, 
 And a clever scholar you will be. 
 
 A RIDDLE, a riddle, as I suppose, 
 
 A hundred eyes, and never a nose. A cinder-sifter. 
 
 As round as an apple, as deep as a cup, 
 
 And all the King's horses can't pull it up. A well. 
 
 As I went through the garden gap, 
 
 Who should I meet but Dick Red-cap! 
 
 A stick in his hand, a stone in his throat: 
 
 If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a groat. 
 
 A cherry.
 
 148 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 LITTLE Nancy Etticoat, The longer she stands, 
 
 In a white petticoat, The shorter she grows. 
 
 And a red nose ; 
 
 As I was going o'er Westminster Bridge, 
 I met with a Westminster scholar; 
 
 He pulled off his cap an' drew off his glove, 
 And wished me a very good morrow 
 What is his name? 
 
 THERE was a man who had no eyes, 
 He went abroad to view the skies; 
 He saw a tree with apples on it, 
 He took no apples off, yet left no apples on it, 
 The man had one eye, and the 
 tree two apples upon it 
 
 As I went over Lincoln Bridge, 
 
 I met Mister Rusticap; 
 
 Pins and needles on his back, 
 
 A going to Thorney fair. A hedgehog. 
 
 FORMED long ago, yet made to-day 
 
 Employed while others sleep; 
 What few would like to give away, 
 
 Nor any wish to keep. A bed. 
 
 THE first letter of our fore-fadyr, 
 A worker of wax, 
 An I and an N; 
 The color of an ass; 
 And what have you then? 
 
 A-b-in-dun, or Abingdon, in Berks, England. 
 
 An ancient rebus given in Lelandi Itin., ed. 1744, ii. 136.
 
 RIDDLES. 
 
 149 
 
 HIGHER than a house, higher than a tree; 
 
 Oh, whatever can that be? A star. 
 
 Two legs sat upon 
 
 three legs, 
 With one leg in his 
 
 lap; 
 
 In comes four legs, 
 And runs away with 
 
 one leg. 
 
 Up jumps two legs, 
 Catches up three legs, 
 Throws it after four 
 legs, 
 And makes him bring 
 
 back one leg. 
 
 One leg is a leg of mutton; two legs, a man; three 
 legs, a stool; four legs, a dog. 
 
 As I was going to St. Ives, 
 
 I met a man with seven wives, 
 
 Every wife had seven sacks, 
 
 Every sack had seven cats, 
 
 Every cat had seven kits: 
 
 Kits, cats, sacks, and wives, 
 
 How many were there going to St. Ives? 
 
 SEE, see i what shall I see? 
 
 A horse's head where his tail should be. 
 
 HITTY PITTY within the wall, 
 Hitty Pitty without the wall: 
 If you touch Hitty Pitty, 
 Hitty Pitty will bite you. 
 
 MS. Harl. 1962, xvii. cent 
 
 A nettle.
 
 160 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 I SAW a fight the other day: 
 
 A damsel did begin the fray. 
 
 She with her daily friend did meet, 
 
 Then standing in the open street; 
 
 She gave such hard and sturdy blows, 
 
 He bled ten gallons at the nose; 
 
 Yet neither seem to faint nor fall, 
 
 Nor gave her any abuse at all. A pump. 
 
 MS. Harl. 1962, xvii. cent. 
 
 A WATER there is I must pass, 
 
 A broader water never was; 
 
 And yet of all waters I ever did see, 
 
 To pass over with less jeopardy. The dew. 
 
 From the same MS. 
 
 As I went over Hottery Tottery, 
 I looked into Horbora Lilly; 
 I spied a cutterell 
 Playing with her cambril, 
 I cryed, Ho, neighbor, ho! 
 Lend me your cue and your goe, 
 To shoot at yonder cutterell 
 Playing with her cambril, 
 And you shall have the curie of her loe. 
 A man calling to his neighbor for a gun to shoot a 
 deer, and he should have her humbles. 
 
 THERE is a bird of great renown, 
 
 Useful in city and in town; 
 
 None work like unto him can do; 
 
 He's yellow, black, red, and green, 
 
 A very pretty bird I mean; 
 
 Yet he's both fierce and fell: 
 
 I count him wise that can this tell. A bee, 
 
 MS. Harl. 1962, xvii. cent.
 
 RIDDLES. 151 
 
 I HAVE four sisters beyond the sea, 
 
 Para-mara, dictum, domine. 
 And they did send four presents to me, 
 
 Partum, quartum, paradise, tempum, 
 
 Para-mara, dictum, domine! 
 
 The first it was a bird without e'er a bone; 
 
 Para-mara, dictum, &c. 
 The second was a cherry without e'er a stone; 
 
 Partum, quartum, &c. 
 
 The third it was a blanket without e'er a thread, 
 
 Para-mara, dictum, &c. 
 The fourth it was a book which no man could read, 
 
 Partum, quartum, &c. 
 
 How can there be a bird without e'er a bone? 
 
 Para-mara, dictum, &c. 
 How can there be a cherry without e'er a stone? 
 
 Partum, quartum, &c. 
 
 How can there be a blanket without e'er a thread? 
 
 Para-mara, dictum, &c. 
 How can there be a book which no man can read? 
 
 Partum, quartum, &c. 
 
 When the bird's in the shell, there is no bone; 
 
 Para-mara, dictum, &c. 
 When the cherry's in the bud, there is no stone; 
 
 Partum, quartum, &c. 
 
 When the blanket's in the fleece, there is no thread; 
 
 Para-mara, dictum, &c. 
 When the book's in the press, no man can read; 
 
 Partum, quartum, &c. 
 
 Several versions of this metrical riddle are common in the north of 
 England.
 
 152 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 As I went through my houter touter, 
 
 H outer trouter, verily; 
 I see one Mr. Higamgige 
 
 Come over the hill of Parley. 
 But if I had my early verly, 
 
 Carly verly verly, 
 I would have bine met with Higamgige 
 
 Come over the hill of Parley. 
 A man going over a hill, and a fly lighting on his head. 
 
 HIGHTY, tighty, paradighty clothed in green, 
 
 The King could not read it, no more could the Queen; 
 
 They sent for a wise man out of the East, 
 
 Who said it had horns, but was not a beast ! 
 
 The Holly Tree. 
 
 I HAD a little castle upon the sea-sand, 
 One-half was water, the other was land ; 
 I opened my little castle door, and guess what I found: 
 I found a fair lady with a cup in her hand. 
 The cup was gold, filled with wine; 
 Drink, fair lady, and thou shalt be mine I 
 
 As I was going o'er Tipple Tine, 
 I met a flock of bonny swine ; 
 
 Some green- lapped, some green-backed; 
 They were the very bonniest swine 
 That e'er went over Tipple Tine. 
 
 A swarm of bees. 
 
 TEN and ten and twice eleven, 
 Take out six and put in seven; 
 Go to the green and fetch eighteen, 
 And drop one a-coming.
 
 RIDDLES. 
 
 153 
 
 As soft as silk, as white as milk, 
 As bitter as gall, a thick wall, 
 And a green coat covers me all. 
 
 A walnut. 
 
 HUMPTY DUMPTY lay in a beck* 
 With all his sinews round his neck; 
 Forty doctors and forty wrights 
 Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty to rights 1 
 
 An egg. 
 
 * A brook.
 
 EIGHTH CLASS. 
 
 Charms. 
 
 The following, with a very slight variation, is found in Ben Jonson's 
 * Masque of Queen's, " and it is singular to account for its introduction 
 feto the modern nursery. 
 
 I WENT to the toad that lies under the wall, 
 
 I charmed him out, and he came at my call; 
 
 I scratched out the eyes of the owl before, 
 
 I tore the bat's wing: what would you have more? 
 
 CUSHY cow bonny, let down thy 
 
 milk, 
 And I will give thee a gown of 
 
 silk; 
 A gown of silk and a silver 
 
 tee, 
 If thou wilt let down thy milk 
 
 to me. 
 
 [154]
 
 CHARMS. 155 
 
 Ady, in his "Candle in the Dark," 410, Lond. 1656, p. 59, says that 
 this was a charm to make butter come from the churn. It was to be 
 said thrice. 
 
 COME, butter, come, Waiting for a buttered 
 
 Come, butter, come! cake; 
 
 Peter stands at the gate, Come, butter, come ! 
 
 From Dr. Wallis's "Grammatica Linguae Anglicanse," I2mo, Oxon. 
 1674, p. 164. This and various others are said to be certain cures for 
 the hiccup if repeated in one breath. 
 
 WHEN a Twister a- twisting, will twist him a twist; 
 For the twisting of his twist, he three times doth in- 
 
 twist; 
 
 But if one of the twines of the twist do untwist, 
 The twine that untwisteth, unwisteth the twist. 
 
 Untwirling the twine that untwisteth between, 
 He twirls with the twister, the two in a twine : 
 Then twice having twisted the twines of the twine, 
 He twisteth the twine he had twined in twain. 
 
 The twain that, in twining, before in the twine 
 As twines were intwisted, he now doth untwine : 
 'Twixt the twain intertwisting a twine more between, 
 He, twirling his twister, makes a twist of the twine. 
 
 A THATCHER of Thatchwood went to Thatchet a-thatch 
 ing; 
 
 Did a thatcher of Thatchwood go to Thatchet a-thatch- 
 ing? 
 
 If a thatcher of Thatchwood went to Thatchet a- thatch- 
 ing, 
 
 Where's the thatching the thatcher of Thatchwood has 
 thatched? 
 
 Sometimes " off a, pewter plate " is added at the end of each line. 
 PETER PIPER picked a peck of pickled pepper; 
 A peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked; 
 If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper, 
 Where's the peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked?
 
 166 NURSER Y RHYMES. 
 
 SWAN swam over the sea Swan swam back again, 
 Swim, swan, swim ; Well swum, swan. 
 
 THREE crooked cripples went through Cripplegate, and 
 through Cripplegate went three crooked cripples. 
 
 ROBERT ROWLEY rolled a round roll round, 
 A round roll Robert Rowley rolled round ; 
 Where rolled the round roll Robert Rowley rolled 
 round? 
 
 Said to pips placed in the fire; a species of divination practised by children. 
 
 IF you love me, pop and fly; 
 If you hate me, lay and die. 
 
 My grandmother sent me a new-fashioned three- 
 cornered cambric country- cut handkerchief. Not an 
 old-fashioned three-cornered cambric country-cut hand- 
 kerchief, but a new-fashioned three-cornered cambric 
 country- cut handkerchief. 
 
 HICKUP, snicup, Three drops in the cup 
 
 Rise up, right up ! Are good for the hiccup. 
 
 HICKUP, hickup, go away! 
 Come again another day; 
 Hickup, hickup, when I bake, 
 I'll give to you a butter- cake.
 
 CHARMS. 
 
 157 
 
 A charm somewhat similar to the following may be seen in the 
 "Townley Mysteries," p. 91. See a paper in the " Archseologia," vol. 
 xxvii. p. 253, by the Rev. Lancelot Sharpe, M.A. See also MS. Lansd. 
 231, fol. 114, and "Ady's Candle in the Dark," 4to, London, 1650, p. 58. 
 
 MATTHEW, Mark, Luke, and John, 
 Guard the bed that I lie on ! 
 
 Four corners to my bed; 
 
 Four angels round my head, 
 One to watch, one to pray, 
 And two to bear my soul away ! 
 
 MY father he left me, just as he was able, 
 
 One bowl, one bottle, one label, 
 
 Two bowls, two bottles, two labels, 
 
 Three, &c. \Andso on ad lib. in one breath.]
 
 NINTH CLASS. 
 
 Gaffers and Gammers. 
 
 THERE was an old woman, as I've heard tell, 
 She went to market her eggs for to sell; 
 She went to market all on a market day, 
 And she fell asleep on the King's highway. 
 
 [158]
 
 GAFFERS AND GAMMERS. 
 
 There came by a pedlar, whose name was Stout, - 
 
 He cut her petticoats all round about; 
 
 He cut her petticoats up to the knees, 
 
 Which made the old woman to shiver and freeze. 
 
 When this little woman first did wake, 
 
 She began to shiver and she began to shake,
 
 160 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 She began to wonder and she began to cry, 
 Oh ! deary, deary me, this is none of I ! 
 
 But if it be I, as I do hope it be, 
 
 I have a little dog at home, and he'll know me ; 
 
 If it be I, he'll wag his little tail, 
 
 And if it be not I, he'll loudly bark and wail. " 
 
 Home went the little woman all in the dark: 
 Up got the little dog, and he began to bark; 
 He began to bark, so she began to cry, 
 Oh! deary, deary me, this is none of I!" 
 
 THERE was an old man of Tobago, 
 Who lived on rice, gruel, and sago; 
 Till, much to his bliss, 
 His physician said this 
 " To a leg, sir, of mutton you may go. "
 
 GAFFERS AND QAMMERS. 
 
 161 
 
 OLD mother Hubbard 
 Went to the cupboard 
 
 To get her poor dog a bone; 
 But when she came there, 
 The cupboard was bare, 
 
 And so the poor dog had none.
 
 162 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 She went to the baker's 
 To buy him some bread, 
 
 But when she came back 
 The poor dog was dead. 
 
 She went to the joiner's 
 To buy him a coffin,
 
 GAFFERS AND GAMMERS. 
 
 163 
 
 But when she came back 
 The poor dog was laughing.* 
 
 She took a clean dish 
 To get him some tripe, 
 
 But when she came back 
 He was smoking his pipe. 
 
 She went to the fishmonger's 
 
 To buy him some fish, 
 And when she came back 
 
 He was licking the dish. 
 
 She went to the fruiterer's 
 
 To buy him some fruit, 
 But when she came back 
 
 He was playing the flute. 
 
 She went to the ale-house 
 
 To get him some beer, 
 But when she came back 
 
 The dog sat in a chair. 
 
 * Probably faffing or loffin\ to complete the rhyme. So in Shakespeare's 
 
 " Midsummer Night's Dream," Act II., sc. I. 
 '' And then the whole quire hold their hips, and loffe"
 
 164 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 She went to the hatter's 
 To buy him a hat, 
 
 But when she came back 
 He was feeding the cat. 
 
 She went to the barber's 
 To buy him a wig, 
 
 But when she came back 
 He was dancing a jig. 
 
 She went to the tavern 
 For white wine and red, 
 
 But when she came back 
 The dog stood on his head.
 
 GAP FEES AND GAMMKRS. 
 
 165 
 
 She went to the sempstress 
 To buy him some linen, 
 
 But when she came back 
 The dog was spinning. 
 
 She went to the tailor's 
 To buy him a coat, 
 
 But when she came back 
 He was riding a goat. 
 
 She went to the cobbler's 
 To buy him some shoes, 
 
 But when she came back 
 He wasreading the news.
 
 166 
 
 NVRSEBY RHYMES. 
 
 She went to the 
 
 hosier's 
 To buy him some 
 
 hose, 
 But when she came 
 
 back 
 
 He was dressed in 
 his clothes. 
 
 The dame made a curtsey, 
 
 The dog made a bow ; 
 The dame said, " Your servant;' 
 
 The dog said, "Bow, wow."
 
 GAFFERS AND GAMMERS. 
 
 167 
 
 A LITTLE old man of Derby, 
 How do you think he served me ? 
 He took away my bread and cheese, 
 And that is how he served me.
 
 168 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THERE was an old woman 
 Lived under a hill, 
 
 She put a mouse in a bag, 
 And sent it to mill; 
 
 The miller declared, 
 By the point of his knife, 
 
 He never took toll 
 Of a mouse in his life.
 
 GAFFERS AND GAMMERS. 
 
 169 
 
 following is part of a comic song called "Success to the Whistle and 
 Wig," intended to be sung in rotation by the members of a club. 
 
 THERE was an old woman had three sons, 
 Jerry, and James, and John; 
 Jerry was hung, James was drowned, 
 John was lost and never was found, 
 And there was an end of the three sons, 
 Jerry, and James, and John! 
 
 OLD Betty Blue 
 Lost a holiday shoe, 
 What can old Betty do ? 
 
 Give her another 
 To match the other, 
 And then she may swagger 
 in two.
 
 170 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 The tale on which the following story is founded is found in a MS. of 
 the fifteenth century, preserved in the Chetham Library at Manchester. 
 
 THERE was an old man who lived in a wood, 
 
 As you may plainly see ; 
 He said he could do as much work in a day, 
 
 As his wife could do in three. 
 "With all my heart," the old woman said; 
 
 ' ' If that you will allow, 
 To-morrow you'll stay at home in my stead, 
 
 And I'll go drive the plough; 
 But you must milk the Tidy cow, 
 
 For fear that she go dry; 
 And you must feed the little pigs 
 
 That are within the stye; 
 And you must mind the speckled hen, 
 
 For fear she lay away; 
 And you must reel the spool of yarn 
 
 That I span yesterday. " 
 
 The old woman took a staff in her hand, 
 And went to drive the plough ; 
 
 The old man took a pail in his hand, 
 And went to milk the cow;
 
 GAFFERS AND GAMMERS 171 
 
 But Tidy hinched, and Tidy flinched, 
 
 And Tidy broke his nose, 
 And Tidy gave him such a blow, 
 
 That the blood ran down to his toes. 
 
 "High! Tidy! ho! Tidy! high! 
 
 Tidy, do stand still ! 
 If ever I milk you, Tidy, again, 
 
 'Twill be sore against my will. " 
 He went to feed the little pigs, 
 
 That were within the stye ; 
 He hit his head against the beam 
 
 And he made the blood to fly. 
 
 He went to mind the speckled hen, 
 
 For fear she'd lay astray, 
 And he forgot the spool of yarn 
 
 His wife spun yesterday. 
 
 So he swore by the sun, the moon, and the stars, 
 
 And the green leaves on the tree, 
 If his wife didn't do a day's work in her life, 
 
 She should ne'er be ruled by he. 
 
 THERE was an old woman, 
 
 And she sold puddings and pies- 
 She went to the mill, 
 
 And the dust flew in her eyes: 
 "Hot pies and cold pies to sell! " 
 
 Wherever she goes 
 You may follow her by the smell. 
 
 OH, dear, what can the matter be ? 
 Two old women got up in an apple-tree; 
 
 One came down, 
 And the other stayed till Saturday.
 
 172 
 
 NURSEEY RHYMES. 
 
 DAME Trot and her cat 
 
 Led a peaceable life 
 When they were not troubled 
 
 With other folks' strife. 
 
 When Dame had her dinner 
 
 Near Pussy would wait, 
 And was sure to receive 
 
 A nice piece from her plate.
 
 QAPFERS AND GAMMERS. 173 
 
 THERE was an old man, He took him out of the stall, 
 And he had a calf, And put him on the wall; 
 
 And that's half; And that's all. 
 
 FATHER Short came down the lane, 
 Oh! I'm obliged to hammer and smite 
 From four in the morning till eight at n i 'ght, 
 
 For a bad master and a worse dame. 
 
 THERE was an old woman 
 
 Lived under a hill ; 
 And if she's not gone, 
 
 She lives there still.
 
 174 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THERE was an old woman of Norwich, 
 Who lived upon nothing but porridge; 
 Parading the town, 
 She turned cloak into gown, 
 This thrifty old woman of Norwich. 
 
 THERE was an old woman in Surrey, 
 "Who was morn, noon, and night in a hurry, 
 Called her husband a fool, 
 Drove the children to school, 
 The worrying old woman of Surrey. 
 
 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.
 
 GAFFERS AND GAMMERS. 
 
 175 
 
 A LITTLE old man and I fell out: 
 How shall we bring this matter about ? 
 Bring it about as well as you can 
 Get you gone, you little old man ! 
 
 OLD Mother Niddity 
 Nod swore by the 
 pudding-bag, 
 
 She would go to Sto- 
 ken Church Fair; 
 
 And then old Father 
 Peter said he would 
 meet her 
 
 Before she got half- 
 way there.
 
 176 
 
 NURSERY IIHYMES. 
 
 THERE was an old woman tossed up in a basket, 
 Nineteen times as high as the moon ; 
 
 Where she was going I couldn't but ask it, 
 For in her hand she carried a broom.
 
 GAFFERS AND GAMMERS. 
 
 177 
 
 Old woman, old woman, old woman, quoth I, 
 O whither, O whither, O whither so high ? 
 
 To brush the cobwebs off the sky ! 
 Shall I go with thee ? Aye, by-and-bye. 
 
 THERE was an old man who lived in Middle Row, 
 He had five hens and a name for them, oh ! 
 
 Bill and Ned and Battock, 
 
 Cut-her-foot and Pattock, 
 
 Chuck, my Lady Prattock, 
 
 Go to thy nest and lay. 
 
 THERE was an old woman of Leeds 
 Who spent all her time in good deeds; 
 She worked for the poor 
 Till her fingers were sore, 
 This pious old woman of Leeds!
 
 TENTH CLASS. 
 
 COME, my children, come away, 
 For the sun shines bright to-day; 
 Little children, come with me, 
 Birds and brooks and posies see; 
 Get your hats and come away, 
 For it is a pleasant day. 
 
 Everything is laughing, singing, 
 All the pretty flowers are springing; 
 See the kitten, full of fun, 
 Sporting in the brilliant sun; 
 Children too may sport and play, 
 For it is a pleasant day. 
 
 [178]
 
 GAMES. 
 
 179 
 
 Bring the hoop, and bring the ball, 
 
 Come with happy faces all; 
 
 Let us make a merry ring, 
 
 Talk and laugh, and dance and sing. 
 
 Quickly, quickly, come away, 
 
 For it is a pleasant day. 
 
 Rhymes used by children to decide who is to begin a game. 
 ONE-ERY, two-ery, 
 
 Ziccary zan ; 
 Hollow bone, crack a bone, 
 
 Ninery, ten: 
 Spittery spot, 
 
 It must be done ; 
 Twiddleum twaddleum, 
 
 Twenty- one.
 
 180 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Hink spink, the puddings stink, 
 
 The fat begins to fry, 
 Nobody at home, but jumping Joan, 
 
 Father, mother, and I. 
 Stick, stock, stone dead, 
 
 Blind man can't see, 
 Every knave will have a slave, 
 
 You or I must be he. 
 
 DANCE, Thumbkin, dance, 
 
 \Keep the thumb in motion. 
 Dance, ye merrymen, every one ; 
 
 [All the fingers in motion. 
 For Thumbkin, he can dance alone, 
 
 \The thumb only moving. 
 Thumbkin, he can dance alone, 
 
 [Ditto. 
 Dance, Foreman, dance, 
 
 [ The first finger moving. 
 Dance, ye merrymen, every one ; 
 
 [ The whole moving. 
 But Foreman, he can dance alone, 
 Foreman, he can dance alone. 
 
 And so on with the others naming the second finger 
 "Longman," the third finger " Ringman, " and the 
 fourth finger "Littleman." Littleman cannot dance 
 alone. 
 
 The following is used by schoolboys when two are starting to run a race. 
 
 ONE to make ready, 
 
 And two to prepare; 
 Good luck to the rider, 
 
 And away goes the mare.
 
 GAMES. 181 
 
 THE FOX. 
 
 IN a children's game, where all the little actors are seated in a circle, 
 the following stanza is used as question and answer: 
 
 Who goes round my house this night ? 
 
 None but cruel Tom ! 
 Who steals all the sheep at night ? 
 
 None but this poor one. 
 
 ONE child holds a wand or pen or stick to the face of another, repeat- 
 ing these lines, and making grimaces, to cause the latter to laugh, and 
 so to the others : those who laugh paying a forfeit. 
 
 Buff says Buff to all his men, 
 
 And I say Buff to you again; 
 
 Buff neither laughs nor smiles, 
 But carries his face with a very good grace, 
 And passes the stick to the very next place ! 
 
 QUEEN ANNE, Queen Anne, you sit in the sun, 
 As fair as a lily, as white as a wand. 
 I send you three letters, and pray read one: 
 You must read one, if you can't read all; 
 So pray, Miss or Master, throw up the ball! 
 
 HIGHTY Lock O ! 
 
 To London we go, 
 
 To York we ride; 
 
 And Edward has pussy-cat tied to his side; 
 He shall have little dog tied to the other, 
 And then he goes trid-trod to see his grandmother.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 GAY go up and gay go down, 
 
 To ring the bells of London town. 
 
 Bulls' eyes and targets, 
 
 Say the bells of St. Marg'ret's. 
 
 Brickbats and tiles, 
 
 Say the bells of St. Giles'.
 
 GAMES. 
 
 183 
 
 Halfpence and farthings, 
 Say the bells of St. Mar- 
 tin's. 
 
 Oranges and lemons, 
 Say the bells of St Clem- 
 ent's.
 
 184 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Pancakes and fritters, 
 Say the bells of St. Peters. 
 
 Two sticks and an apple, 
 Say the bells at White- 
 chapel. 
 
 Old Father Baldpate, 
 Say the slow bells at Aid- 
 gate. 
 
 You owe me ten shillings, 
 Say the bells at St. Hel- 
 en's. 
 
 Pokers and tongs, 
 
 Say the bells at St. John's. 
 
 Kettles and pans, 
 
 Say the bells of St. Ann's. 
 
 When will you pay me ? 
 Say the bells of Old Bailey. 
 
 When I grow rich, 
 Say the bells at Shore- 
 ditch. 
 
 Pray when will that be ? 
 Say the bells of Stepney. 
 
 I am sure I don't know, 
 Says the great bell at Bow.
 
 GAMES. 185 
 
 Here comes a candle to light you to bed, 
 
 And here comes a chopper to chop off your head. 
 
 At the conclusion the captive is privately asked if he 
 will have oranges or lemons (the two leaders of the 
 arch having previously agreed which designation shall 
 belong to each), and he goes behind the one he may 
 chance to name. When all are thus divided into two 
 parties, they conclude the game by trying to pull each 
 other beyond a certain line. 
 
 HEWLEY-PULEY. 
 
 THE children are seated and the following questions put by one of the 
 party, holding a twisted handkerchief or something of the sort in the 
 hand. The handkerchief is called "hewley-puley," and the questions 
 re asked by the child who holds it. If one answers wrongly, a box on 
 the ear with the handkerchief is the consequence ; but if they all reply 
 correctly, then the one who breaks silence first has that punishment. 
 
 Take this. What's this ? Hewley-puley. 
 
 Where's my share ? About the kite's neck. 
 
 Where's the kite ? Flown to the wood. 
 
 Where's the wood ? The fire has burned it. 
 
 Where's the fire ? The water has quenched it. 
 
 Where's the water ? The ox has drunk it. 
 
 Where's the ox ? The butcher has killed it. 
 
 Where's the butcher ? The rope has hanged him. 
 
 Where's the rope ? The rat has gnawed it. 
 
 Where's the rat ? The cat has killed it. 
 
 Where's the cat ? Behind the church- door, cracking 
 pebble-stones and marrow-bones for yours and my sup- 
 per, and the one who speaks first shall have a box on 
 the ear. 
 
 AWAKE, arise, pull out your eyes, 
 
 And hear what time of day; 
 And when you have done, pull out your tongue, 
 
 And see what you can say.
 
 186 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES.
 
 GAMES. 
 
 187 
 
 HERE goes my lord 
 A trot, a trot, a trot, a trot ! 
 
 Here goes my lady 
 A canter, a canter, a canter, a canter I 
 
 Here goes my young master 
 Jockey-hitch, Jockey-hitch, Jockey-hitch, Jockey-hitch! 
 
 Here goes my young miss 
 An amble, an amble, an amble, an amble ! 
 The footman lags behind to tipple ale and wine, 
 And goes gallop, a gallop, a gallop, to make up his time.
 
 188 NUESEEY RHYMES. 
 
 RIDE a cock-horse to Banbury Cross, 
 
 To buy little Johnny a galloping horse; 
 
 It trots behind, and it ambles before, 
 
 And Johnny shall ride till he can ride no more. 
 
 SIEVE my lady's oatmeal, 
 
 Grind my lady's flour, 
 Put it in a chestnut, 
 
 Let it stand an hour; 
 One may rush, two may rush, 
 Come, my girls, walk under the bush. 
 
 TRIP and go, heave and hoe ! 
 Up and down, to and fro; 
 From the town to the grove, 
 Two and two let us rove, 
 A-maying, a-playing; 
 Love hath no gainsaying! 
 So, merrily trip and go ! 
 So, merrily trip and go! 
 
 SEE-SAW, jack a daw ! 
 
 What is a craw to do wi' her ? 
 
 She has not a stocking to put on her, 
 
 And the craw has not one for to gi' her.
 
 GAMES. 189 
 
 Now we dance looby, looby, looby, 
 Now we dance looby, looby, light 
 Shake your right hand a little, 
 And turn you round about. 
 
 Now we dance looby, looby, looby, 
 Shake your right hand a little, 
 Shake your left hand a little, 
 And turn you round about. 
 
 Now we dance looby, looby, looby, 
 Shake your right hand a little, 
 Shake your left hand a little, 
 Shake your right foot a little, 
 And turn you round about. 
 
 Now we dance looby, looby, looby, 
 Shake your right hand a little, 
 Shake your left hand a little, 
 Shake your right foot a little, 
 Shake your left foot a little, 
 And turn you round about. 
 
 Now we dance looby, looby, looby, 
 Shake your right hand a little, 
 Shake your left hand a little, 
 Shake your right foot a little, 
 Shake your left foot a little, 
 Shake your head a little, 
 And turn you round about. 
 
 Children dance round first, then stop and shake the hand, &c., then 
 turn slowly round, and then dance in a ring again. 
 
 MARGERY MUTTON-PIE and Johnny Bopeep. 
 They met together in Gracechurch Street ; 
 In and out, in and out, over the way, 
 " Oh, says Johnny, " 't is chop-nose day!"
 
 190 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THE BRAMBLE-BUSH. 
 
 A ring-dance imitation play, the metrical portion of which is not 
 without a little melody. The bramble-bush is often imaginative, but 
 sometimes represented by a child in the centre of the ring; all join 
 hands, and dance round in a circle, singing,
 
 GAMES. 191 
 
 Here we go round the bramble- bush, 
 The bramble-bush, the bramble-bush; 
 
 Here we go round the bramble-bush 
 On a cold frosty morning! 
 
 After the chanting of this verse is ended, all the children commence 
 an imitation of washing clothes, making appropriate movements with 
 their hands, and saying, 
 
 This is the way we wash our clothes, 
 Wash our clothes, wash our clothes; 
 
 This is the way we wash our clothes 
 On a cold frosty morning ! 
 
 They then dance round, repeating the first stanza, after which the 
 operation of drying the clothes is commenced with a similar verse, 
 "This is the way we dry our clothes," &c. The game may be con- 
 tinued almost ad infinitum by increasing the number of duties to be per- 
 formed. They are, however, generally satisfied with mangling, smooth- 
 ing, or ironing the clo:hes, and then putting them away. Sometimes 
 they conclude with a general cleaning, which may well be necessary after 
 the large quantity of work which has been done: 
 
 This is the way we clean our rooms, 
 Clean our rooms, clean our rooms; 
 
 This is the way we clean our rooms 
 On a cold frosty morning ! 
 
 And, like good merry washing-women, they are not exhausted with 
 their labons, but conclude with the song, ' ' Here we go round the 
 bramble-bush," having had sufficient exercise to warm themselves on any 
 "cold frosty morning," which w;ts doubtless the result, we may observe 
 en passant, as a matter of domestic economy aimed at by the author. It 
 is not so easy to give a similar explanation to the game of the mulberry- 
 bush, conducted in the same manner: 
 
 Here we go round the mulberry-bush, 
 The mulberry-bush, the mulberry-bush; 
 
 Here we go round the mulberry-bush 
 On a sunshiny morning. 
 
 In this game the motion-cries are usually "This is the way we wash 
 our clothes," " This is the way we dry our clothes," "This is the way
 
 192 NURSERY EHYMES. 
 
 we make our shoes," "This is the way we mend our shoes," "This is 
 the way the gentlemen walk," "This is the way the ladies walk," &c., 
 As in other cases, the dance may be continued by the addition of cries 
 and motions, which may be rendered pretty and characteristic in the 
 hands of judicious actors. This game, however, requires too much exer- 
 cise to render it so appropriate to the season as the other. 
 
 DROP-GLOVE. 
 
 CHILDREN stand round in a circle, leaving a space between each. One 
 walks round the outside, and carries a glove or handkerchief in her 
 hand, saying, 
 
 I've a glove in my hand, 
 
 Hittity Hot ! 
 Another in my other hand, 
 
 Hotter than that! 
 
 So I sow beans, and so they come up, 
 Some in a mug, and some in a cup. 
 I sent a letter to my love, 
 I lost it, I lost it ! 
 I found it, I found it ! 
 It burns, it scalds. 
 
 Repeating the last words very rapidly fill she drops the glove behind 
 one of them, and whoever has the glove must overtake her, following 
 her exactly in and out till she catches her. If the pursuer make'- 1 ' miy 
 take in the pursuit, she loses, and the game is over; otherwise she cos... 
 tinues the game with the glove. 
 
 INTERY, mintery, cutery-corn, 
 Apple seed and apple thorn; 
 Wine, brier, limber-lock, 
 Five geese in a flock, 
 Sit and sing by a spring, 
 O-u-x, and in again. 
 
 TIP top, tower 
 
 Tumble down in an hour.
 
 GAMES. 
 
 193 
 
 FIRST pig went to 
 
 market, 
 Second pig stayed 
 
 at home, 
 Third pig had roast 
 
 beef 
 And fourth pig had 
 
 none; 
 Fifth little pig said, 
 
 "wee, wee, 
 Give me some!" 
 
 THE OLD DAME. 
 
 ONE child, called the Old Dame, sits on the floor, and the rest joining 
 hands, form a circle round her, and dancing, sing the following lines: 
 
 Children. To Beccles! to Beccles! 
 
 To buy a bunch of nettles ! 
 
 Pray, old Dame, what's o'clock? 
 Dame. One, going for two. 
 
 Children. To Beccles! to Beccles! 
 
 To buy a bunch of nettles ! 
 
 Pray, old Dame, what's o'clock? 
 Dame. Two, going for three. 
 
 And so on till she reaches ' ' Eleven, going for twelve. " 
 After this the following questions are asked with the 
 replies. C. Where have you been? D. To the wood.
 
 194 NUESERY EHYMES. 
 
 C. What for? D. To pick up sticks. C. What for? 
 
 D. To light my fire. C. What for? D. To boil my 
 kettle. C. What for? D. To cook some of your 
 chickens. The children then all run away as fast as 
 they can, and the Old Dame tries to catch one of them. 
 Whoever is caught is the next to personate the Dame. 
 
 IN the game where the following lines are used, one person goes reund 
 inside a ring of children, clapping a cap between his hands. When he 
 drops it at the foot of any one, that one leaves his position and gives 
 chase, and is obliged to thread the very same course among the children 
 till the first is caught. The first then stands with his back towards the 
 centre of the ring, the one called out takes his place, and thus they con- 
 tinue till nearly all are "turned." 
 
 My hand burns hot, hot, hot, 
 
 And whoever I love best, I'll drop this at his foot! 
 
 NIDDY-NODDY. 
 
 A SIMPLE but very amusing game at cards, at which any number can 
 play. The cards are dealt round, and one person commences the game 
 by placing down a card, and the persons next in succession who hold the 
 same card in the various suits place them down upon it, the holder of the 
 last winning the trick. The four persons who hold the cards say, when 
 they put them down, 
 
 x. There's a good card for thee. 
 a . There's a still better than he. 
 
 3. There's the best of all three. 
 
 4. And there is Niddy-noddee ! 
 
 The person who is first out, receives a fish for each card unplayed. 
 
 A GAME AT BALL. 
 
 CUCKOO, cherry-tree, Let the tree be high or low, 
 
 Catch a bird, and give it to Let it hail, rain, or snow, 
 me;
 
 GAMES. 195 
 
 BARLEY-BRIDGE. 
 
 A STRINS of beys and girls, each holding by his predecessor's skirt*, 
 approaches two others, who, with joined and elevated hands, form a 
 double arch. After the dialogue is concluded, the line passes through 
 the arch, and the last is caught, if possible, by the sudden lowering of 
 the arms. 
 
 "How many miles to Barley bridge?" 
 
 "Threescore and ten." 
 "Can I get there by candlelight?" 
 
 "Yes, if your legs be long." 
 "A courtesy to you, and a courtesy to you, 
 If you please will you let the King's horses through?" 
 ' ' Through and through shall they go, 
 
 For the King's sake; 
 But the one that is hindmost 
 Will meet with a great mistake. " 
 
 THE game of water-skimming is of high antiquity, being mentioned by 
 Julius Pollux, and also by Eustathius, in his commentary upon Homer. 
 Brand quotes a curious passage from Minucius Felix ; but all antiquaries 
 seem to have overlooked the very curious notice in Higgins' adaptation 
 of Junius's " Nomenclator, " 8vo, London, 1585, p. 299, where it is called 
 "a duck and a drake, and a halfe-penie cake." Thus it is probable that 
 lines like the following were employed in this game as early as 1585 ; and 
 it may be that the last line has recently furnished a hint to Mathews in 
 his amusing song in "Patter v. Clatter." 
 
 A DUCK and a drake, A hop and a scotch, 
 
 A nice barley-cake, Is another notch, 
 
 With a penny to pay the Slitherum, slatherum, take 
 
 old baker; her. 
 
 Two children sit opposite to each other; the first turns her fingers one 
 over the other, and says, 
 
 " May my geese fly ver your barn ?" 
 
 The ether answer! " Yw, if they'll do no harm," upon which the first 
 unpacks the fingers of her hand, and, waving it overhead, says, 
 
 " Fly ver his barn, and eat all his corn. "
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 SEE-SAW. 
 
 A COMMON game, children vacillating on either end of a plank sup- 
 ported on its centre. While enjoying this recreation, they have a song 
 of appropriate cadence, the burden of which is, 
 
 Titty cum tawtay, Titty cum tawtay, 
 
 The ducks in the water: The geese follow after. 
 
 To market ride the gentlemen, 
 
 So do we, so do we; 
 Then comes the country clown, 
 
 Hobbledy gee, Hobbledy gee ; 
 First go the ladies, nim, mm, nim ; 
 Next come the gentlemen, trim, trim, trim; 
 Then come the country clowns, gallop-a-trot.
 
 GAMES. 197 
 
 NETTLES grow in an angry bush, 
 
 An angry bush, an angry bush; 
 Nettles grow in an angry bush, 
 
 With my High, Ho, Ham! 
 This is the way the lady goes, 
 
 The lady goes, the lady goes; 
 This is the way the lady goes, 
 
 With my High, Ho, Ham ! 
 
 THE children dance round some chairs, singing the first three lines, 
 turning round and clapping hands for the fourth line. They curtsey 
 while saying "this is the way the lady goes," and again turn round and 
 clap hands for the last line. The same process is followed in every verse, 
 only varying what they act : thus, in the third verse, they bow for the 
 gentleman. 
 
 Nettles grow in an angry bush, &c., 
 
 This is the way the gentleman goes, &c. 
 
 Nettles grow in an angry bush, &c. 
 
 This is the way the tailor goes, &c. 
 And so the amusement is protracted ad libitum with 
 shoemaking, washing the clothes, ironing, churning, 
 milking, making up butter, &c. 
 
 THERE were two 
 
 blackbirds 
 Sitting on a hill, 
 The one named Jack, 
 The other named 
 Jill; 
 
 Fly away, Jack! Come again, Jack! 
 
 Fly away, Jill! Come again, Jill! 
 
 RIDE a cock-horse to Banbury Cross, 
 
 To see what Tommy can buy; 
 A penny white loaf, a penny white cake, 
 
 And a twopenny apple pie.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 SEE-SAW, Margery Daw, 
 
 Sold her bed and lay upon straw; 
 
 Was not she a dirty girl 
 
 To sell her bed and lie in dirt ? 
 
 Game with the hands. 
 
 PlASI-PUDDlNG hot, 
 
 Pease pudding cold, 
 Pease-pudding in the pot, 
 Nine days old. 
 
 Some like it hot, 
 Some like it cold, 
 
 Some like it in the pot, 
 Nine days old.
 
 GAMES. 199 
 
 MARY BROWN. FAIR GUNDELA. 
 
 A slightly dramatic character may be observed im this game, whien 
 was obtained from Essex, England. Children form a ring, erne girl 
 kneeling in the cetre, and sorrowfully hiding her face with her hands. 
 One in the ring then says : 
 
 Here we all stand round the ring, 
 
 And now we shut poor Mary in; 
 
 Rise up, poor Mary Brown, 
 
 And see your poor mother go through the town. 
 To this she answers: 
 
 I will not stand up upon my feet, 
 
 To see my poor mother go through the street. 
 The children then cry: 
 
 Rise up, rise up, poor Mary Brown, 
 
 And see your poor father go through the town. 
 Mary. I will not stand up upon my feet, 
 
 To see my poor father go through the street. 
 Children. Rise up, rise up, poor Mary Brown, 
 
 To see your poor brother go through the town. 
 Mary. 1 will not stand up upon my feet, 
 
 To see my poor brother go through the street. 
 Children. Rise up, rise up, poor Mary Brown, 
 
 To see your poor sister go through the town. 
 Mary. I will not stand up upon my feet, 
 
 To see my poor sister go through the street. 
 Children. Rise up, rise up, poor Mary Brown, 
 
 To see the poor beggars go through the town. 
 Mary. I will not stand up upon my feet, 
 
 To see the poor beggars go through the street. 
 One would have thought that this tiresome repetition 
 had been continued quite long enough; but two other 
 verses are sometimes added, introducing gentlemen and 
 ladies with the same questions, to both of which it is 
 unnecessary to say that the callous and hard-hearted 
 Mary Brown replies with perfect indifference and want
 
 200 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 of curiosity. All versions, however, conclude with the 
 girls saying: 
 
 Rise up, rise up, poor Mary Brown, 
 
 And see your poor sweetheart go through the town. 
 The chord is at last touched, and Mary, frantically re- 
 plying, 
 
 I will get up upon my feet, 
 
 To see my sweetheart go through the street ! 
 rushes with impetuosity to break the ring, and generally 
 succeeds in escaping the bonds that detain her from her 
 imaginary love. 
 
 Leader. 
 ist Child. 
 Leader. 
 2nd Child. 
 Leader. 
 
 I went up one pair of stairs. 
 Just like me. 
 I went up two pair of stairs. 
 Just like me. 
 I went into a room. 
 
 3rd Child. 
 Leader. 
 
 Just like me. 
 I looked out of a window. 
 
 4th Child. 
 Leader. 
 5th Child. 
 
 Leader, 
 ist Child. 
 Leader. 
 
 Just like me. 
 And there I saw a monkey. 
 Just like me! 
 
 I am a gold lock. 
 I am a gold key. 
 I am a silver lock. 
 
 2nd Child. 
 Leader. 
 
 I am a silver key. 
 I am a brass lock. 
 
 3 rd Child. 
 Leader. 
 
 I am a brass key. 
 I am a lead lock. 
 
 4th Child. 
 Leader. 
 
 I am a lead key. 
 I am a monk lock. 
 
 5th Child. 
 
 I am a monk key ! 
 
 The following lines are sung by children when starting for a race. 
 
 GOOD horses, bad horses, Three o'clock, four o'clock, 
 What is the time of day? Now fare you away.
 
 GAMES 201 
 
 THERE was a man, and his name was Dob, 
 And he had a wife, and her name was Mob, 
 And he had a dog, and he called it Cob, 
 And she had a cat, called Chitterabob. 
 Cob, says Dob, 
 Chitterabob, says Mob, 
 Cob was Dob's dog, 
 Chitterabob Mob's cat. 
 
 Two of the strongest children are selected, A and B ; A stands within a 
 ring of the children, B being outside. 
 
 A. Who is going round my sheepfold? 
 
 B. Only poor old Jacky Lingo. 
 
 A. Don't steal any of my black sheep. 
 
 B. No, no more I will, only by one: 
 
 Up ! says Jacky Lingo. (Strikes one. ) 
 
 The child struck leaves the ring, and takes hold of B 
 behind; B in the same manner takes the other children, 
 one by one, gradually increasing his tail on each repeti- 
 tion of the verses, until he has got the whole; A then 
 tries to get them back ; B runs away with them ; they 
 try to shelter themselves behind B; A drags them off, 
 one by one, setting them against a wall until he has re- 
 covered all. A regular "tearing game," as children 
 say.
 
 202 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 RIDE a cock-horse to Banbury Cross, 
 To see an old lady upon a white horse, 
 Rings on her fingers, and bells on her toes, 
 And so she makes music wherever she goes. 
 
 ONE old Oxford ox opening oysters; 
 
 Two teetotums totally tired of trying to trot to Tadbury ; 
 
 Three tall tigers tippling tenpenny tea; 
 
 Four fat friars fanning fainting flies ; 
 
 Five frippy Frenchmen foolishly fishing for flies; 
 
 Six sportsmen shooting snipes; 
 
 Seven Severn salmons swallowing shrimps; 
 
 Eight Englishmen eagerly examining Europe; 
 
 Nine nimble noblemen nibbling nonpareils ; 
 
 Ten tinkers tinkling upon ten tin tinder-boxes with ten 
 
 tenpenny tacks; 
 
 Eleven elephants elegantly equipt; 
 Twelve typographical typographers typically translating 
 
 types.
 
 GAMES. 
 
 RIDE a cock-horse to Coventry Cross, 
 
 T sea what Emma can buy; 
 A peaay whit* cake I'll buy for her sake, 
 
 And a twp*nny tart r a pie.
 
 204 NUESEEY RHYMES. 
 
 THE TOWN LOVERS. 
 
 A GAME played by boys and girls. A girl is placed in the middle of a 
 ring, and says the following lines, the names being altered to suit the 
 party. She points to each one named, and at the last line the party 
 selected immediately runs away, and if the girl catches him, he pays a 
 forfeit, or the game is commenced again, the boy being placed in the 
 middle, and the lines, mutatis mutandis, serve for a reversed amusement: 
 
 There is a girl of our town, 
 She often wears a flowered gown: 
 Tommy loves her night and day, 
 And Richard when he may, 
 And Johnny when he can : 
 I think Sam will be the man ! 
 
 THIS is the way the ladies ride; 
 
 Tri, tre, tre, tree, 
 
 Tri, tre, tre, tree! 
 This is the way the ladies ride, 
 
 Tri, tre, tre, tre, tri-tre- tre- tree ! 
 
 This is the way the gentlemen ride ; 
 
 Gallop- a-trot, 
 
 Gallop-a-trot! 
 This is the way the gentlemen ride, 
 
 Gallop-a-gallop-a-trot ! 
 
 This is the way the farmers ride, 
 
 Hobbledy-hoy, 
 
 Hobbledy-hoy! 
 This is the way the farmers ride, 
 
 Hobbledy hobbledy-hoy ! 
 
 TOM Brown's two little Indian boys, 
 
 One ran away, 
 
 The other wouldn't stay, 
 Tom Brown's two little Indian boys.
 
 GAMES. 205 
 
 A Christmas custom in Lancashire. The boys dress themselves up 
 with ribbons, and perform various pantomimes, after which one of them, 
 who has a blackened face, a rough skin coat, and a broom in his hand, 
 sings as follows: 
 
 HERE come I, Money I want, 
 
 Little David Doubt; And money I crave; 
 
 If you don't give me money, You don't give me money, 
 I'll sweep you all out. I'll sweep you all to the 
 
 grave! 
 
 THIS is the key of the kingdom. 
 In that kingdom there is a city. 
 In that city there is a town. 
 In that town there is a street. 
 In that street there is a lane. 
 In that lane there is a yard. 
 In that yard there is a house. 
 In that house there is a room. 
 In that room there is a bed. 
 On that bed there is a basket. 
 In that basket there are some flowers. 
 Flowers in the basket, basket in the bed, bed in the 
 room, &c., &c. 
 
 THIS should be accompanied by a kind of pantomimic dance, in which 
 the motions of the body and arms express the process of weaving; the 
 motion of the shuttle, &c. 
 
 Weave the diaper tick-a-tick tick, 
 
 Weave the diaper tick 
 
 Come this way, come that, 
 
 As close as a mat, 
 
 Athwart and across, up and down, round about, 
 And forwards, and backwards, and inside, and out; 
 
 Weave the diaper thick-a- thick thick, 
 
 Weave the diaper thick !
 
 206 NUHSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THIS game begins thus: "Take this." "What's 
 thit?" "A gaping, wide-mouthed, waddling frog,*' &c, 
 
 Twelve huntsmen with horns and hounds, 
 
 Hunting over other men's grounds; 
 
 Eleven ships sailing o'er the main, 
 
 Some bound for France and some for Spain : 
 
 I wish them all safe home again; 
 
 Ten comets in the sky, 
 
 Some low and some high; 
 
 Nine peacocks in the air, 
 
 I wonder how they all came there, 
 
 I do not know and I do not care ; 
 
 Eight joiners in Joiners' Hall, 
 
 Working with the tools and all; 
 
 Seven lobsters in a dish, 
 
 As fresh as any heart could wish ; 
 
 Six beetles against the wall, 
 
 Close by an old woman's apple-stall; 
 
 Five puppies of our dog Ball, 
 
 Who daily for their breakfast call; 
 
 Four horses stuck in a bog, 
 
 Three monkeys tied to a clog; 
 
 Two pudding- ends would choke a dog, 
 
 With a gaping, wide-mouthed, waddling frog. 
 
 CLAP hands, clap hands, 
 
 Hie Tommy Randy, 
 Did you see my good man ? 
 
 They call him Cock-a-bandy. 
 
 Silken stockings on his legs, 
 Silver buckles glancin, ' 
 
 A sky-blue bonnet on his head, 
 And oh ! but he is handsome.
 
 GAMES. 
 
 207 
 
 NUMBER number nine, 
 this hoop's mine; 
 
 Number number ten, 
 take it back again. 
 
 THIS is acted by two or more 
 girls, who walk or dance up and 
 down, turning when they say 
 "Turn, cheeses, turn." The 
 " green cheeses," as we are in- 
 formed, are made with sage 
 and potato-tops. Two girls are 
 said to be "cheese and cheese." 
 
 Green cheese, yellow 
 laces, 
 
 Up and down the mar- 
 ket-places, 
 Turn, cheeses, turn. 
 
 A NUMBER of boys and girls stand round one in the middle, who re- 
 peats the following lines, counting the children until one is counted out 
 by the end of the verses. 
 
 Ring me (i), ring me (2), ring me rary (3), 
 
 As I go round (4), ring by ring (5), 
 
 A virgin (6) goes a-maying (7). 
 
 Here's a flower (8), and there's a flower (9), 
 
 Growing in my lady's garden (10), 
 
 If you set your foot awry (n), 
 
 Gentle John will make you cry (12), 
 
 If you set your foot amiss (13), 
 
 Gentle John (14) will give you a kiss. 
 
 The child upon whom (14) falls is then taken out, and forced to sei^ct 
 one of the other sex. The middle child then proceeds. 
 
 This [lady or gentleman] is none of ours, 
 Has put [him or her] self in [the selected child's] power, 
 So clap all hands, and ring all bells, and make the wed- 
 ding o'er. (All clap hands.) 
 
 If the child taken by lot joins in the clapping, the selected child is re- 
 jected, and I believe takes the middle place. Otherwise, I think there 
 is a salute.
 
 208 
 
 NUESERY RHYMES. 
 
 THE " Three Knights of Spain " is a game played in the following 
 manner: The dramatis persona form themselves in two parties one rep- 
 resenting a courtly dame and her daughters, the other the suitors of the 
 daughters. The last party, moving backwards and forwards, with their 
 arms entwined, approach and recede from the mother party, which is 
 stationary, singing to a very sweet air. 
 
 Suitors. We are three brethren out of Spain, 
 
 Come to court your daughter Jane. 
 Mother. My daughter Jane she is too young, 
 
 And has not learned her mother tongue. 
 Suitors. Be she young, or be she old, 
 
 For her beauty she must be sold. 
 
 So fare you well, my lady gay, 
 
 We'll call again another day. 
 Mother. Turn back, turn back, thou scornful knight, 
 
 And rub thy spurs till they be bright. 
 Suitors. Of my spurs take thou no thought, 
 
 For in this town they were not bought; 
 
 So fare you well, my lady gay, 
 
 We'll call again another day. 
 Mother. Turn back, turn back, thou scornful knight, 
 
 And take the fairest in your sight. 
 Suitor. The fairest maid that I can see 
 
 Is pretty Nancy, come to me.* 
 * Here the suitor tries to pull Nancy over to his side. 
 
 Here comes your daughter safe and sound, 
 Every pocket with a thousand pound 
 Every finger with a gay gold ring ; 
 Please to take your daughter in. 
 
 BEANS AND BUTTER. 
 So the game of " Hide-and-Seek " is called in some parts of Oxfordshire. 
 
 CHILDREN hide from each other, and when it is time to commence the 
 search, the cry is, 
 
 Hot boiled beans and very good butter, 
 If you please to come to supper!
 
 GAMES. 209 
 
 HERE we come a-piping, 
 First in Spring, and then in May; 
 The Queen she sits upon the sand, 
 Fair as a lily, white as a wand : 
 King John has sent you letters three, 
 And begs you'll read them unto me. 
 We can't read one without them all, 
 So pray, Miss Bridget, deliver the ball! 
 
 HITTY-TITTY. 
 
 HITTY-TITTY indoors You touch Hitty-titty, 
 
 Hitty-titty out; And Hitty-titty will bite 
 
 you. 
 
 These lines are said by children when one of them has hid herself. 
 They then run away, and the one who is bitten (caught) becomes Hitty- 
 titty, and hides in her turn. 
 
 ANOTHER game, played exclusively by boys. Two, who are fixed 
 upon for the purpose, leave the group, and privately arrange that the 
 pass-word shall be some implement of a particular trade. The trade is 
 announced in the dialogue, and then the fun is, that the unfortunate 
 wight who guesses the "tool" is beaten with the caps of his fellows till 
 he reaches a fixed goal, after which he goes out in turn. 
 
 ' ' Two broken tradesmen, 
 
 Newly come over, 
 The one from France and Scotland, 
 
 The other from Dover. " 
 " What's your trade?" 
 
 Carpenters, nailers, smiths, tinkers, or any other is answered, and on 
 guessing the instrument "plane him !" "hammer him !" "rasp him !" or 
 "solder him!" is called out respectively during the period of punish- 
 ment. 
 
 Used in Somersetshire in counting out the game of pee-wip or pee-wit. 
 ONE-KRY, two-ery, hickary, hum, 
 Fillison, follison, Nicholson, John, 
 Quever, quauver, Irish Mar}-, 
 Stenkarum, stankarum, buck!
 
 210 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Aais little pig went 
 to market. 
 
 This little pig stayed 
 at home.
 
 GAMES. 
 
 211 
 
 This little pig 
 got roast beef. 
 
 This little pig cried Oh! dear me, all the way home.
 
 2 1 2 NURSES Y RHYMES. 
 
 WHOOP, whoop, and hollow, 
 Good dogs won't follow, 
 Without the hare cries ' ' pee 
 wit" 
 
 THE following is a game played as follows: A string of boys and girls, 
 each holding by the predecessor's skirts, approach two others, who witli 
 joined and elevated hands form a double arch. After the dialogue, the 
 line passes through, and the last is caught by a sudden lowering of the 
 arms if possible. 
 
 How many miles is it to Babylon? 
 
 Threescore miles and ten. 
 Can I get there by candlelight? 
 
 Yes, and back again ! 
 If your heels are nimble and light, 
 You may get there by candlelight. 
 
 CLAP hands, clap hands I But mother's got none. 
 
 Till father comes home; Clap hands, &c. 
 
 For father's got money, Till father, &c. 
 
 GAME OF THE GIPSY. 
 
 ONE child is selected for Gipsy, one for Mother, and one for Daughter 
 Sue. The Mother says, 
 
 I charge my daughters every one 
 To keep good house while I am gone. 
 You and you (points) but specially you, 
 [Or sometimes, "but specially Sue"] 
 Or else I'll beat you black and blue. 
 
 During the Mother's absence the Gipsy comes in, entices a child away, 
 and hides her. This process is repeated till all the children are hidden, 
 when the Mother has to find them. 
 
 HERE stands a post, A better man than you; 
 
 Who put it there ? Touch it if you dare!
 
 GAMES. 213 
 
 A STRING of children, hand in hand, stand in a row. A child (A) 
 stands in front ot them, as leader; two other children (B and C] form an 
 arch, each holding both the hands of the other. 
 
 A. Draw a pail of water, 
 For my lady's daughter; 
 
 My father's a King, and my mother's a Queen, 
 My two little sisters are dressed in green, 
 Stamping grass and parsley, 
 Marigold-leaves and daisies. 
 
 B. One rush, two rush, 
 
 Pray thee, fine lady, come under my bush. 
 
 A passes by under the arch, followed by the whole string of children, 
 the last of whom is taken captive by B and C. The verses are repeated 
 until all are taken. 
 
 A STANDS with a row of girls (her daughters) behind her; B, a suitor, 
 advances. 
 
 B. Trip trap over the grass. If you please will you let 
 one of your [eldest] daughters come, 
 
 Come and dance with me ? 
 
 I will give you pots and pans, I will give you brass, 
 
 I will give you anything for a pretty lass, 
 A says, "No." 
 B. I will give you gold and silver, I will give you pearl, 
 
 I will give you anything for a pretty girl. 
 
 A. Take one, take one, the fairest you may see. 
 
 B. The fairest one that I can see 
 Is pretty Nancy, come to me. 
 
 B carries one off, and says, 
 
 You shall have a duck, my dear, and you shall have 
 
 a drake, 
 And you shall have a young man apprentice for 
 
 your sake, 
 Children say, 
 
 If this young man should happen to die, 
 And leave this poor woman a widow, 
 The bells shall all ring, and the birds shall all sing, 
 
 And we'll all clap hands together, 
 'So it is repeated until the whole are taken.
 
 214 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Children hunting bats. 
 
 BAT, bat (clap hands), 
 Come under my hat, 
 And I'll give you a slice of 
 bacon; 
 
 And when I bake, 
 111 give you a cake, 
 If I am not mistaken. 
 
 SEE-SAW sacradown, 
 Which is the way to London town ? 
 One foot up and the other down, 
 And that is the way to London town. 
 
 GAMES ON A CHILD'S FEATURES. 
 
 HERE sits the Lord Mayor 
 
 Here sit his two men 
 Here sits the cock . 
 
 Here sits the hen 
 Hera sit th little ckick*n 
 
 Here the run in . 
 Ckinchopp^r, chimek*ppr, 
 
 Chinchopper, chin! . 
 
 forehead, 
 eyes. 
 
 right cheek, 
 left cheek, 
 tip of nts*. 
 mtutk. 
 
 chuck the ehin.
 
 GAMES. 215 
 
 THESE lines are said to a very young child, touching successively for 
 each lint the eye. nose, chin, tooth, tongue, and mouth. 
 
 Bo peeper, White lopper, 
 
 Nose dreeper, Red rag, 
 
 Chin chopper, And little gap. 
 
 Sometimes the following version is used. 
 
 Brow brinky, Nose noppy, 
 
 Eye winky, Cheek cherry, 
 
 Chin choppy, Mouth merry. 
 
 A PLAY WITH THE FACE. 
 The child exclaims: 
 
 Ring the bell ! . . giving a lock of its hair a pull. 
 Knock at the door . tapping its forehead. 
 Draw the latch ! . . prilling up its nose. 
 And walk in . . opening its mouth and putting in its 
 finger.
 
 216 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 IN the following, the various parts of the countenance are touched as 
 the lines are repeated, and at the close the chin is struck playfully, that 
 the tongue may be gently bitten. 
 
 Eye winker, 
 Tom Tinker, 
 Nose dropper, 
 
 THUMB bold, 
 
 Thibity-thold, 
 
 Langman, 
 
 Mouth eater, 
 Chin chopper, 
 Chin chopper. 
 
 Lick-apan, 
 Mamma's little man. 
 
 THIS broke the 
 
 barn, 
 
 This stole the corn, 
 This got none, 
 This went pinky- 
 winky 
 All the way home ! 
 
 1. THIS pig went 
 
 to the barn. 
 
 2. This eat all the 
 
 corn. 
 
 3. This said he 
 
 would tell. 
 
 4. This said he 
 
 wasn't well. 
 
 5. This went 
 
 Week ! week ! 
 week ! over the 
 door sill
 
 GAMES. 
 
 217 
 
 A song set to five fingers. 
 
 1. THIS pig went to market; 
 
 2. This pig stayed at home; 
 
 3. This pig had a bit of meat; 
 
 4. And this pig had none ; 
 
 5. This pig said, Wee, wee, wee! 
 I can't find my way home. 
 
 A game on the slate. 
 
 EGGS, butter, bread, 
 Stick, stock, stone dead ! 
 Stick him up, stick him down, 
 Stick him in the old man's crown. 
 
 From Yorkshire. 
 
 A game to alarm children. 
 
 FLOWERS, flowers, high- Sheeny, greeny, 
 
 do! Sheeny, greeny, 
 
 Sheeny, greeny, rino! Rum turn fra! 
 
 SEE-SAW, Margary Daw, 
 
 Little Jacky shall have a new master ; 
 Little Jacky shall have but a penny a day, 
 
 Because he can't work any faster.
 
 218 NURSERY XHYMES. r 
 
 A GAME OF THE FOX. 
 
 Fox a fox, a brummalary, 
 
 How many miles to Lummaflary? Lummabary? 
 A. Eight and eight and a hundred and eight. 
 
 How shall I get home to-night? 
 A. Spin your legs, and run fast. 
 
 IN the following childish amusement, one extends his arm, and the 
 other, in illustration of the narrative, strikes him gently with the side of 
 his hand at the shoulder and wrist, and then at the word "middle " with 
 considerable force on the flexor muscles at the elbow-joint. 
 
 MY father was a French- 
 man, 
 He bought for me a 
 
 riddle, 
 He cut me here he cut 
 
 me there, 
 
 He cut me right in 
 the middle. 
 
 I WENT to the sea, 
 And saw twentee 
 
 Geese all in a row : 
 My glove I would give 
 Full of gold, if my wife 
 
 Was as white as those. 
 
 These lines are to be re- 
 peated rapidly and correctly, 
 inserting the word cot her after 
 every word, under pain of a 
 forfeit. 
 
 IT'S time, I believe, 
 
 For us to get leave; 
 
 The little dog says 
 
 It isn't, it it; it isn't it it 4*
 
 GAMES. 219 
 
 Said by a schoolboy, who places his book between his 
 knees. His two forefingers are then placed together, 
 and the breadth of each is measured alternately along 
 the length of the book. The time to get leave (to be 
 dismissed) is supposed to have arrived or not according 
 as one finger or the other fills up the last place. 
 
 A duck and a drake, It's time to go home, 
 
 And a white penny cake. It isn't, it is, &c. 
 
 So going on with the fingers one over the other along 
 the edge of a book or desk, till the last finger deter- 
 mines the question. 
 
 PUT your finger in Foxy's Foxy is at the back door, 
 
 hole, Picking of a bone. 
 
 Foxy is not at home: 
 
 Holding the fist in such a way that if a child puts its 
 finger in you can secure it, still leaving the hole at top 
 open. 
 
 THIS pig went to markt, 
 
 Squeak mouse, mouse, mousey; 
 Shoe, shoe, shoe the wild colt, 
 
 And here's my own doll, Dowsy.
 
 220 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Song set to five toes. 
 
 1. LET us go to the wood, said this pig; 
 
 2. What to do there? says that pig; 
 
 3. To look for my mother, says this pig; 
 
 4. What to do with her? says that pig; 
 
 5. Kiss her to death, says this pig.
 
 GAMES. 
 
 221 
 
 JACK'S alive, and in very good health; 
 
 If he dies in your hand, you must look to yourself. 
 
 Played with a stick, one end burnt red hot; it is 
 passed round a circle from one to the other, the one who 
 passes it saying this, and the one whose hand it goes out 
 in paying a forfeit. 
 
 Patting the foot on the five toes. 
 
 SHOE the colt, shoe ! 
 
 Shoe the wild mare; 
 Put a sack on her back, 
 
 See if she'll bear. 
 If she'll bear. 
 We'll give her some grains; 
 
 If she won't bear, 
 We'll dash out her brains I 
 
 An exercise during which the fingers of the child are enumerated. 
 THUMBIKIN, Thumbikin, broke the barn, 
 Pinnikin, Pinnikin, stole the corn. 
 Long backed Gray 
 Carried it away. 
 Old Mid- man sat and saw, 
 But Peesy-weesy paid for a*. 
 
 A GAME ON THE FINGERS. 
 
 peetum penny East, West, North, South, 
 
 HEETUM 
 pie, 
 Populorum gingum gie; 
 
 Kirby, Kendal, cock him 
 out!
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THX two follrwimg are frapnemts of a ^ arae called 
 Lend." 
 
 TkeLady.f thfl 
 
 Here comes a poor woman from Baby-land, 
 With three small children in her hand: 
 One can brew, the other can bake, 
 The other can make a pretty round cake. 
 One can sit in the garden and spin, 
 Another can make a fine bed for the King; 
 Pray, ma'am, will you take one in? 
 
 THE first day of Christ- 
 mas, 
 
 My true love sent to me 
 A partridge in a pear-tree. 
 
 The second day of Christ- 
 mas, 
 
 My true love sent to me 
 Two turtle-doves and 
 A partridge in a pear-tree. 
 
 The third day of Christ- 
 mas, 
 
 My true love sent to me 
 Three French hens, 
 Two turtle-doves, and 
 A partridge in a pear-tree. 
 
 The fourth day of Christ- 
 mas, 
 
 My true love sent to m 
 Four colly birds, 
 Thrt French heas, 
 Tw ttfrtle-ioves, a*4 
 A partridge in a pear- tree. 
 
 The fifth day of Christ- 
 mas, 
 
 My true love sent to me 
 Five gold rings, 
 Four colly birds, 
 Three French hens, 
 Two turtle-doves, and 
 A partridge in a pear-tree. 
 
 The sixth day of Christ- 
 mas, 
 
 My true love sent to me 
 Six geese a-laying, 
 Five gold rings, 
 Four colly birds, 
 Three French hens, 
 Two turtle-doves, and 
 A partridge in a pear-tree. 
 
 The seventh day of Chrit- 
 
 mat, 
 
 My true love sent to me 
 Sev!| swans a-swimming, 
 Six geese a-laying,
 
 GAMES. 
 
 223 
 
 Five gold rings, 
 Four colly birds, 
 Three French hens, 
 Two turtle-doves, and 
 A partridge in a pear-tre. 
 
 The eighth day of Chriit- 
 
 mas, 
 
 My true love sent to me 
 Eight maids a-milking, 
 Seven swans a- swimming, 
 Six geese a-laying, 
 Five gold rings, 
 Four colly birds, 
 Three French hens, 
 Two turtle-doves, and 
 A partridge in a pear-tree. 
 
 The ninth day of Christ- 
 mas, 
 
 My true love sent to me 
 Nine drummers drum- 
 
 ming, 
 
 Eight maids a-milking, 
 Seven swans a-swimming, 
 Six geese a-laying, 
 Five gold rings, 
 Four colly birds, 
 Three French hens, 
 Two turtle-doves, and 
 A partridge in a pear-tree. 
 
 The tenth day of Christ- 
 mas, 
 
 My true love sent to me 
 Ten pipers piping, 
 
 Nine drummers drum- 
 ming, 
 
 Eight maids a-milking, 
 Seven swans a-swimming, 
 Six geese a-layinj, 
 Five gold rings, 
 Four colly birds, 
 Three French hens, 
 Two turtle doves, and 
 A partridge in a pear-tree. 
 
 The eleventh day of Christ- 
 mas, 
 
 My true love sent to me 
 
 Eleven ladies dancing, 
 
 Ten pipers piping, 
 
 Nine drummers drum, 
 ming, 
 
 Eight maids a-milking, 
 
 Seven swans a-swimming, 
 
 Six geese a-laying, 
 
 Five gold rings, 
 
 Four colly birds, 
 
 Three French hens, 
 
 Two turtle-doves, and 
 
 A partridge in a pear-tree. 
 
 The twelfth day of Christ- 
 mas 
 
 My true love sent to me 
 Twelve lords a-leaping, 
 Eleven ladies dancing, 
 Ten pipers piping, 
 Nine drummers drum- 
 ming,
 
 224 Nl'ESER Y RHYMES. 
 
 Eight maids a- milking, Four colly birds, 
 
 Seven swans a- swimming, Three French hens, 
 
 Six geese a-laying, Two turtle-doves, and 
 
 Five gold rings, A partridge in a pear-tree. 
 
 Each child in succession repeats the gifts of the day, 
 and raises her fingers and hands according to the num- 
 bers named. Forfeits are paid for each mistake. 
 
 This accumulative process is a favorite one with children. In early 
 
 writers, such as Homer, the repetition of messages, &c., pleases 
 
 on the same principle. 
 
 THE POOR SOLDIER. 
 
 CHILDREN form a half-circle, first choosing one of their number to 
 represent the poor soldier. The chief regulation is that none of the 
 players may use the words "yes," "no," "black," "white," or "grey." 
 The poor soldier traverses the semicircle thus addressing each player: 
 
 " Here's a poor soldier come to town! 
 Have you aught to give him ?" 
 
 The answer must, of course, be evasive, else there 
 is a fine. He continues, " Have you a pair of trousers 
 [or old coat, shoes, cap, &c ] to give me ?" The an- 
 swer must again be evasive, or else another forfeit. 
 The old soldier then asks, "Well, what color is it?" 
 The reply must avoid the forbidden colors, or another 
 forfeit is the penalty. Great ingenuity may be ex- 
 hibited in the manner in which the questions and an- 
 swers are constructed, and in the hands of some child- 
 ren, this is a most amusing recreation. The forfeits 
 are, of course, cried at the end of the game. 
 
 THE DIAMOND RING. 
 
 CHILDREN sit in a ring or in a line, with their hands 
 placed together palm to palm, and held straight, the 
 little fingers downmost between the knees. One of
 
 GAMES. 225 
 
 them is then chosen to represent a servant, who con- 
 ceals a ring, or some other small article as a substitute, 
 in her hands, which are pressed flat together like those 
 of the rest, and goes round the circle or line, placing 
 her hands into the hands of every player, so that she is 
 enabled to let the ring fall wherever she pleases with- 
 out detection. After this, she returns to the first child 
 she touched, and, with her hands behind her, exclaims, 
 " My lady's lost her diamond ring; 
 
 I pitch upon you to find it!" 
 
 The child who is thus addressed must guess who has 
 the ring, and the servant performs the same ceremony 
 with each of the party. Those who guess right, es- 
 cape ; but the rest forfeit. Should any one in the ring 
 exclaim, "I have it!" she also forfeits; nor must the 
 servant make known who has the ring, until all have 
 guessed, under the same penalty. The forfeits are 
 afterwards cried as usual. 
 
 I CAN make diet bread, 
 Thick and thin ; 
 
 I can make diet bread, 
 Fit for the King. 
 
 THE following lines are repeated by the nurse when 
 sliding her hand down the child's face: 
 My mother and your mother 
 
 Went over the way; 
 Said my mother to your mother, 
 It's chop-a-nose day !
 
 226 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THE following lines are said by the nurse when mov- 
 ing the child's foot up and down : 
 
 The dog of the kill* 
 He went to the mill 
 
 To lick mill-dust, 
 The miller he came 
 With a stick on his back 
 
 Home, dog, home! 
 The foot behind, 
 
 The foot before, 
 When he came to a stile, 
 
 Thus he jumped o'er. 
 
 * That if, a kiln. 
 
 SLATE GAMES. 
 
 ENTERTAINING puzzles or exercises upon the slate are 
 generally great favorites with children. A great 
 variety of them are current in the nursery, or rather 
 were so some years ago. The story of the four rich 
 men, the four poor men, and the pond, was one of 
 these; the difficulty merely requiring a zigzag en- 
 closure to enable it to be satisfactorily solved. 
 
 Once upon a time there was a pond lying upon com- 
 mon land, which was extremely commodious for fishing, 
 bathing, and various other purposes. Not far from it 
 lived four poor men, to whom it was of great service; 
 and, farther off, there lived four rich men. The latter 
 envied the poor men the use of the pond, and, as en- 
 closure bills had not then come into fashion, they wished 
 to invent an enclosure- wall which should shut out the 
 poor men from the pond, although they lived so near 
 it, and still give free access to the rich men, who re- 
 sided at a greater distance, How was this done ?
 
 GAMES. 
 
 287 
 
 THE GAME OF DUMP. 
 
 A BOY'S amusement in Yorkshire, in vogue about 
 half a century ago, but now, I believe, nearly obsolete. 
 It is played in this manner The lads crowd round and 
 place their fists endways the one on the other till they 
 form a high pile of hands. Then a boy who has one 
 hand free, knocks the piled fists off one by one, saying 1 
 to every boy as he strikes his fists away, "What's 
 there, Dump ?" He continues this process till he comes 
 to the last fist, when he exclaims, 
 
 What's there? Cheese and bread and a moldy half- 
 penny ! 
 
 Where's my share ? I put it on the shelf, and the cat 
 got it 
 
 Where's the cat? She's sun nine miles through th 
 wood.
 
 228 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Where's the wood ? T' fire burnt it. 
 
 Where's the fire ? T' water sleckt [extinguished] it. 
 
 Where's the water ? T' oxen drunk it. 
 
 Where's the oxen ? T' butcher kill'd 'em. 
 
 Where's the butcher ? 
 
 Upon the church-top cracking nuts, and you may go 
 and eat the shells; and them as speak first shall 
 have nine nips, nine scratches, and nine boxes over 
 the lug I 
 
 Every one then endeavors to refrain from speaking, 
 in spite of mutual nudges and grimaces, and he who 
 first allows a word to escape is punished by the others 
 in the various methods adopted by schoolboys. In 
 some places the game is played differently. The 
 children pile their fists in the manner described above, 
 then one, or sometimes all of them, sing, 
 
 I've built my house, I've built my wall: 
 I don't care where my chimneys fall ! 
 
 The merriment consists in the bustle and confusion 
 occasioned by the rapid withdrawal of the hands 
 
 THIS game is now played as follows: A child hides 
 something in one hand, and then places both fists end- 
 ways on each other, crying, 
 
 Handy-dandy riddledy ro, 
 Which will you have, high or low ; 
 Or sometimes the following distich : 
 
 Handy-dandy, Jack-a-dandy, 
 Which good hand will you have ?" 
 The party addressed either touches one hand, or 
 guesses in which one the article (whatever it may be) is 
 placed. If he guesses rightly, he wins its contents; if 
 wrongly, he loses an equivalent. 
 Some versions read " Handy-pandy " In the first of these, with an-
 
 GAMES. 229 
 
 other variation that would not now be tolerated. This is one of the 
 oldest English games in existence, and appears to be alluded to in 
 "Piers Ploughman," ed. Wright, p. 69: 
 
 ' ' Thanne wowede Wrong 
 
 Wisdom ful yerne, 
 
 To maken pees with his pens, 
 
 Handy-dandy played." 
 
 GAME OF THE CAT. 
 
 THIS is another slate game, in which, by means of a 
 tale and appropriate indications on the slate, a rude 
 figure of a cat is delineated. It requires, however, 
 some little ingenuity to accomplish it. 
 
 Tommy would once go to see his cousin Charles. 
 [Here one draws T for Tommy, and C for Charles, 
 forming the forehead, nose, and mouth of the cat.] 
 But before he went, he would make walls to his house. 
 [Here he draws lines from the arms of the T to its foot, 
 forming the cheeks of the cat.] But then it smoked, 
 and he would put chimneys to it. [Here he inserts two 
 narrow triangles on each arm of the T, forming the 
 ears of the cat.] But then it was so dark, he would 
 put windows into it. [Here he draws a small circle 
 under each arm of the T, forming the eyes. ] Then to 
 make it pretty, he would spread grass at the door. 
 [Here he scratches lines at the foot of the T, represent- 
 ing the cat's whiskers.] Then away he went on his 
 journey, but after a little while, down he fell. [Here 
 he draws down a line a little way from the foot of the 
 T.] But he soon climbed up again. [Here he draws a 
 zigzag horizontally from the foot of the last line, and 
 draws one up, forming with the last movement the first 
 foot of the cat.] Then he walks along again, but soon 
 falls down once more. [Here he draws a short hori- 
 zontal line, and one downwards.] He soon, however,
 
 280 NURSEKY KffYMES. 
 
 got up again, as before, &c. [The second leg is then 
 formed, and by similar movements the four legs of the 
 cat appear.] After thus falling down four times, Tom- 
 my determined to proceed more firmly, and climbing 
 up, he walks along [the back of the cat] another way 
 round till he comes to C. His journey is now accom- 
 plished, and an animal, called by courtesy a cat, appears 
 on the slate, "the admiration of all beholders." 
 
 THE OLD GAME OF HONEY-POTS. 
 
 ONE of the players must be selected to act the part 
 of a Honey Merchant, another to come as a Purchaser 
 to the honey stores. These two should be the tallest 
 and strongest of the party. 
 
 The rest of the party represent pots of honey. They 
 must clasp their hands under their raised knees, sitting 
 in a row on the grass. Then the game proceeds thus: 
 
 The purchaser approaches the merchant and asks, 
 " Have you any good honey for sale, friend?" 
 
 Honey Merchant. Yes, ma'am [or sir], first-rate. 
 This pot is from Mount Hybla, the finest honey in the 
 world; tastes of thyme, I assure you. This one is from 
 Sicily, quite as good as any you would get at Fortnum 
 and Mason's. Taste and try before you buy. 
 
 The purchaser goes round and pretends to taste the 
 honey. 
 
 Purchaser (shaking his head]. Not very good. I 
 see that everything Greek is best ancient. Ah ! I like 
 this Sicilian jar. How much will you sell it for? 
 
 Honey Merchant. A shilling a pound. 
 
 Purchaser. What does the jar weigh? 
 
 Honey Merchant. We will see, sir, if you will be 
 good enough to help me. 
 
 Then they take hold of the arms of the Sicilian jar
 
 GAMES. 231 
 
 (who must hold her hands very tightly clasped under 
 her knees), and swing her backwards and forwards till 
 she is obliged to let her hands drop apart and her feet 
 touch the ground. She is then said to weigh as many 
 pounds as she has been times swung backwards and 
 forwards. 
 
 Purchaser may object to the weight, and choose an- 
 other pot; and thus the game goes on, till each jar has 
 had a swing, and taken part in the sport. 
 
 GAME OF THE FOX. 
 
 ONE child is Fox. He has a knotted handkerchief, 
 and a home to which he may go whenever he is tired; 
 but while out of home he must always hop on one leg. 
 The other children are Geese, and have no home. 
 When the fox is coming out he says, 
 
 The fox gives warning 
 It's a cold frosty morning. 
 
 After he has said these words he is at liberty to hop 
 out, and use his knotted handkerchief. Whoever he 
 can touch is fox instead; but the geese run on two legs; 
 and if the fox puts his other leg down, he is hunted 
 back to his home.
 
 ELEVENTH CLASS. 
 
 Paradoxes. 
 
 IN a cottage in Fife 
 
 Lived a man and his wife, 
 Who, believe me, were comical folk; 
 
 For to people's surprise, 
 
 They both saw with their eyes, 
 And their tongues moved whenever they spoke ! 
 
 When quite fast asleep, 
 
 I've been told that, to keep 
 Their eyes open they scarce could contrive: 
 
 They walked on their feet, 
 
 And 't was thought what they eat 
 Helped, with drinking, to keep them alive! I
 
 PARADOXES. 
 
 233 
 
 The following is quoted in Parkin's reply to Dr. Stukeley's second num- 
 ber of " Origines Roystonianse, " 4to, London, 1748, p. vi. 
 
 PETER WHITE will ne'er go right: 
 Would you know the reason why? 
 
 He follows his nose where'er he goes, 
 And that stands all awry. 
 
 O THAT I was where I would be, 
 Then would I be where I am not! 
 But where I am I must be, 
 And where I would be, I cannot. 
 
 1 1 SAW a ship a-sailing, 
 A- sailing on the sea; 
 
 And, oh ! it was all laden 
 With pretty things for 
 thee!
 
 234 
 
 NUESERY RHYMES. 
 
 There were comfits in the cabin 
 
 And apples in the hold; 
 The sails were made of silk, 
 
 And the masts were made of gold. 
 
 The four- and- twenty sailors 
 That stood between the decks
 
 PARADOXES. 
 
 235 
 
 Were four- and -twenty white mice, 
 With chains about their necks. 
 
 Th captain was a duck, 
 With a packet on his back; 
 
 And when the ship began to move, 
 The captain said, "Quack I quack!" 
 
 I WOULD if I cou'd, 
 
 If I cou'dn't how cou'd I? 
 
 I cou'dn't, without I cou'd, cou'd I? 
 
 Cou'd you, without jrm cou'd, cou'd ye? 
 
 Ccfc'dye, cou'd 'ye? 
 
 Cou'd you, without you cou'd, cou'd y?
 
 236 NURSER Y RHYMES. 
 
 The following was sung to the tune of Chevy Chase. It was taken 
 from a poetical tale in the '-Choyce Poems," I2mo. London, 1662, the 
 music to which may be seen in D'Urfey's "Pills to Purge Melancholy," 
 1719, Vol, IV., p. i. 
 
 THREE children sliding on the ice 
 
 Upon a summer's day, 
 As it fell out they all fell in, 
 
 The rest they ran away.
 
 PARADOXES. 237 
 
 Now, had these children been at home, 
 Or sliding on dry ground, 
 Ten thousand pounds to one penny 
 They had not all been drowned. 
 
 You parents all that children have, 
 And you that have got none, 
 
 If you would have them safe abroad, 
 Pray keep them safe at home. 
 
 THERE was a little Guinea-pig, 
 Who, being little, was not big; 
 He always walked upon his feet, 
 And never fasted when he eat. 
 
 When from a place he ran away, 
 He never at that place did stay; 
 And while he ran, as I am told, 
 He ne'er stood still for young or old. 
 
 He often squeaked, and sometimes vi'lent, 
 And when he squeaked he ne'er was silent: 
 Though ne'er instructed by a cat, 
 He knew a mouse was not a rat. 
 
 One day, as I am certified, 
 He took a whim and fairly died; 
 And, as I'm told by men of sense, 
 He never has been living since ! 
 
 I SAW a peacock with a fiery tail, 
 I saw a blazing comet drop down hail, 
 I saw a cloud wrapped with ivy round, 
 I saw an oak creep upon the ground, 
 ." paw a pismire swallow up a whale, 
 I sa\\ the sea brimful of ale.
 
 238 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 I saw a Venice glass full fifteen feet deep, 
 
 I saw a well full of men's tears that weep, 
 
 I saw red eyes all of a flaming fire, 
 
 I saw a house bigger than the moon and higher, 
 
 I saw the sun at twelve o'clock at night, 
 
 I saw the man that saw this wondrous sight. 
 
 THERE was a man of Newington, 
 And he was wondrous wise, 
 
 He jumped into a quickset hedge, 
 And scratched out both his eyes; 
 
 But when he saw his eyes were out, 
 With all his might and main 
 
 He jumped into another hedge 
 And scratched 'em in again. 
 
 IF all the world was apple pie, 
 
 And all the sea was ink, 
 And all the trees were bread and cheese, 
 
 What should we have for drink?
 
 PARADOXES. 
 
 239 
 
 The conclusion of the following resembles a verse in the nursery history 
 of Mother Hubbard. 
 
 THERE was an old woman, and what do you think? 
 She lived upon nothing but victuals and drink: 
 Victuals and drink were the chief of her diet; 
 This tiresome old woman could never be quiet. 
 She went to the baker, to buy her some bread, 
 And when she cam e home her old husband was dead ; 
 She went to the clerk to toll the bell, 
 And when she came back her old husband was well. 
 
 THE man in the wilderness asked me, 
 How many strawberries grew in the sea? 
 I answered him as I thought good, 
 As many as red herrings grew in the wood.
 
 240 
 
 NURSER Y RHYMES. 
 
 THERE was a man and he 
 
 was mad, 
 And he jumped into a pea- 
 
 swad; 
 
 The pea-swad was over- 
 full, 
 
 So he jumped into a roar- 
 ing bull;
 
 PARADOXES. 
 
 241 
 
 The roaring bull was over-fat, 
 
 So he jumped into a gentleman's hat;
 
 242 
 
 NUSEE7 RHYMERS. 
 
 The gentleman's hat was over-fine, 
 So he jumped into a bottle of wine; 
 The bottle of wine was over- dear, 
 So he jumped into a barrel of beer; 
 The barrel of beer was over- thick, 
 So he jumped into a club-stick;
 
 PARADOXES. 
 
 243
 
 244 
 
 NUESEET RHYMES. 
 
 The club- stick was over-narrow, 
 
 So he jumped into a wheelbarrow; 
 
 The wheelbarrow began to crack, 
 
 So he jumped on to a hay-stack; 
 
 The hay- stack began to blaze, 
 
 So he did nothing but cough and sneeze !
 
 PARADOXES. 
 
 245
 
 246 NUfiSER Y RE YMES. 
 
 THERE was an old woman had nothing, 
 And there came thieves to rob her; 
 
 When she cried out she made no noise, 
 But all the country heard her. 
 
 UP stairs, down stairs, upon my lady's window, 
 There I saw a cup of sack and a race of ginger; 
 Apples at the fire and nuts to crack, 
 A little boy in the cream-pot up to his neck. 
 
 TOBACCO wick! tobacco wick! 
 
 When you're well, 'twill make you sick; 
 
 Tobacco wick! tobacco wick! 
 
 'Twill make you well when you are sick. 
 
 BARNEY BODKIN broke his nose, 
 Without feet we can't have toes; 
 Crazy folks are always mad, 
 Want of money makes us sad. 
 
 IF a man who turnips cri8 
 Cries not when his fathc diet, 
 It is : a proof tjaat he \wjcJd- ratlwr 
 Have a ttirnip than his father.
 
 PARADOXES. 247 
 
 MY true love lives far from me, 
 
 Perrie, Merrie, Dixie, Dominie. 
 Many a rich present he sends to me, 
 
 Petrum, Partrum, Paradise Temporie. 
 Perrie, Merrie, Dixie, Dominie. 
 He sent me a goose without a bone; 
 He sent me a cherry without a stone. 
 
 Petrum, &c. 
 
 He sent me a Bible no man could read; 
 He sent me a blanket without a thread. 
 
 Petrum, &c. 
 
 How could there be a goose without a bone? 
 How could there be a cherry without a stone? 
 
 Petrum, &c. 
 
 How could there be a Bible no man could read? 
 How could there be a blanket without a thread? 
 
 Petrum, &c. 
 When the goose is in the egg-shell, there is no bone; 
 
 When the cherry is in the blossom, there is no stone. 
 
 Petrum, &c. 
 
 When y e Bible is in y e press, no man it can read; 
 When y* \sool is on y 6 sheep's back, there is no thread. 
 
 Petrum, &c. 
 
 HERE am I 
 
 Little jumping loan; 
 When nobody's with me, 
 
 I'm always alone.
 
 TWELFTH CLASS. 
 
 Cullabics. 
 
 ROCK-A-BYE, baby, thy cradle is green; 
 
 Father's a nobleman, mother's a Queen; 
 
 And Betty's a lady, and wears a gold ring ! 
 
 And Johnny's a drummer, and drums for the King. 
 
 RIDE, baby, ride, 
 Pretty baby shall ride, 
 And have a little puppy-dog tied 
 
 to her side, 
 And little pussy-cat tied to the 
 
 other, 
 
 And away she shall ride to see her 
 grandmother, 
 
 To see her grandmother, 
 To see her grandmother. 
 
 From " The Pleasant Comcedie of Patient Grissell,' 
 HUSH, hush, hush, hush! 
 And I dance mine own child, 
 And I dance mine own child, 
 Hush, hush, hush, hush! 
 
 1603.
 
 LULLABIES. 
 
 249 
 
 BYE, baby bunting, 
 
 Daddy's gone a-hunt- 
 ing, 
 
 To get a little hare's 
 skin 
 
 To wrap a baby bunt- 
 ing in. 
 
 GIVE me a blow, and 
 
 I'll beat 'em, 
 Why did they vex 
 
 my baby? 
 Kissy, kiss, kissy, my 
 
 honey, 
 
 And cuddle your 
 nurse, my deary. 
 
 TOM shall have a new bonnet, 
 With blue ribbons to tie on it, 
 With a hush-a-bye and a lull-a-baby, 
 Why so like to Tommy's daddy?
 
 250 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 MY dear cockadoodle, my jewel, my joy, 
 
 My darling, my honey, my pretty sweet boy; 
 
 Before I do rock thee with soft lullaby, 
 
 Give me thy dear lips to be kissed, kissed, kissed. 
 
 BYE, O my baby ! 
 When I was a lady, 
 Oh, then my poor baby 
 didn't cry. 
 
 But my baby is weeping 
 For want of good keeping, 
 Oh, I fear my poor baby 
 will die!
 
 LULLABIES. 
 
 251 
 
 HEY, my kitten, my kitten, 
 And hey, my kitten, my deary I 
 
 Such a sweet pet as this 
 Was 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. 
 
 ROCK well my cradle, 
 And "bee baa," my son; 
 
 You shall have a new gown 
 When y 6 lord comes home. 
 
 Oh ! still my child, Orange, 
 
 Still him with a bell; 
 I can't still him, ladie, 
 
 Till you come down yoursell!
 
 252 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 HUSH-A-BYE, baby, on the tree-top, 
 When the wind blows the cradle will rock; 
 When the bough bends the cradle will fall, 
 Down will come baby, bough, cradle, and all. 
 
 HUSH-A-BYE, a ba lamb, 
 Hush-a-bye a milk cow, 
 
 You shall have a little stick 
 To beat the naughty 
 bowwow. 
 
 BYE, baby bumpkin, 
 Where's Tony Lumpkin? 
 My lady's on her death-bed, 
 With eating half a pump- 
 kin.
 
 LVLLA1UES. 
 
 253 
 
 HUSH thee, my babby, 
 Lie still with thy daddy, 
 
 Thy mammy has gone to the mill 
 To grind thee some wheat, 
 To make thee some meat, 
 
 And so, my dear babby, lie still. 
 
 DANCE to your daddy, 
 My little babby, 
 Dance to your daddy, 
 My little lamb. 
 
 You shall have a fishy 
 In a little dishy ; 
 You shall have a fishy 
 When the boat comes in.
 
 254 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 From Yorkshire. A nursery cry. 
 
 RABBIT, rabbit, rabbit pie! 
 Come, my ladies, come and buy; 
 Else your babies they will cry. 
 
 I WON'T be my father's Jack, 
 I won't be my mother's Gill, 
 I will be the fiddler's wife, 
 And have music when I will. 
 T' other little tune, 
 T' other little tune, 
 Pr'ythee, love, play me 
 T' other little tune.
 
 LULLABIES. 
 
 255 
 
 From Yorkshire and Essex. A nursery cry. It is also sometimes 
 sung in the streets by boys who have small figures of wool, wood, or 
 gypsum, &c., of 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! 
 
 DANTY baby diddy, 
 
 What can a mammy do wid'e, 
 But sit in a lap, 
 And give 'un a pap? 
 
 Sing danty, baby diddy.
 
 256 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 A favorite lullaby in the North of England fifty years ago, and perhaps 
 still heard. The last word is pronounced bee. 
 
 HUSH-A-BYE, lie still and 
 
 sleep, 
 It grieves me sore to see 
 
 thee weep, 
 For when thou weep'st 
 
 thou wearies me, 
 Hush-a-bye, lie still and 
 
 bye. 
 
 DANCE, little baby, dance 
 
 up high, 
 Never mind, baby, mother 
 
 is by; 
 Crow and caper, caper and 
 
 crow, 
 There, little baby, there 
 
 you go; 
 Up to the ceiling, down to 
 
 the ground, 
 Backwards and forwards, 
 
 round and round; 
 Dance, little baby, and 
 
 mother will sing, 
 With the merry coral, 
 
 ding, ding, ding! 
 
 To market, to market, 
 
 To buy a plum cake. 
 Home again, home again, 
 
 Ne'er a one baked; 
 The baker is dead and all his men, 
 And we must go to market again.
 
 LULLABIES. 
 
 HUSKY baby, my doll, I pray you don't cry, 
 And I'll give you some bread and some milk by-and-bye; 
 Or perhaps you like custard, or maybe a tart, 
 Then to either you're welcome, with all my whole heart. 
 
 The following is quoted in Florio's 
 "New World of Words," fol., London, 
 1611, p. 3. 
 
 To market, to market, 
 To buy a plum bun ; 
 
 Home again, come again, 
 Market is done.
 
 THIRTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 Jingles. 
 
 HEY ding a ding, what shall I sing? 
 How many holes in a skimmer? 
 Four and twenty, my stomach is empty; 
 Pray, mamma, give me some dinner. 
 
 [258]
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 The first line of the following is the burden of a song in the "Tem- 
 pest," Act I. sc. 2, and also of one in the < Merchant of Venice," Act 
 III. sc. 2. 
 
 DING, dong bell, 
 Pussy's in the well ; 
 Who put her in ? 
 
 Little Tommy Lin. 
 Who pulled her out ? 
 Dog with long snout.
 
 260 NURSE E Y RE YMES. 
 
 What a naughty boy was that 
 To drown poor pussy-cat, 
 Who never did any harm, 
 But killed the mice in his father's barn. 
 
 SING jigmijole, the pudding-bowl, 
 The table and the frame; 
 
 My master he did cudgel me 
 For speaking of my dame. 
 
 DEEDLE, deedle, dumpling, my son John 
 Went to bed with his trowsers on; 
 One shoe off, the other shoe on, 
 Deedle, deedle, dumpling, my son John. 
 
 DIDDLEDY, diddledy, 
 
 dumpty : 
 
 The cat ran up the plum- 
 tree. 
 
 I'll lay you a crown 
 I'll fetch you down; 
 So diddledy, diddledy, 
 dumpty. 
 
 SEE-SAW, Jack in a hedge, 
 
 Which is the way to London Bridge? 
 
 One foot up, the other down, 
 
 That is the way to London town. 
 
 HEY diddle, dinketty, poppety, pet, 
 The merchants of London they wear scarlet; 
 Silk in the collar, and gold in the hem, 
 So merrily march the merchantmen.
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 261 
 
 SING, sing, what shall I sing? 
 The cat has ate the pudding-string! 
 Do, do, what shall I do? 
 The cat has bit it quite in two.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 I do not know whether the following may have reference to the gam* 
 of handy-dandy mentioned in "King Lear," Act IV. sc. 6, and in 
 Florio's "New World of Words," 1611, p. 57. 
 
 HANDY Spandy, Jack-a-dandy, 
 Loved plum cake and sugar-candy; 
 He bought some at a grocer's shop, 
 And out he came, hop, hop, hop. 
 
 HYDER iddle diddle dell, 
 A yard of pudding is not an ell; 
 Not forgetting tweddle-dye, 
 A tailor's goose will never fly. 
 
 GILLY Silly Jarter, The miller found it, 
 
 Who has lost a garter, The miller ground it, 
 
 In a shower of rain ? And the miller gave it to 
 Silly again. 
 
 FEEDUM, fiddledum fee, Or I'll crack your crown, 
 
 The cat's got into the tree. And toss you into the sea. 
 Pussy, come down,
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 DIBBITY, dibbity, dibbity, Dibbity dibbity, dibbity, 
 
 doe, ditter, 
 
 Give me a pancake Please to give me 
 
 And 1 11 go. A bit of a fritter. 
 
 TWEEDLE-DUM and Tweedle-dee 
 
 Resolved to have a battle, 
 For Tweedle-dum said Tweedle-dee 
 
 Had spoiled his nice new rattle. 
 Just then flew by a monstrous crow, 
 
 As big as a tar-barrel, 
 Which frightened both the heroes so, 
 
 They quite forgot their quarrel. 
 
 HUB a dub dub, The butcher, the baker, 
 
 Three men in a tub; The candlestick maker; 
 
 And who do you think Turn 'em out knaves all 
 
 they be? three! 
 
 TIDDLE liddle lightum, Tiddle liddle lightum, 
 
 Pitch and tar : What's that for?
 
 264 NURSER Y RHYMES. 
 
 HIGH, ding, cockatoo-moody, 
 
 Make a bed in a barn, I will come to thee; 
 
 High ding, straps of leather, 
 
 Two little puppy-dogs tied together; 
 
 One by the head, and one by the tail, 
 
 And over the water these puppy-dogs sail. 
 
 DOODLEDY, doodledy, doodledy, dan, 
 111 have a piper to be my good man; 
 And if I get less meat, I shall get game, 
 Doodledy, doodledy, doodledy, dan. 
 
 LITTLE Tee Wee, And while afloat 
 
 He went to sea The little boat bended, 
 
 In an open boat; And my story's ended. 
 
 FIDDLE-DE-DEE, fiddle-de-dee, 
 
 The fly shall marry the humble-bee. 
 
 They went to the church, and married was she, 
 
 The fly has married the humble-bee. 
 
 DOODLE doodle doo, The fiddler stopped, 
 
 The Princess lost her shoe; Not knowing what to do. 
 Her Highness hopped,
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 PUSSICAT, wussicat, with a white foot, 
 When is your wedding? for I'll come to 't. 
 The beer's to brew, the bread's to bake, 
 Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, don't be too late. 
 
 ROMPTY iddity, row, row, row, 
 
 If I had a good supper, I could eat it now. 
 
 COME, dance a jig 
 To my granny's pig, 
 
 With a raudy, rowdy, 
 
 dowdy ; 
 
 Come dance a jig 
 To my granny's pig, 
 
 And pussy-cat shall crowdy.
 
 266 
 
 NUB8EST RHYMES. 
 
 HICKETY, dickety, dock, 
 The mouse ran up the 
 
 clock; 
 
 The clock struck one, 
 Down the mouse ran, 
 Hickety, dickety, dock. 
 
 LITTLE Dicky Dilver 
 Had a wife of silver, 
 He took a stick and broke 
 
 her back, 
 
 And sold her to the 
 .=..; miller; 
 The miller wouldn't 
 
 have her, 
 So he threw her in the 
 
 THERE was an old sol- 
 dier of Bister 
 Went walking- one day 
 
 with his sister, 
 When a cow at one poke 
 Tossed her into an oak, 
 Before the old gentle- 
 man missed her.
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 A CAT came fiddling out of a barn, 
 
 With a pair of bagpipes under her arm; 
 
 She could sing nothing but fiddle cum fee, 
 
 The mouse has married the bumble-bee ! 
 
 Pipe, cat; dance, mouse: 
 
 We'll have a wedding at our good house. 
 
 OLD woman, old woman, shall we go a- shearing? 
 Speak a little louder, sir, I am very thick of hearing; 
 Old woman, old woman, shall I love you dearly? 
 Thank you, kind sir.. I hear you very clearly. 
 
 THERE was an old woman, her name it was Peg; 
 Her head was of wood, and she wore a cork leg. 
 The neighbors all pitched her into the water, 
 Her leg was drowned first, and her head followed a'ter.
 
 68 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 LITTLE Polly Flinders, 
 Sat among the cinders, 
 
 Warming her pretty toes-; 
 Her mother came and caught her, 
 And scolded her little daughter, 
 
 For spoiling her nice new clothes.
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 THERE was an old woman who lived in a 
 
 shoe, 
 She had so many children she didn't know 
 
 what to do; 
 She gave them some broth without any 
 
 bread, 
 She whipped them all well and put them 
 
 to bed. 
 
 LITTLE Jack a Dandy 
 Wanted sugar -can- 
 
 dy, 
 
 And fairly for it 
 
 cried ; 
 
 But little Billy Cook, 
 Who always reads 
 
 his book, 
 Shall have a horse 
 
 to ride.
 
 270 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 HEY! diddle diddle, 
 
 The cat and the fiddle, 
 The cow jumped over the moon; 
 
 The little dog laughed 
 
 To see the sport, 
 While the dish ran after the spoon.
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 271 
 
 dorolot, dorolot! 
 Hey, dorolay, dorolay' 
 Hey, my bonny boat, bonny boat, 
 Hey, drag away, drag away !
 
 272 
 
 N URSER Y RHYMES. 
 
 THERE was an old woman sat spinning, 
 And that's the first beginning; 
 She had a calf, and that's half;
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 273 
 
 
 She took it by the tail, 
 And threw it over the wall, 
 And that's all. 
 
 DING, dong, darrow, 
 
 The cat and the sparrow; 
 
 The little dog has burnt his tail, 
 
 And he shall be hanged to-morrow.
 
 274 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Magotty-pie is given in MS. Lands 1033, fol. 2, as a Wiltshire word 
 for a magpie. See also "Macbeth," Act III. sc. 4. The same term 
 occurs in the dictionaries of Hollyband, Cotgrave, and Minsheu. 
 
 ROUND about, round about, My father loves good ale, 
 Magotty-pie, And so do I. 
 
 COCK a doodle doo ! 
 
 My dame has lost her shoe; 
 
 My master's lost his fiddling-stick, 
 
 And don't know what to do. 
 
 Cock a doodle doo ! 
 
 What is my dame to do? 
 
 Till master finds his fiddling- stick, 
 
 She'll dance without her shoe.
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 275
 
 276 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES.
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 277
 
 278 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Cock a doodle doo! 
 
 My dame has lost her shoe, 
 
 And master's found his fiddling- stick, 
 
 Sing doodle doodle doo! 
 
 Cock a doodle doo ! 
 My dame will dance with you, 
 While master fiddles his fiddling- stick, 
 For dame and doodle doo. 
 
 Cock a doodle doo ! 
 
 Dame has lost her shoe; 
 
 Gone to bed and scratched her head. 
 
 And can't tell what to do. 
 
 OLD Dame Widdle Wad. 
 die 
 
 Jumped out of bed, 
 And out at the casement 
 
 She popped her head, 
 Crying, The house is on 
 fire, 
 
 The grey goose dead 
 And the fox he is 
 
 Come to town, oh! 
 
 "FIRE! fire!" said the town crier; 
 "Where? where?" said Goody Blair; 
 " Down the town," said Goody Brown; 
 "I'll go and see 't" said Goody Fleet; 
 " So will I," said Goody Fry.
 
 JINGLES. 279 
 
 To market, to market, to buy a fat pig, 
 Home again, home again, dancing a jig; 
 
 Ride to the market to buy a fat hog, 
 Home again, home again, jiggety-jog. 
 
 Is John Smith within? Here a nail and there a 
 
 Yes, that he is. nail, 
 
 Can he set a shoe? Tick, tack, too. 
 
 Ay, marry, two; 
 
 Our collection of nursery jingles may appropriately be concluded with 
 the Quaker's commentary on one of the greatest favorites "Hey! 
 diddle diddle." We have endeavored, as far as practicable, to remove 
 every line from the present addition that could offend the most fastidious 
 ear; but the following annotations on a song we cannot be induced to 
 omit, would appear to suggest that our endeavors are scarcely likely to 
 be attended with success. 
 
 HEY ! diddle diddle, 
 The cat and the fiddle 
 
 "Yes, thee may say that, for that is nonsense." 
 
 The cow jumped over the moon 
 
 "Oh no! Mary, thee mustn't say that, for that is a falsehood; thee 
 knows a cow could never jump over the moon; but a cow may jump 
 under it; so thee ought to say 'The cow jumped under the moon.'" 
 Yes, 
 
 The cow jumped under the moon; 
 
 The little dog laughed 
 
 "Oh, Mary, stop. How can a little dog laugh? thee knows a little 
 dog can't laugh. Thee ought to say ' The little dog barked' " 
 
 To see the sport, 
 
 And the dish ran after the spoon 
 
 "Stop, Mary, stop. A dish could never run after a spoon; thee 
 ought to know that. Thee had better say 'And the cat ran after the 
 spoon,' " So, 
 
 Hey ! diddle diddle, 
 
 The cat and the fiddle, 
 The cow jumped under the moon. 
 
 The little dog barked 
 
 To see the sport, 
 And the cat ran after the spoon.
 
 FOURTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 natural fiistory. 
 
 THE cuckoo's a fine bird, He sucks little birds' eggs, 
 
 He sings as he flies; 
 He brings us good tidings, 
 He tells us no lies. 
 
 To make his voice clear, 
 And when he sings 
 
 "cuckoo!" 
 The summer is near. 
 
 A provincial version of the same. 
 
 THE cuckoo's a vine bird, 
 
 A zengs as a vlies; 
 A brengs us good tidins, 
 
 And tells us no lies; 
 A zucks th' smael birds' eggs, 
 
 To make his voice clear; 
 And the mwore a cries 
 "cuckoo! " 
 
 The zummer draws near. 
 
 [280]
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 281 
 
 CUCKOO, Cuckoo, 
 
 What do you do? 
 
 In April 
 
 I open my bill; 
 
 In May 
 
 I sing night and day ; 
 
 In June 
 
 I change my tune ; 
 
 In July 
 
 Away I fly; 
 
 In August 
 
 Away I must. 
 
 IN the month of February, 
 
 When green leaves begin to spring, 
 Little lambs do skip like fairies, 
 
 Birds do couple, build, and sing. 
 
 SEE- SAW, Margery Daw, 
 The old hen flew over the malt-house; 
 She counted her chickens one by one, 
 Still she missed the little white one, 
 And this is it, this is it, this is it ! 
 
 I'LL away yhame, 
 And tell my dame 
 That all my geese 
 Are gane but yane; 
 
 And it's a steg (gander), 
 And it's lost a leg; 
 And it'll be gane 
 By I yet yhame.
 
 282 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 JACK SPRATT 
 Had a cat, 
 It had but one ear; 
 
 It went to buy butter, 
 When butter was dear. 
 
 PRETTY John Watts, 
 We are troubled with rats, 
 Will you drive them out of 
 
 the house ? 
 We have mice, too, in 
 
 plenty, 
 
 That feast in the pantry; 
 But let them stay, 
 And nibble away: 
 What harm in a little brown 
 mouse?
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 283 
 
 How d' 'e, dogs, how! whose dog art thou? 
 Little Tom Tinker's dog! what's that to thou? 
 Hiss! bow, a wow, wow! 
 
 The Proverb of Barnaby Bright is given by Ray and Brand as referring 
 to St. Barnabas. 
 
 BARNABY Bright he was a sharp 
 
 cur, 
 He always would bark- if a 
 
 mouse did but stir; 
 But now he's grown old, and 
 
 can no longer bark, 
 He's condemned by the parson 
 
 to be hanged by the clerk. 
 
 LITTLE boy blue, come blow 
 
 your horn, 
 The sheep's in the meadow, the 
 
 cow's in the corn. 
 Where's the little boy that looks 
 
 after the sheep? 
 He's under the haycock fast 
 
 asleep. 
 
 Will you wake him? No, not I; 
 For if I do, he'll be sure to cry.
 
 284 
 
 NUESEEY BH7MES. 
 
 LEG over leg, 
 As the dog went to 
 
 Dover; 
 When he came to a 
 
 stile, 
 Jump! he went over. 
 
 Bow, wow, says the dog; 
 
 Mew, mew, says the cat; 
 Grunt, grunt, goes the hog; 
 
 And squeak goes the rat. 
 
 Tu-whu, says the owl; 
 
 Caw, caw, says the crow. 
 Quack, quack, says the 
 
 duck ; 
 
 And what sparrows say, 
 you know. 
 
 | So, with sparrows and owls, 
 With rats and with dogs, 
 
 ! With ducks and with crows, 
 With cats and with hogs, 
 
 A fine song I have made, 
 To please you, my dear; 
 
 And if it's well sung, 
 'T will be charming to 
 hear.
 
 ^ NATURAL HISTORY. 285 
 
 ROWSTY dowt, my fire's all out, 
 My little dame is not at home ! 
 I'll saddle my cock, and bridle my hen, 
 And fetch my little dame home again! 
 Home she came, tritty trot, 
 She asked for the porridge she left in the pot; 
 Some she ate and some she shod, 
 And some she gave to the truckler's dog; 
 She took up the ladle and knocked its head, 
 And now poor Dapsy dog is dead! 
 GOOSEY, goosey, gan- 
 
 der, 
 
 Where shall I wander? 
 Upstairs, downstairs, 
 And in my lady's 
 
 chamber; 
 
 There I met an old man 
 That would not say 
 
 his prayers; 
 I took him by the left 
 
 leg, 
 
 And threw him down- 
 stairs. 
 
 GOOSEY, goosey, gander, Little Betsy Baker; 
 Who stands yonder ? Take her up, and shake her. 
 
 HURLY BURLY, trumpet trase, 
 The cow was in the market-place, 
 Some goes far, and some goes near, 
 But where shall this poor henchman steer ? 
 
 RIDDLE me, riddle me, ree, 
 A hawk sate up on a tree; 
 And he says to himself, says he, 
 Oh dear! what a fine bird I be!
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 :*'T ; - w **% _ ?B"KKSr j^5U 
 
 A"V^.^ ^^V^J^p'^fK j"^?** 
 
 THE sow came in with the saddle, 
 The little pig rocked the cradle, 
 The dish jumped over the table, 
 To see the pot with the ladle. 
 The broom behind the butt 
 Called the dish-clout a nasty slut: 
 
 Oh! oh ! says the gridiron, can't you agree ? 
 
 I'm the head constable come along with me. 
 
 PUSSY-CAT sits by the fire: 
 How did she come there ? 
 
 In walks the little dog- 
 Says, ' ' Pussy ! are you there ? 
 
 How do you do, Mistress Pussy ? 
 Mistress Pussy, how d'ye do ?" 
 
 " I thank you kindly, little dog, 
 I fare as well as you!" 
 
 Hussy, hussy, where's your horse ? 
 Hussy, hussy, gone to grass! 
 Hussy, hussy, fetch him home, 
 Hussy, hussy, let him alone.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 287 
 
 "WHAT do they call you?" 
 4 'Patchy Dolly." 
 "Where were you born?" 
 " In the cow's horn." 
 
 "Where were you bred?" 
 "In the cow's head." 
 " Where will you die?" 
 4 ' In the cow's eye. " 
 
 SNAIL, snail, shoot out your horns; 
 
 Father and mother are dead: 
 Brother and sister are in the back yard, 
 
 Begging for barley bread. 
 
 Bird-boy's Song. 
 
 EAT, birds, eat, and make no waste, 
 I lie here and make no haste; 
 If my master chance to come, 
 You must fly, and I must run. 
 
 THE cat sat asleep by the side of the 
 
 fire, 
 
 The mistress snored loud as a pig: 
 Jack took up his fiddle, by Jenny's 
 
 desire, 
 
 And struck up a bit 
 of a jig. 
 
 ON Christmas Eve I turned the spit, 
 I burnt my fingers, I feel it yet. 
 The cock-sparrow flew over the table. 
 The pot began to play with the ladle. 
 
 ROBIN- A- BOBBIN bent his bow, 
 And shot at a woodcock and killed a yowe: 
 The yowe cried ba, and he ran away, 
 And never came back till Midsummer Day.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 LONG-TAILED, pig-, or a A sow-pig, or a boar-pig, 
 short- tailed pig, Or a pig with a curly tail. 
 
 Or a pig without e'er a tail, 
 
 LADYBIRD, ladybird, fly away home, 
 Thy house is on fire, thy children all gone, 
 All but one, and her name is Ann, 
 And she crept under the pudding- pan.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 289 
 
 WHY is pussy in bed, pray? 
 She is sick says the fly, 
 And I fear she will die; 
 
 That's why she's in bed. 
 
 Pray, what's her disorder? 
 She's got a locked jaw, 
 Says the little jackdaw, 
 
 And that's her disorder. 
 
 Who makes her gruel? 
 I, says the horse, 
 For I am her nurse, 
 
 And I make her gruel. 
 
 Pray, who is her doctor ? 
 
 Quack, quack! says the 
 duck, 
 
 I that task undertook, 
 And I am her doctor. 
 
 Who thinks she'll recover? 
 I, says the deer, 
 For I did last year : 
 
 So I think she'll recover. 
 
 CATCH him, crow ! carry him, kite ! 
 Take him away till the apples are ripe; 
 When they are ripe and ready to fall, 
 Home comes [Johnny], apples and all.
 
 290 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 An ancient Suffolk song for a bad singer. 
 
 THERE was an old crow There's an end of my song, 
 
 Sat upon a clod : That's odd ! 
 
 I HAD a little dog, and his name was Blue Bell, 
 I gave him some work, and he did it very well; 
 I sent him upstairs to pick up a pin, 
 He stepped in the coal-scuttle up to the chin; 
 
 I sent him to the garden to pick some sage, 
 He tumbled down and fell in a rage ; 
 I sent him to the cellar to draw a pot of beer, 
 He came up again and said there was none there.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 291 
 
 BAH, bah, black sheep, 
 Have you any wool? 
 
 Yes, marry, have I, 
 Three bags full; 
 
 One for my master, 
 And one for my dame, 
 
 But none for the little boy 
 Who cries in the lane.
 
 292 NURSEEY RHYMES. 
 
 I LIKE little pussy, her coat is so warm, 
 And if I don't hurt her she'll do me no harm; 
 So I'll not pull her tail, nor drive her away, 
 But pussy and I very gently will play. 
 
 I HAD a little hobby-horse, and it was well shod, 
 
 It carried me to the mill-door, trod, trod, trod; 
 
 When I got there I gave a great shout, 
 
 Down came the hobby-horse, and I cried out. 
 
 Fie upon the miller ! he was a great beast, 
 
 He would not come to my house, I made a little feast: 
 
 I had but little, but I would give him some, 
 
 For playing of his bagpipes and beating his drum. 
 
 The Cock,. LOCK the dairy door, 
 Lock the dairy door! 
 
 Tkf Hen. Chickle, chackle, chee, 
 I have'nt got the key!
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 Imitated from a pigeon. 
 
 CURR dhoo, curr dhoo, 
 Love me, and I'll love you! 
 
 PITTV Patty Polt, 
 Shoe the wild colt ! 
 
 Bow, wow, wow, 
 
 Whose dog art thou? 
 Little Tom Tinker's 
 
 dog-, 
 s Bow, wow, wow. 
 
 Here a nail, and there 
 
 nail, 
 Pitty Patty Polt. 
 
 LITTLE Robin Redbreast 
 
 Sat upon a rail : 
 Niddle naddle went his head, 
 
 Wiggle waggle went his tail.
 
 294 NUESEE T EHYMES. 
 
 LITTLE Robin Redbreast sat upon a tree, 
 
 Up went pussy-cat, and down went he; 
 
 Down came pussy-cat, and away Robin ran; 
 
 Says little Robin Redbreast, " Catch me if you can." 
 
 Little Robin Redbreast jumped upon a wall, 
 Pussy-cat jumped after him, and almost got a fall;
 
 NATURAL HIS TOE Y. 
 
 Little Robin chirped and sang-, and what did pussy say? 
 Pussy-cat said "Mew," and Robin jumped away. 
 
 LITTLE Cock Robin peeped out of his cabin, 
 To see the cold winter come in, 
 
 Tit for tat, what matter for that? 
 
 He'll hide his head under his wing! 
 
 THE dove says coo, coo, what shall I do? 
 I can scarce maintain two. 
 Pooh, pooh, says the wren, I have got ten, 
 And keep them all like gentlemen ! 
 
 A LITTLE cock sparrow sat on a green tree, (tris) 
 
 And he chirruped, he chirruped, so merry was he; (tris) 
 
 A little cock sparrow sat on a green tree, 
 
 And he chirruped, he chirruped, so merry was he. 
 
 A naughty boy came with his wee bow and arrow, (tris) 
 
 Determined to shoot this little cock sparrow, (tris) 
 
 A naughty boy, &c. 
 
 Determined, &c. 
 
 This little cock sparrow shall make me a stew, (tris) 
 And his giblets shall make me a little pie too; (tris) 
 Oh, no! said the sparrow, I won't make a stew, 
 So he flapped his wings and away he flew !
 
 296 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 I HAD a little pony, 
 
 His name was Dapple-gray, 
 I lent him to a lady, 
 
 To ride a mile away; 
 
 She whipped him, she slashed him, 
 She rode him through the mire;
 
 HISTORY. 297 
 
 I would not lend my pony now 
 For all the lady's hire. 
 
 COME hither, sweet robin, 
 
 And be not afraid, 
 I would not hurt even a feather; 
 Come hither, sweet Robin, 
 
 And pick up some bread, 
 To feed you this vfcry cold weather. 
 
 I don't mean to frighten you, 
 
 Poor little thing, 
 And pussy-cat is not behind me; 
 So hop about pretty, 
 
 And drop down your wing, 
 And pick up some crumbs, 
 And don't mind me.
 
 298 NURSER Y RHYMES. 
 
 THERE was an owl lived in an oak, 
 
 Wisky, wasky, weedle; 
 And every word he ever spoke 
 
 Was fiddle, faddle, feedle. 
 
 A gunner chanced to come that way, 
 
 Wisky, wasky, weedle; 
 Says he, 'Til shoot you, silly bird," 
 
 Fiddle, faddle, feedle
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 299 
 
 The following song is given in Whiter's "Specimen, or a Commentary 
 on Shakspeare," 8 vo, London, 1794, p. 19, as common in Cambridge- 
 shire and Norfolk. Dr. Farmer gives another rersion as an illustration 
 of a ditty of Jacques in "As You Like It," Act II. sc. 5. See Malone's 
 Shakspeare, ed. 1821, Vol. VI. p. 398; Caldecott's "Specimen," 1819, 
 note on "As You Like It," p. 1 1 ; and Douce's "Illustrations," Vol. I. 
 p. 297. 
 
 DAME, what makes your ducks to die? 
 
 What the pize ails 'em? what the pize ails 'em? 
 
 They kick up their heels, and there they lie, 
 
 What the pize ails 'em now? 
 
 Heigh, ho! heigh, ho! 
 
 Dame, what makes your ducks to die? 
 
 What a pize ails 'em? what a pize ails 'em 
 
 Heigh, ho! heigh, ho! 
 
 Dame, what ails your ducks to die? 
 
 Eating o' polly-wigs, eating o' polly-wigs, 
 
 Heigh, ho! heigh, ho! 
 
 THE pettitoes are little feet, 
 And the little feet not big; 
 
 Great feet belong to the grunt- 
 ing hog, 
 
 And the pettitoes to the little 
 pig- 
 
 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.
 
 300 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 WILLYWITE, Willywite, 
 With his long bill; 
 
 If he's not gone, 
 He stands there still 
 
 LITTLE Poll Parrot 
 
 Sat in his garret, 
 Eating toast and tea; 
 
 A little brown mouse, 
 
 Jumped into the house, 
 And stole it all away. 
 
 The snail scoops out hollows, little rotund chambers, in limestone, for 
 its residence. This habit of the animal is so important in its effects, as 
 to have attracted the attention of geologists, and Dr. Buckland alluded 
 to it at the meeting of the British Association in 1841. The following 
 rhyme is a boy's invocation to the snail to come out of such holes. 
 
 SNAIL, snail, come out of your 
 
 hole, 
 Or else I will beat you as black 
 
 as a coal. 
 
 SNAIL, snail, put out your horns, 
 I'll give you bread and barley- 
 corns.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 301 
 
 SNEEL, snaul, 
 Robbers are coming to pull down your wall ; 
 
 Sneel, snaul, 
 
 Put out your horn, 
 
 Robbers are coming to steal your corn, 
 Coming at four o'clock in the morn. 
 
 ALL of a row, Shot at a pigeon, 
 Bend the bow, And killed a crow. 
 
 PIT, pat, well-a-day! 
 Little Robin flew away; 
 Where can little Robin be? 
 Gone into the cherry-tree. 
 
 WHEN the snow is on the ground, 
 Little Robin Redbreast grieves, 
 
 For no berries can be found, 
 And on the trees there are no leaves. 
 
 The air is cold, the worms are hid; 
 
 For this poor bird what can be done ? 
 We'll strew him here some crumbs of bread, 
 
 And then he'll live till the snow is gone. 
 
 A PYE sate on a pear-tree, 
 A pye sate on a pear-tree, 
 A pye sate on a pear-tree, 
 Heigh O! heigh O! heigh O! 
 Once so merrily hop'p'd she, 
 Twice so merrily hopp'd she, 
 Thrice so merrily hopp'd she, 
 Heigh O ! heigh O ! heigh O !
 
 302 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 COCK ROBIN got up early 
 At the break of day, 
 
 And went to Jenny's win- 
 dow 
 To sing a roundelay. 
 
 He sang Cock Robin's love 
 To the pretty Jenny 
 
 Wren, 
 And when he got unto the 
 
 end, 
 Then he began again. 
 
 PUSSY-CAT, pussy-cat, where have you been ? 
 I've been to London to look at the Queen. 
 Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, what did you there ? 
 I frightened a little mouse under the chair. 
 
 A Dorsetshire version of the " Four-and-Twenty Tailors." 
 'T WAS the twenty-ninth of May, 't was a holiday, 
 Four-and-twenty tailors set out to hunt a snail; 
 The snail put forth his horns, and roared like a bull, 
 Away ran the tailors, and catch the snail who wull. 
 
 THE Robin and the wren 
 They fought upon the par rage- pan; 
 But ere the Robin got a spoon, 
 The wren had ate the parrage down. 
 
 LITTLE Bob Robin, 
 Where do you live ? 
 
 Up in yonder wood, sir. 
 On a hazel twig.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 I HAD a little hen, the prettiest ever seen, 
 
 She washed me the dishes and kept the house clean; 
 
 She went to the mill to fetch me some flour, 
 
 She brought it home in less than an hour; 
 
 She baked me my bread, she brewed me my ale, 
 
 She sat by the fire and told many a fine tale. 
 
 A north of England version of a very common nursery rhyme, sung by a 
 child, who imitates the crowing of a cock. 
 
 COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO, 
 
 My dad's gane to ploo; 
 Mammy's lost her pudding- poke, 
 And knows not what to do.
 
 304 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 HIGGLEPY piggleby, my black hen, 
 She lays eggs for gentlemen; 
 Sometimes nine, and sometimes ten, 
 Higglepy piggleby, my black hen ! 
 
 HICKETY, pickety, my black hen, 
 She lays eggs for gentlemen, 
 Gentlemen come every day 
 To see what my black hen doth 
 lay.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 305 
 
 THE cock doth crow 
 To let you know, 
 If you be wise 
 'Tis time to rise. 
 
 I HAD two pigeons 
 
 bright and gay, 
 They flew from me 
 
 the other day; 
 What was the reason 
 
 they did go ? 
 I cannot tell, for I do 
 
 not know. 
 
 COCK crows in the morn, 
 To tell us to rise, 
 
 And he who lies late 
 Will never be wise; 
 
 For early to bed, 
 And early to rise, 
 
 Is the way to be healthy 
 And wealthy and wise. 
 
 ROBIN-A-BOBBIN 
 
 Bent his bow. 
 
 Shot at a pigeon, 
 And killed a crw.
 
 306 
 
 NCJESERY RHYMES. 
 
 PUSSY-CAT ate the dumplings, the dumplings, 
 Pussy-cat ate the dumplings. 
 
 Mamma stood by, 
 
 And cried, Oh, fie ! 
 Why did you eat the dumplings ? 
 
 I HAD a little cow : to save her, 
 I turned her into the meadow to graze her; 
 There came a heavy storm of rain, 
 And drove the little cow home again.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 307 
 
 The church doors they stood open, 
 And there the little cow was cropen; 
 The bell-ropes they were made of hay, 
 And the little cow ate them all away: 
 The sexton came to toll the bell, 
 And pushed the little cow into the well I 
 
 BETTY PRINGLE had a little pig, 
 Not very little and not very big. 
 When he was alive he lived in clover, 
 But now he's dead, and that's all over. 
 So Billy Pringle he laid down and cried, 
 And Betty Pringle she laid down and died; 
 So there was an end of one, two, and three; 
 
 Billy Pringle he, 
 
 Betty Pringle she, 
 
 And the piggy wiggy. 
 
 As I went to Bonner, 
 
 I met a pig without a wig, 
 Upon my word and honor.
 
 308 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THERE was a little one-eyed gunner, 
 
 Who killed all the birds that died last summer. 
 
 JACK SPRAT'S pig, 
 He was not very little, 
 Nor yet very big; 
 He was not very lean, 
 He was not very fat; 
 He'll do well for a grunt, 
 Says little Jack Sprat. 
 
 A-MILKING, a milking, my maid: 
 "Cow, take care of your heels," she said: 
 "And you shall have some nice new hay 
 If you'll quietly let me milk away."
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 'T WAS once upon a time 
 
 When Jenny Wren was young, 
 So daintily she danced, 
 
 And so prettily she sung; 
 Robin Redbreast lost his heart, 
 
 For he was a gallant bird ; 
 So he doffed his hat to Jenny Wren, 
 
 Requesting to be heard. 
 
 O dearest Jenny Wren, 
 
 If you will but be mine, 
 You shall feed on cherry pie, you shall, 
 
 And drink new currant wine; 
 I'll dress you like a goldfinch, 
 
 Or any peacock gay; 
 So dearest Jen, if you'll be mine, 
 
 Let us appoint the day. 
 
 Jenny blushed behind her fan, 
 
 And thus declared her mind: 
 Since, dearest Bob, I love you well, 
 
 I'll take your offer kind; 
 Cherry pie is very nice, 
 
 And so is currant wine; 
 But I must wear my plain brown gown, 
 
 And never go too fine. 
 
 Robin Redbreast rose up early, 
 
 All at the break of day, 
 And he flew to Jenny Wren's house, 
 
 And sung a roundelay; 
 He sung of Robin Redbreast 
 
 And little Jenny Wren, 
 And when he came unto the end, 
 
 He then began again.
 
 810 
 
 NUESERY EHYMES. 
 
 CHARLEY WARLEY had a cow, 
 Black and white about the brow; 
 Open the gate and let her go through, 
 Charley Warley's old cow! 
 
 PUSSY-CAT MOLE 
 
 Jumped over a coal, 
 
 And in her best petticoat burnt a great hole. 
 Poor pussy's weeping, she'll have no more milk 
 Until her best petticoat's mended with. silk,.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 311 
 
 The following stanza is of very considerable antiquity, and is common in 
 Yorkshire. See Hunter's " Hallamshire Glossary," p. 56. 
 
 LADY-COW, lady-cow, fly thy way home, 
 Thy house is on fire, thy children all gone, 
 All but one, that ligs under a stone, 
 Fly thee home, lady-cow, ere it be gone. 
 
 ONCE I saw a little bird 
 Come hop, hop, hop; 
 
 So I cried, little bird, 
 Will you stop, stop, stop? 
 
 And was going to the win- 
 dow 
 
 To say, How do you do? 
 But he shook his little tail, 
 
 And far away he flew. 
 
 As titty irouse sat in the witty to spin, 
 Pussy can.e to her and bid her good ev'n. 
 "Oh, what are you doing, my little 'oman?" 
 " A-spinnin^ a doublet for my gudcman." 
 "Then I shall come to thee, and wind up thy thread?' 
 "Oh, no, IV.TS. Puss, you'll bite off my head."
 
 312 
 
 NURSERY EHYMES. 
 
 THERE was a piper, he'd a cow, 
 And he'd no hay to give her, 
 
 He took his pipes and played a tune. 
 Consider, old cow, consider! 
 
 The cow considered very well, 
 For she gave the piper a penny, 
 
 That he might play the tune again 
 Of " Corn-rigs are bonnie!" 
 
 THERE was an old woman had three cows 
 
 Rosy and Colin and Dun : 
 Rosy and Colin were sold at the fair, 
 And Dun broke his head in a fit of despair; 
 And there was an end of her three cows 
 
 Rosy and Colin and Dun. 
 
 SHOE the colt, 
 Shoe the colt; 
 Shoe the wild mare; 
 
 Here a nail, 
 There a nail, 
 Yet she goes bare.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 313 
 
 I HAD a little cow; 
 
 Hey-diddle, ho-diddle! 
 I had a little cow, and it had a little calf; 
 Hey-diddle, ho-diddle; and there's my song half. 
 
 ft 
 
 I had a little cow; 
 
 Hey-diddle, ho-diddle! 
 
 I had a little cow, and I drove it to the stall; 
 Hey-diddle, ho-diddle; and there's my song all!
 
 314 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 LITTLE Jenny Wren fell sick upon a time; 
 In came Robin Redbreast, and brought her cake and wine. 
 Eat of my cake, Jenny, and drink of my wine. 
 Thank you, Robin, kindly, you shall be mine. 
 
 Jenny she got well, and stood upon her feet, 
 And told Robin plainly she loved him not a bit. 
 Robin he was angry, and hopped upon a twig, 
 Saying, Out upon you, fie upon you, bold-faced jig! 
 
 But Jenny Wren fell sick again, and Jenny Wren did die? 
 The doctors said they'd cure her, or know the reason why ; 
 Doctor Hawk felt her pulse, and, shaking his head, 
 Said, I fear I can't save her, because she's quite dead! 
 
 Doctor Cat said Indeed, I don't think she's dead; 
 I believe, if I try, she yet may be bled ! 
 You need not a lancet, Miss Pussy, indeed, 
 Your claws are enough a poor wren to bleed. 
 
 Why, Puss, you're quite foolish, exclaimed Doctor Goose; 
 
 To bleed a dead wren can be of no use ! 
 
 Ah, Doctor Goose, you're very wise; 
 
 Your learning profound might ganders surprise.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 316 
 
 She'll do very well yet, exclaimed Doctor Fox, 
 If she'll take but two pills from out of this box! 
 Ah, Doctor Fox, you are very cunning; 
 But if she's dead, you'll not get one in. 
 
 Doctor Jackass advanced See this balsam: / make it! 
 She yet may survive, if you get her to take it ! 
 What you say, Doctor Ass, may be very true, 
 But I ne'er saw the dead drink pray, doctor, did you? 
 
 Says Robin, Get out! you're a parcel of quacks; 
 Or I'll put this good stick about each of your backs. 
 So Robin began to bang them about; 
 They stayed for no fees, but were glad to get out 
 
 Cock Robin long for Jenny grieves, 
 At last he covered her with leaves; 
 And o'er the place a mournful lay 
 For Jenny Wren sings every day. 
 
 THERE was a glossy blackbird once 
 
 Lived in a cherry-tree, 
 He chirped and sung from morn till night, 
 
 No bird so blithe as he? 
 And this the burden of his song 
 
 Forever used to be : 
 
 Good boys shall have cherries as soon as they're ripe, 
 But naughty boys none from me. 
 
 JOHNNY ARMSTRONG killed a calf; 
 Peter Henderson got the half; 
 Willy Wilkinson got the head, 
 Ring the bell, the calf is dead ! 
 
 LITTLE Robin Redbreast With a pair of speckled legs, 
 Sat upon a hurdle, And a green girdle.
 
 316 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 MARY had a pretty bird 
 With feathers bright and 
 
 yellow, 
 Slender legs upon my 
 
 word, 
 He was a pretty fellow. 
 
 The sweetest notes he al< 
 
 ways sang, 
 Which much delighted 
 
 Mary; 
 And near the cage she'd 
 
 ever sit, 
 To hear her own canary 
 
 SOME little mice sat in a barn to spin ; 
 Pussy came by and popped her head in ; 
 Shall I come in, and cut your threads off? 
 Oh no ! kind sir, you will snap our heads off !"
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 317 
 
 FOUR-AND-TWENTY tailors went to kill a snail, 
 The best man among them durst not touch her tail; 
 She put out her horns like a little Kyloe cow, 
 Run, tailors, run ! or she'll kill you all e'en now.
 
 318. 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 BLESS you, bless you, bonny bee: 
 Say, when will your wedding be? 
 If it be to-morrow day, 
 Take your wings and fly away. 
 
 DICKERY, dickery, dare, 
 The pig flew up in the 
 
 air; 
 The man in brown soon 
 
 brought him down, 
 Dickery, dickery, dare. 
 
 GRAY goose and gander, 
 Waft your wing* together, 
 
 And carry the good King's daughter 
 Over the one strand river.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 319 
 
 BURNIE bee, burnie bee, 
 
 Tell me when your wedding be? 
 
 If it be to-morrow day, 
 
 Take your wings and fly away. 
 
 CROAK ! said the Toad, I'm hungry, I think, 
 To-day I've had nothing to eat or to drink, 
 I'll crawl to a garden and jump through the pales, 
 And there I'll dine nicely on slugs and on snails; 
 Ho, ho ! quoth the frog, is that what you mean ? 
 Then I'll hop away to the next meadow stream, 
 There I will drink, and eat worms and slugs too, 
 And then I shall have a good dinner like you. 
 
 HIE, hie, says Anthony, 
 Puss in the pantry 
 Gnawing, gnawing, 
 A mutton, mutton-bone; 
 See how she tumbles it, 
 See now she mumbles it, 
 See how she tosses 
 The mutton, mutton-bone.
 
 320 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 WHO killed Cock Robin ? 
 I, said the Sparrow, 
 With my bow and arrow. 
 
 Who saw him die ? 
 I, said the Fly, 
 With my little eye. 
 
 Who caught his blood ? 
 I, said the Fish, 
 With my little dish.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 321 
 
 Who'll make his shroud? 
 I, said the Beetle, 
 With my thread and 
 needle. 
 
 Who'll dig his grave ? 
 I, said the Owl, 
 With my spade and 
 shovel. 
 
 Who'll carry him to the 
 
 grave? 
 
 I, said the Kite, 
 If it's not in the night. 
 
 Who'll carry the link ? 
 I, said the Linnet, 
 I'll fetch it in a minute. 
 
 Who'll be chief mourner ? 
 I, said the Dove, 
 For I mourn for my 
 love. 
 
 Who'll sing a psalm ? 
 I, said the Thrush, 
 As he sat in a bush. 
 
 Who'll be the parson ? 
 I, said the Rook, 
 With my little book. 
 
 Who'll be the clerk? 
 I, said the Lark, 
 If it's not in the dark.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Who'll toll the bell? 
 I, said the Bull, 
 Because I can pull. 
 
 All the birds of the air When they heard the bell 
 
 Fell a-sighing and sob- toll 
 
 bing, For poor Cock Robin.
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 323 
 
 ' ' ROBERT Barnes, fellow fine, 
 
 Can you shoe this horse of mine ? " 
 
 "Yes, good sir, that I can, 
 As well as any other man : 
 There's a nail, and there's a prod, 
 And now, good sir, your horse is shod. " 
 
 I HAD a little dog, and they called 
 
 him Buff ; 
 I sent him to the shop for a hap'- 
 
 orth of snuff; 
 But he lost the bag, and spilt the 
 
 snuff,' 
 So take that cuff, and that's 
 
 enough. 
 
 As I went over the water, 
 The water went over me, 
 I saw two little blackbirds sitting on a tree: 
 The one called me a rascal, 
 The other called me a thief; 
 I took up my little black stick, 
 And knocked out all their teeth. 
 
 THE winds they did blow, 
 The leaves they did wag ; 
 
 Along came a beggar boy, 
 And put me in his bag. 
 
 He took me up to London, 
 A lady did me buy, 
 
 Put me in a silver cage, 
 And hung me up on high. 
 
 With apples by the fire, 
 And nuts for to crack, 
 
 Besides a little feather bed 
 To rest my little back.
 
 324 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THREE little kittens they lost their mittens, 
 
 And they began to cry, 
 "Oh! mammy dear, 
 We sadly fear, 
 
 Our mittens we have lost ! " 
 "What! lost your mittens, 
 You naughty kittens, 
 
 Then you shall have no pie. " 
 Miew, miew, miew, miew, 
 Miew, miew, miew, miew. 
 
 The three little kittens they found their mittens, 
 
 And they began to cry, 
 "Oh! mammy dear, 
 See here, see here, 
 
 Our mittens we have found. "
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 325 
 
 "What! found your mittens, 
 
 You little kittens, 
 Then you shall have some pie." 
 Purr, purr, purr, purr, 
 Purr, purr, purr, purr. 
 
 The three little kittens put on their mittens, 
 
 And soon ate up the pie; 
 "Oh! mammy dear, 
 We greatly fear, 
 
 Our mittens we have soil'd. " 
 "What! soil'd your mittens, 
 You naughty kittens! " 
 
 Then they began to sigh, 
 Miew, miew, miew, miew, 
 Miew, miew, miew, miew.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 The three little kittens they washed their mittons. 
 
 And hung them up to dry ; 
 ' 'Oh ! mammy dear, 
 Look here, look here, 
 
 Our mittens we have wash'd 
 "What! wash'd your mittens, 
 You darling kittens ! 
 
 But I smell a rat close by ! 
 Hush ! hush ! " Miew, miew, 
 Miew, miew, miew, miew. 
 
 A FARMER went trotting 
 Upon his grey mare, 
 Bumpety, bumpety, 
 
 bump! 
 
 With his daughter be- 
 hind him, 
 So rosy and fair, 
 Lumpety, lumpety, 
 lumpl
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 327 
 
 A raven cried Croak ! 
 
 And they all tumbled down, 
 Bumpety, bumpety, bump! 
 
 The mare broke her knees, 
 And the farmer his crown, 
 
 Lumpety, lumpety, lump! 
 
 The mischievous raven 
 
 Flew laughing away, 
 Bumpety, bumpety, bump! 
 
 And vowed he would serve them 
 The same the next day, 
 
 Lumpety, lumpety, lump I 
 
 PUSSY sat by the fireside 
 In a basket full of coal-dust; 
 Bas- 
 ket, 
 Coal- 
 dust, 
 In a basket full of coal-dust!
 
 FIFTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 Relics. 
 
 THE girl in the lane, that couldn't speak plain, 
 Cried "Gobble, gobble, gobble:" 
 
 The man on the hill, that couldn't stand still, 
 Went hobble, hobble, hobble. 
 
 BABY and I 
 Were baked in a pie, 
 The gravy was wonderful 
 hot: 
 
 WHAT'S the news of the day, 
 Good neighbor, I pray ? 
 
 We had nothing to pay 
 To the baker that day 
 And so we crept out of the 
 pot. 
 
 They say the balloon 
 Is gone up to the moon! 
 
 [3281
 
 It EL TCS. 
 
 329 
 
 GIRLS and boys, come out to play, 
 
 The moon doth shine as bright as day; 
 
 Leave your supper and leave your sleep, 
 
 And come with your playfellows into the street. 
 
 Come with a whoop, come with a call, 
 
 Come with a good will or not at all. 
 
 Up the ladder and down the wall, 
 
 A halfpenny roll will serve us all. 
 
 You find milk, and I'll find flour, 
 
 And we'll have a pudding in half an hour. 
 
 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-mowiikg, 
 
 I'm going to help them to make the hay.
 
 330 NURSER Y RHYMES. 
 
 HINK, minx ! the old witch winks, 
 
 The fat begins to fry: 
 
 There's nobody at home but jumping Joan, 
 Father, mother, and I. 
 
 HARK, hark! Some in jags, 
 
 The dogs do bark, Some in rags, 
 
 Beggars are coming to And some in velvet gowns, 
 town; 
 
 SHAKE a leg, wag a leg, when will you gang ? 
 At midsummer, mother, when the days are lang.
 
 BELICS. 
 
 331 
 
 CHARLEY wag, 
 
 Ate the pudding and left the bag. 
 
 WE'RE all in the dumps, 
 
 For diamonds are trumps; 
 The kittens are gone to St. Paul's! 
 
 The babies are bit, 
 
 The moon's in a fit, 
 And the houses are built without walls 
 
 I HAD a little moppet, 
 
 I put it in my pocket, 
 And fed it with corn and hay: 
 
 Then came a proud beggar, 
 
 And swore he would have her, 
 And stole little moppet away.
 
 332 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 To market, to market, a gallop, a trot, 
 To buy some meat to put in the pot; 
 Threepence a quarter, a groat a side, 
 If it hadn't been killed, it must have died. 
 
 THE children of Holland 
 
 Take pleasure in making 
 What the children of England 
 
 Take pleasure in breaking.* 
 * Alluding to toys, a great number of which are imported from Holland.
 
 HELIOS. 
 
 333 
 
 THE barber shavea the 
 
 mason, 
 As I suppose 
 
 Cut off his nose, 
 And popped it in a basin. 
 
 COME, let's to bed, 
 Says Sleepy-head; 
 Tarry awhile, says 
 
 Slow; 
 
 Put on the pot, 
 Says Greedy-gut, 
 Let's sup before we 
 go. 
 
 LITTLE girl, little girl, where have you been ? 
 Gathering roses to give to the Queen. 
 Little girl, little girl, what gave she you ? 
 She gave me a diamond as big as my shoe.
 
 334 
 
 NUBSEEY EHTMES. 
 
 BARBER, barber, shave a pig, 
 How many hairs will make a wig ? 
 " Four-and-twenty, that's enough." 
 Give the barber a pinch of snuff. 
 
 IF all the seas were one sea, 
 What a great sea that would be ! 
 And if all the trees were one tree, 
 What a great tree that would be ! 
 And if all the axes were one axe, 
 What a great axe that would be ! 
 And if all the men were one man, 
 What a great man he would be ! 
 And if the great man took the great axe, 
 And cut down the great tree, 
 And let it fall into the great sea, 
 What a splish- splash that would be!
 
 RELICS. 
 
 335 
 
 RAIN, rain, go away, 
 Come again another day; 
 
 Little Arthur 
 play. 
 
 wants to 
 
 HANNAH BANTRY in the pantry, 
 
 Eating a mutton-bone; 
 How she gnawed it, how she clawed it, 
 
 When she found she was alone 1 
 
 DARBY and Joan were dressed in black, 
 Sword and buckle behind their back ; 
 Foot for foot, and knee for knee, 
 Turn about Darby's company.
 
 336 NURSER Y RHYMES. 
 
 WHAT are little boys made of, made of ? 
 
 What are little boys made of ? 
 
 Snaps and snails, and puppy-dogs' tails; 
 
 And that's what little boys are made of, made of. 
 
 What are little girls made of, made of, made of ? 
 
 What are little girls made of ? 
 
 Sugar and spice, and all that's nice; 
 
 And that's what little girls are made of, made of. 
 
 DAYS OF BIRTH. 
 
 MONDAY'S child is fair in face, 
 Tuesday's child is full of grace, 
 Wednesday's child is full of woe, 
 Thursday's child has far to go, 
 Friday's child is loving and giving, 
 Saturday's child works hard for its living; 
 And a child that's born on Christmas day 
 Is fair and wise, good and gay.
 
 RELICS. 337 
 
 FINGER-NAILS. 
 
 There is a superstition, says Forby, ii., 411, respecting cutting the 
 nails, and some days are considered more lucky for this operation than 
 others. To cut them on a Tuesday is thought particularly auspicious. 
 Indeed, if we are to believe an old rhyming saw on this subject, every 
 day of the week is endowed with its several and peculiar virtue, if the 
 nails are invariably cut on that day and no other. The lines are as 
 follows: 
 
 Cut them on Monday, you cut them for health ; 
 Cut them on Tuesday, you cut them for wealth ; 
 Cut them on Wednesday, you cut them for news; 
 Cut them on Thursday, a new pair of shoes; 
 Cut them on Friday, you cut them for sorrow; 
 Cut them on Saturday, see your true love to-morrow; 
 Cut them on Sunday, ill luck will be with you all the 
 week. 
 
 The following divination rhymes refer to the gifts, or white spots on 
 the nails, beginning with the thumb, and going on regularly to the little 
 finger. The last gift will show the destiny of the operator pro tempore. 
 
 A GIFT a friend a foe 
 A journey to go. 
 
 COLORS. 
 
 Color superstitions, though rapidly disappearing, still obtain in the 
 remote rural districts. The following lines were obtained from the east 
 of England : 
 
 BLUE is true, Red's brazen, 
 
 Yellow's jealous, White is love, 
 
 Green's forsaken, And black is death. 
 
 Go to bed, Tom ! 
 Go to bed, Tom ! 
 Drunk or sober, 
 Go to bed, Tom.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 WHO comes here ? A grenadier. 
 What do you want ? A pot of beer. 
 Where is your money ? I've forgot. 
 Get you gone, you drunken sot 1 
 
 THE quaker's wife got up to bake, 
 Her children all about her, 
 
 She gave them every one a cake, 
 And the miller wants his moulter.
 
 RELICS. 
 
 339 
 
 As I went over the water, 
 The water went over me, 
 I heard an old woman cry- 
 ing, 
 
 Will you buy some fur- 
 mi ty? 
 
 my 
 
 HIGH diddle doubt, 
 
 candle out, 
 My little maid is not at 
 
 home: 
 Saddle my hog, and bridle 
 
 my dog, 
 
 And fetch my little maid 
 home. 
 
 LITTLE Mary Ester, 
 
 Sat upon a tester, 
 Eating of curds and whey; 
 
 There came a little spider, 
 
 And set him down beside her, 
 And frightened Mary Ester away. 
 
 LITTLE Tommy Tacket, 
 
 Sits upon his cracket ; 
 Half a yard of cloth will make him coat and jacket, 
 
 Make him coat and jacket, 
 
 Trowsers to the knee. 
 And if you will not have him, you may let him be. 
 
 PEG, Peg, with a wooden leg, 
 
 Her father was a miller: 
 He tossed the dumpling at her head, 
 
 And said he could not kill her.
 
 340 NURSER Y RHYMES. 
 
 WHEN Jacky's a very good boy, 
 He shall have cakes and a custard; 
 
 But when he does nothing but cry, 
 He shall have nothing but mustard.
 
 RELICS. 
 
 341 
 
 LITTLE Tom Tucker 
 Sings for his supper; 
 What shall he eat? 
 White bread and butter. 
 
 How shall he cut it 
 Without e'er a knife? 
 How will he be married 
 Without e'er a wife?
 
 342 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 LITTLE Miss Muffet, 
 She sat on a tuffet, 
 Eating of curds and whey; 
 There came a great spi- 
 
 der, 
 Who sat down beside 
 
 her, 
 
 And frightened Miss Muf- 
 fet away.
 
 RELICS. 
 
 343 
 
 LITTLE Miss, pretty Miss, 
 Blessings light upon you; 
 
 If I had half-a-crown a day, 
 I'd spend it all upon you. 
 
 MY little old man and I fell out, 
 I'll tell you what 'twas all about: 
 I had money, and he had none, 
 And that's the way the row begun. 
 
 BLOW, wind, blow! and go, mill, 
 
 go! 
 That the miller may grind his 
 
 corn; 
 
 That the baker may take it, 
 And into rolls make it, 
 And send us some hot in the 
 
 morn.
 
 344 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 WASH, hands, wash, 
 
 Daddy's gone to plough, 
 If 3*ou want your hands washed 
 
 Have them washed now. 
 
 A formula for making young children submit to the operation of hav- 
 ing their hands washed. Mutatis mutandis , the lines will serve as a 
 specific for everything of the kind, as brushing hair, &c. 
 
 PARSON DARBY wore a black gown, 
 And every button cost half-a-crown; 
 From port to port, and toe to toe, 
 Turn the ship, and away we go ! 
 
 DAFFY-DOWN-DILLY has come up to town, 
 In a yellow petticoat and a green gown. 
 
 The following is quoted in the song of Mad Tom. See Ilalliwell's intro- 
 duction to Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream," p. 55. 
 
 THE man in the moon drinks claret, 
 
 But he is a dull Jack-a-Dandy; 
 Would he know a sheep's head from a carrot 
 
 He should learn to drink cider and brandy.
 
 RELICS. 
 
 3*5 
 
 A GOOD child, a'good child, 
 
 As I suppose you be, 
 Never laughed nor smiled 
 
 At the tickling of your 
 knee. 
 
 How many days has my baby to play? 
 
 Saturday, Sunday, Monday, 
 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 
 
 Saturday, Sunday, Monday. 
 
 BLENKY my nutty- cock, 
 
 Blenk him away; 
 My nutty-cock's never 
 Been blenked to-day. 
 
 What wi' carding and spinning on t' wheel, 
 We've never had time to blenk nutty-cock weel; 
 But let to-morrow come ever so sune, 
 My nutty-cock it sail be blenked by nune. 
 
 AROTTND the green gravel the grass grows green. 
 And all the pretty maids were plain to be seen; 
 Wash them with milk, and clothe them with silk, 
 And write their names with a pen and ink.
 
 346 NUBSEIt Y RHYMES. 
 
 To market, to market, to buy a plum cake, 
 Back again, back again, baby is late; 
 To market, to market, to buy a plum bun, 
 Back again, back again, market is done. 
 
 As I was going to sell my eggs, 
 
 I met a man with bandy legs, 
 
 Bandy legs and crooked toes, 
 
 I tripped up his heels, and he fell on his nose. 
 
 How do you do, neighbor? 
 Neighbor, how do you do? 
 
 I am pretty well, 
 And how does Cousin Sue do? 
 
 She's pretty well, 
 And sends her duty to you; 
 
 So does bonnie Nell 
 Good lack I how does she do?
 
 EEL1CS. 
 
 347 
 
 ST. THOMAS'S DAY is past and gone, 
 And Christmas is a'most a-come. 
 Maidens, arise 
 And make your pies, 
 
 And save poor Tailor Bobby some. 
 
 OLD Sir Simon the King, 
 And young Sir Simon the 'squire, 
 
 And old Mrs. Hickabout 
 
 Kicked Mrs. Kickabout 
 Round about our coal fire !
 
 SIXTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 tool 
 
 THERE was a little nobby colt, 
 His name was Nobby Gray; 
 His head was made of pouce straw, 
 
 His tail was made of hay. 
 He could ramble, he could trot, 
 He could carry a mustard-pot 
 Round the town of Woodstock. 
 Hey, Jenny, hey! 
 
 KING'S Sutton is a pretty town, 
 
 And lies all in a valley; 
 There is a pretty ring of bells, 
 
 Besides a bowling-alley; 
 Wine and liquor in good store, 
 
 Pretty maidens plenty: 
 Can a man desire more ? 
 
 There ain't such a town in 
 twenty. 
 
 CM81
 
 LOCAL. 349 
 
 THE little priest of Felton, 
 The little priest of Felton, 
 He killed a mouse within his house, 
 And ne'er a one to help him ! ! 
 
 THE following verses are said by Aubrey to have been sung in his 
 time by the girls of Oxfordshire in a sport called "Leap Candle," which 
 is now obsolete. See Thorns' "Anecdotes and Traditions," p. 96. 
 
 THE tailor of Bicester, 
 He has but one eye; 
 
 He cannot cut a pair of green galagaskins 
 If he were to try. 
 
 DICK and Tom, Will and John, 
 Brought me from Nottingham. 
 
 AT Brill-on-the-Hill 
 The wind blows shrill, 
 
 The cook no meat can dress; 
 At Stow-in-the-Wold 
 The wind blows cold, 
 
 I know no more than this. 
 
 A LITTLE bit of powdered beef, 
 And a great net of cabbage, 
 The best meal I have had to-day 
 Is a good bowl of porridge. 
 
 MY father and mother, my uncle and aunt, 
 Be all gone to Norton, but little Jack and I. 
 
 LITTLE boy, pretty boy, where were you born? 
 
 In Lincolnshire, master: come, blow the cow's horn. 
 
 A halfpennny pudding, a penny pie, 
 
 A shoulder of mutton, and that love I.
 
 350 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 A MAN went a-hunting at Reigate, 
 And wished to leap over a high gate ; 
 Says the owner, ' 'Go round, 
 With your gun and your hound, 
 For you never shall leap over my gate." 
 
 DRIDDLETY drum, driddlety drum, 
 There you see the beggars are come ; 
 Some are here, and some are there, 
 And some are gone to Chidley Fair.
 
 LOCAL. 
 
 351 
 
 LITTLE lad, little lad, where 
 
 wast thou born ? 
 Far off in Lancashire, under a 
 
 thorn, 
 Where they sop sour milk in a 
 
 ram's horn. 
 
 LINCOLN was, and London is, 
 And York shall be 
 The fairest city of the three. 
 
 ISLE OF MAN. 
 
 ALL the bairns unborn will rue the day 
 That the Isle of Man was sold away ; 
 And there's ne'er a wife that loves a dram, 
 But what will lament for the Isle of Man.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 I LOST my mare in Lincoln Lane, 
 And couldn't tell where to find her, 
 
 Till she came home both lame and blind, 
 With never a tail behind her. 
 
 CXIPPLE Dick upon a stick, Riding away to Galloway, 
 And Sandy on a sow, To buy a pound o' woo.
 
 SEVENTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 Cow and matrimony. 
 
 As I was going up Pippen Hill, 
 
 Pippen Hill was dirty, 
 There I met a pretty miss, 
 
 And she dropt me a curtsey. 
 
 Little miss, pretty miss, 
 Blessings light upon you : 
 
 If I had half-a-crown a day, 
 I'd spend it all upon you. 
 
 IT'S once I courted as pretty a lass 
 
 As ever your eyes did see; 
 But now she's come to such a pass, 
 
 She never will do for me. 
 She invited me to her own house, 
 
 Where oft I'd been before, 
 And she tumbled me into the hog- tub, 
 
 And I'll never go there any more. 
 
 [353]
 
 354 
 
 NUESEEY RHYMES. 
 
 BRAVE news is come to Brave news is come to 
 
 town, town, 
 
 Brave news is carried; Jemmy Dawson's mar- 
 
 ried. 
 
 As Tommy Snooks and Bessy Brooks 
 Were walking out one Sunday, 
 
 Says Tommy Snooks to Bessy Brooks, 
 "To-morrow will be Monday."
 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY. 
 
 355 
 
 WHAT care I how black I be? 
 Twenty pounds will marry me; 
 If twenty won't, forty shall, 
 I am my mother's bouncing girl ! 
 
 WILLY, Willy Wilkin, 
 Kissed the maids a- milk- 
 ing, 
 
 Fa, la, la! 
 
 And with his merry daffing 
 He set them all a-laugh- 
 ing, 
 
 Ha, ha, ha! 
 
 I LOVE my love with an A because he's Agreeable. 
 
 I hate him because he's Avaricious. 
 
 He took me to the sign of the Acorn, 
 
 And treated me with Apples. 
 
 His name's Andrew, 
 
 And he lives at Arlington.
 
 356 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 SYLVIA, sweet as morning air, 
 Do not drive me to despair : 
 Long have I sighed in vain, 
 Now I am come again, 
 
 Will you be mine or no, no-a-no, 
 
 Will you be mine or no?
 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY. 357 
 
 Simon, pray leave off your suit, 
 
 For of your courting you'll reap no fruit; 
 
 I would rather give a crown 
 
 Than be married to a clown; 
 
 Go for a booby, go, no-a-no, 
 
 Go for a booby, go. 
 
 " WHERE have you been all the day, 
 
 My boy Willy?" 
 " I've been all the day 
 
 Courting of a lady gay: 
 
 But oh ! she's too young 
 
 To be taken from her mammy. " 
 ' ' What work can she do, 
 My boy Willy? 
 
 Can she bake and can she brew, 
 
 My boy Willy?" 
 " She can brew and she can bake, 
 
 And she can make our wedding cake : 
 
 But oh ! she's too young 
 
 To be taken from her mammy. " 
 " What age may she be? What age may she be, 
 
 My boy Willy?" 
 " Twice two, twice seven, 
 
 Twice ten, twice eleven: 
 
 But oh ! she's too young 
 
 To be taken from her mammy. " 
 
 A cow and a calf, 
 
 An ox and a half, 
 Forty good shillings and three; 
 
 Is that not enough tocher 
 
 For a shoemaker's daughter, 
 A bonny lass with a black e'e?
 
 358 NURSE R Y RHYMES. 
 
 This is part of a little work called "Authentic Memoirs of the little 
 Man and the little Maid, with some interesting particulars of their lives," 
 which I suspect is more modern than the following. Walpole printed a 
 small broadside containing a different version. 
 
 THERE was a little man, 
 
 And he woo'd 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 men-ded, ded, ded. " 
 
 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 in 
 Make a fire in the kitchen? 
 Or the little God of Love turn the spit, spit, spit?"
 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY. 369 
 
 LITTLE Jack Jingle, 
 
 He used to live single; 
 But when he got tired of this kind of life, 
 He left off being single, and lived with his wife. 
 
 WHEN shall we be married, 
 
 My dear Nicholas Wood ? 
 We will be married on Monday, 
 
 And will not that be very good ? 
 What, shall we be married no sooner ? 
 
 Why, sure the man's gone wood!* 
 
 What shall we have for our dinner, 
 
 My dear Nicholas Wood ? 
 We will have bacon and pudding, 
 
 And will not that be very good ? 
 What, shall we have nothing more ? 
 
 Why, sure the man's gone wood! 
 
 Who shall we have at our wedding, 
 
 My dear Nicholas Wood ? 
 We will have mammy and daddy, 
 And will not that be very good ? 
 What, shall we have nobody else ? 
 
 Why, sure the man's gone wood. 
 
 * Mad. This sense of the word has long been obsolete; and exhibits, 
 therefore, the antiquity of these lines. 
 
 O THE little rusty, dusty, rusty miller ! 
 
 I'll not change my wife for either gold or siller. 
 
 I AM a pretty girl, 
 
 As fair as any pearl, 
 And sweethearts I can get none ; 
 
 But every girl that's plain 
 
 Can many sweethearts gain, 
 And I, pretty girl, can't get one.
 
 360 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 UP hill and down dale; 
 Butter is made in every vale 
 And if that Nancy Cook 
 Is a good girl, 
 She shall have a spouse, 
 And make butter anon, 
 Before her old grandmother 
 Grows a young man. 
 
 WE'RE all dry with drinking on 't, 
 We're all dry with drinking on 't; 
 The piper spoke to the fiddler's 
 
 wife, 
 And I can't sleep for thinking 
 
 on 't. 
 
 ROSEMARY green, 
 
 And lavender blue, 
 Thyme and sweet marjoram, 
 
 Hyssop and rue. 
 
 DID you see my wife, did you see, did you see, 
 Did you see my wife looking for me ? 
 
 She wears a straw bonnet with white ribbon on it, 
 And dimity petticoats over her knee. 
 
 The practice of sowing hemp-seed on Allhallows Even is often alluded 
 to by earlier writers, and Gay, in his "Pastorals," quotes part of the 
 following lines as used on that occasion: 
 
 HEMP-SEED I set, The young man that I love, 
 
 Hemp-seed I sow, Come after me and mow! 
 
 ON Saturday night 
 Shall be all my care 
 To powder my locks 
 And curl my hair. 
 
 On Sunday morning 
 My love will come in, 
 When he will marry me. 
 With a gold ring.
 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY. 
 
 361 
 
 TOMMY TROT, a man of law, 
 Sold his bed and lay upon straw, 
 Sold the straw and slept on grass, 
 To buy his wife a looking-glass. 
 
 WHERE have you been to-day, Billy, my son ? 
 Where have you been to-day, my only man ? 
 I've been a- wooing, mother; make my bed soon, 
 For I'm sick at heart, and fain would lie down. 
 
 What have you ate to-day, Billy, my son ? 
 What have you ate to-day, my only man ? 
 I've ate an eel pie, mother; make my bed soon, 
 For I am sick at heart, and shall die before noon !
 
 362 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 " LITTLE maid, pretty maid, whither 
 
 goest them?" 
 
 ' ' Down in the forest to milk my cow. " 
 " Shall I go with thee?" " No, not 
 
 now; 
 When I send for thee, then come 
 
 thou. " 
 
 BIRDS of a feather flock together, 
 And so will pigs and swine ; 
 
 Rats and mice will have their choice, 
 And so will I have mine. 
 
 LITTLE Jack Dandy-prat was my first suitor; 
 He had a dish and a spoon, and he'd some pewter; 
 He'd linen and woollen, and woollen and linen, 
 A little pig in a string cost him five shilling.
 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY. 363 
 
 JACK SPRAT could eat no fat, 
 
 His wife could eat no lean ; 
 And so, betwixt them both, you see, 
 
 They licked the platter clean. 
 
 He. IF you with me will go, my love, 
 
 You shall see a pretty show, my love, 
 
 Let dame say what she will: 
 If you will have me, my love, 
 Iwill have thee, my love, 
 
 So let the milk-pail stand still. 
 
 She. Since you have said so, my love, 
 Longer I will go, my love, 
 
 Let dame say what she will: 
 If you will have me, my love, 
 I will have thee, my love, 
 
 So let the milk- pail stand still 
 
 JACK in the pulpit, out and in, 
 Sold his wife for a minikin, pin,
 
 364 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 THE KEYS OF CANTERBURY. 
 
 OH, madam, I will give you the keys of Canterbury, 
 To set all the bells ringing when we shall be merry; 
 If you will but walk abroad with me, 
 If you will but talk with me. 
 
 Sir, I'll not accept of the keys of Canterbury, 
 
 To set all the bells ringing when we shall be merry; 
 
 Neither will I walk abroad with thee, 
 
 Neither will I talk with thee! 
 
 Oh, madam, I will give you a fine carved comb, 
 To comb out your ringlets when I am from home, 
 If you will but walk with me, &c. 
 Sir, I'll not accept, &c. 
 
 Oh, madam, I will give you a pair of shoes of cork,* 
 One made in London, the other made in York, 
 If you will but walk with me, &c. 
 Sir, I'll not accept, &c. 
 
 Madam, I will give you a sweet silver bell,f 
 To ring up your maidens when you are not well, 
 If you will but walk with me, &c. 
 Sir, I'll not accept, &c. 
 
 Oh, my man John, what can the matter be ? 
 I love the lady and the lady loves not me ! 
 Neither will she walk abroad with me, 
 Neither will she talk with me 
 
 Oh, master dear, do not despair, 
 
 The lady she shall be, shall be your only dear, 
 
 And she will walk and talk with thee, 
 
 And she will walk with thee ! 
 
 * This proves the song was not later than the era of chopines, or high 
 cork shoes. 
 
 t Another proof of antiquity. It must probably have been written 
 before the invention of bell -pulls.
 
 LOVE AKD MATRIMONY. 365 
 
 Oh, madam, I will give you the keys of my chest, 
 To count my gold and silver when I am gone to rest, 
 If you will but walk abroad with me, 
 If you will but talk with me. 
 
 Oh, sir, I will accept of the keys of your chest, 
 
 To count your gold and silver when you are gone to rest, 
 
 And I will walk abroad with thee, 
 
 And I will talk with thee ! 
 
 OH ! mother, I shall be married to Mr. Punchinello. 
 To Mr. Punch, 
 To Mr. Chin, 
 To Mr. Nell, 
 To Mr. Lo, 
 Mr. Punch, Mr. Chin, 
 Mr. Nell, Mr. Lo, 
 To Mr. Punchinello. 
 
 "MADAM, I am come to court you 
 
 If your favor I can gain. " 
 "Ah, ah!" said she, "you are a bold fellow, 
 
 If I e'er see your face again '" 
 ' ' Madam, I have rings and diamonds, 
 
 Madam, I have houses and land, 
 
 Madam, I have a world of treasure, 
 
 All shall be at your command." 
 ' ' I care not for rings and diamonds, 
 
 I care not for houses and land, 
 
 I care not for a world of treasure, 
 
 So that I have but a handsome man." 
 " Madam, you think much of beauty: 
 
 Beauty hasteneth to decay, 
 
 For the fairest of flowers that grow in summer 
 
 Will decay and fade away. "
 
 366 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 CAN you make me a cambric shirt, 
 Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, 
 
 Without any seam or needlework? 
 And you shall be a true lover of mine. 
 
 Can you wash it in yonder well, 
 
 Parsley, &c. 
 Where never sprung water, nor rain ever fell? 
 
 And you, &c. 
 
 Can you dry it on yonder thorn, 
 
 Parsley, &c. 
 Which never bore blossom since Adam was born? 
 
 And you, &c. 
 
 Now you have asked me questions three, 
 
 Parsley, &c. 
 I hope you'll answer as many for me, 
 
 And you, &c. 
 
 Can you find me an acre of land, 
 
 Parsley, &c. 
 Between the salt water and the sea-sand? 
 
 And you, &c. 
 
 Can you plough it with a ram's horn, 
 
 Parsley, &c., 
 And sow it all over with one peppercorn? 
 
 And you, &c. 
 
 Can you reap it with a sickle of leather, 
 
 Parsley, &c. 
 And bind it up with a peacock's feather? 
 
 And you, &c. 
 When you have done and finished your work, 
 
 Parsley, &c. 
 Then come to me for your cambric shirt, 
 
 And you, &c.
 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY. 367 
 
 I DOUBT, I doubt my fire is out, 
 
 My little wife isn't at home; 
 I'll saddle my dog, and I'll bridle my cat, 
 
 And I'll go fetch my little wife home. 
 
 MADAM, I will give you a fine silken gown, 
 Nine yards wide and eleven yards long, 
 If you will be my gay ladye. 
 
 Sir, I won't accept your fine silken gown, 
 Nine yards wide and eleven yards long, 
 Nor will I be your gay ladye. 
 
 John, my man, how can this matter be ? 
 I love a lady who doesn't love me, 
 Nor will she be my gay ladye. 
 
 Peace, master, peace; you need not fear, 
 She'll be your love and only dear, 
 
 But the gold ring only will gain you her. 
 
 Madam, I'll give you a fine golden ring, 
 To go to church to be married in, 
 If you will be my gay ladye. 
 
 Sir, I will accept your fine golden ring, 
 To go to church to be married in, 
 And I will be your gay ladye. 
 
 John, my man, here's a crown for thee, 
 For winning me this gay ladye.
 
 368 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 This nursery song may probably commemorate a part of Tom Thumb's 
 history, extant in a little Danish work, treating of " Swain Tomling, a 
 man no bigger than a thumb, who would be married to a woman three 
 ells and three quarters long." See Mr. Thorns' Preface to " Tom & Lin- 
 coln," p. xi. 
 
 I HAD a little husband 
 
 No bigger than my thumb, 
 I put him in a pint pot, 
 And there I bid him drum.
 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY. 
 
 I bought a little horse, 
 
 That galloped up and down; 
 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. 
 
 THOMAS and Annis met in the dark. 
 
 "Good morning," said Thomas. 
 
 "Good morning," said Annis. 
 And so they began to talk. 
 
 "I'll give you," says Thoi 
 " Give me," says Annis; 
 
 " I prithee, love, tell me what?" 
 " Some nuts," said Thomas. 
 "Some nuts?" said Annis; 
 
 "Nuts are good to crack." 
 
 "I love you," said Thomas. 
 " Love me!" said Annis; 
 
 "I prithee, love, tell me where?" 
 " In my heart," said Thomas. 
 "In your heart!" said Annis; 
 
 " How came you to love me there?" 
 
 "I'll marry you," said Thomas. 
 
 "Marry me!" said Annis; 
 ' ' I prithee, love, tell me when?" 
 "Next Sunday," said Thomas. 
 
 "Next Sunday!" said Annis; 
 
 "I wish next Sunday were come."
 
 370 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 YOUNG Roger came tapping at Dolly's window, 
 
 Thumpaty, thumpaty, thump! 
 He asked for admittance; she answered him "No!' 
 
 Frumpaty, frumpaty, frump! 
 "No, no, Roger, no! as you came you may go!" 
 
 Stumpaty, stumpaty, stump!
 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY. 371 
 
 I MARRIED my wife by the light of the moon, 
 
 A tidy housewife, a tidy one ; 
 She never gets up until it is noon, 
 
 And I hope she'll prove a tidy one. 
 
 And when she gets up, she is slovenly laced, 
 
 A tidy, &c. 
 She takes up the poker to roll out the paste, 
 
 And I hope, &c. 
 She churns her butter in a boot, 
 
 A tidy, &c. 
 And instead of a churn-staff she puts in her foot, 
 
 And I hope, &c. 
 She lays her cheese on the scullery shelf, 
 
 A tidy, &c. 
 And she never turns it till it turns itself, 
 
 And I hope, &c. 
 
 MASTER I have, and I am his man, 
 
 Gallop a dreary dun ; 
 Master I have, and I am his man, 
 And I'll get a wife as fast as I can; 
 With a heighly gaily gamberally, 
 
 Higgledy piggledy, niggledy, niggledy, 
 
 Gallop a dreary dun. 
 
 SAW ye aught of my love a- coming from the market? 
 
 A peck of meal upon her back, 
 
 A babby in her basket ; 
 Saw ye aught of my love a-coming from the market? 
 
 UP street, and down street, 
 Each window's made of glass; 
 
 If you go to Tommy Tickler's house, 
 You'll find a pretty lass.
 
 372 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 PETER, Peter, pumpkin eater, 
 Had a wife and couldn't keep her 
 He put her in a pumpkin shell, 
 And there he kept her very well. 
 
 BESSY BELL and Mary Gray, 
 They were two bonny lasses: 
 
 They built their house upon the lea, 
 And covered it with rashes. 
 
 Bessy kept the garden gate, 
 And Mary kept the pantry; 
 
 Bessy always had to wait, 
 While Mary lived in plenty. 
 
 CURLY locks ! curly locks ! wilt thou be mine? 
 Thou shalt not wash dishes, nor yet feed the swine; 
 But sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam, 
 And feed upon strawberries, sugar, and cream.
 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY. 373 
 
 Cumberland Courtship. 
 
 BONNY lass, canny lass, willta be mine? 
 
 Thou'se neither wesh dishes, nor sarrah (serve) the 
 
 swine : 
 
 Thou sail sit on a cushion, and sew up a seam, 
 And thou sail eat strawberries, sugar, and cream. 
 
 MARGARET wrote a letter, 
 Sealed it with her finger, 
 Threw it in the dam 
 For the dusty miller. 
 Dusty was his coat, 
 Dusty was the siller, 
 Dusty was the kiss 
 I'd from the dusty miller, 
 If I had my pockets 
 Full of gold and siller, 
 I would give it all 
 To my dusty miller. 
 Chorus. Oh, the little, little 
 Rusty, dusty miller. 
 
 HERE comes a lusty woer, For your fairest daughter, 
 
 My a dildin, my a dal- My a dildin, my a dal- 
 
 din; din, 
 
 Here comes a lusty woer, For your fairest daughter, 
 
 Lily bright and shine a'. Lily bright and shine a'. 
 
 Pray who do you woo, Then there she is for you, 
 
 My a dildin, my a dal- My a dildin, my a dal- 
 
 din? din; 
 
 Pray, who do you woo, Then there she is for you, 
 
 Lily bright and shine a'? Lily bright and shine a'. 
 
 BLUE eye beauty. Black eye blackie, 
 
 Grey eye greedy, Brown eye brownie.
 
 374 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 JACK and Jill went up the hill, 
 To fetch a pail of water;
 
 LOVE AND MATEIMONY. 
 
 376 
 
 J&ck fell down and broke his crown, 
 And Jill came tumbling after.
 
 376 NURSER Y RHYMES. 
 
 Little Jane ran up the lane, 
 To hang her clothes a- drying 
 
 She called for Nell to ring the bell, 
 For Jack and Jill were dying. 
 
 Nimble Dick ran up so quick, 
 He tumbled over a timber, 
 
 And bent his bow to shoot a crow, 
 And killed a cat in the window, 
 
 LITTLE Tom Dandy 
 Was my first suitor, 
 
 He had a spoon and dish, 
 And a little pewter. 
 
 O RARE Harry Parry, 
 
 When will you marry? 
 When apples and pears are ripe. 
 
 I'll come to your wedding, 
 
 Without any bidding, 
 And dance and sing all the night
 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY, 377 
 
 ROWLEY POWLEY, pudding and 
 
 pie, 
 Kissed the girls and made them 
 
 cry; 
 
 When the girls begin to cry, 
 Rowley Powley runs away. 
 
 LOVE your own, kiss your own, 
 Love your own mother, hinny, 
 
 For if she was dead and gone, 
 You'd ne'er get such another, 
 hinny. 
 
 THERE was a little pretty lad, 
 
 And he lived by himself, 
 And all the meat he got 
 
 He put upon a shelf. 
 The rats and the mice 
 
 Did lead him such a life, 
 That he went to Ireland 
 
 To get himself a wife. 
 The lanes they were so broad, 
 
 And the fields they were so narrow, 
 He couldn't get his wife home 
 
 Without a wheelbarrow. 
 
 The wheelbarrow broke, 
 
 My wife she got a kick, 
 The deuce take the wheelbarrow, 
 
 That spared my wife's neck.
 
 378 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 LITTLE Johnny Jiggy Jag, 
 He rode a penny nag, 
 
 And went to Wigan to woo: 
 When he came to a beck, 
 He fell and broke his neck, 
 
 Johnny, how dost thou now? 
 
 I made him a hat, A hat and a feather, 
 
 Of my coat-lap, To keep out cold weather; 
 
 And stockings of pearly So, Johnny, how dost 
 
 blue: thou now?
 
 EIGHTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 flcctutmlatiw Stories. 
 
 JOHN BALL shot them all; 
 John Scott made the shot, 
 
 But John Ball shot them all. 
 John Wyming made the priming, 
 And John Brammer made the rammer, 
 And John Scott made the shot, 
 
 But John Ball shot them all. 
 
 John Block made the stock, 
 
 And John Brammer made the rammer, 
 And John Wyming made the priming. 
 And John Scott made the shot, 
 
 But John Ball shot them all. 
 
 [3791
 
 80 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 John Crowder made the powder, 
 And John Block made the stock, 
 And John Wyming made the priming, 
 And John Brammer made the rammer, 
 And John Scott made the shot, 
 But John Ball shot them all. 
 
 John Puzzle made the muzzle, 
 And John Crowder made the powder, 
 And John Block made the stock, 
 And John Wyming made the priming, 
 And John Brammer made the rammer, 
 And John Scott made the shot, 
 But John Ball shot them all. 
 
 John Clint made the flint, 
 And John Puzzle made the muzzle, 
 And John Crowder made the powder, 
 And John Block made the stock, 
 And John Wyming made the priming, 
 And John Brammer made the rammer, 
 And John Scott made the shot, 
 But John Ball shot them all. 
 
 John Patch made the match, 
 John Clint made the flint, 
 John Puzzle made the muzzle, 
 John Crowder made the powder, 
 John Block made the stock, 
 John Wyming made the priming, 
 John Brammer made the rammer, 
 John Scott made the shot, 
 But John Ball shot them all.
 
 is the MALT 
 
 it lay in the House that Jack buili 
 
 Tmp is the RAT 
 
 That ate the Malt, 
 
 r. 
 
 lay in the House that Jack built. 
 
 Tm^istheCAT 
 I That killed the Rat. 
 That ate the Malt, 
 That lay in the House thatjack built
 
 That worried the Cat} 
 1 That killed the Rat,, 
 
 ? a 
 
 That ate the Malt, 
 
 lay in the House that
 
 Hj5 is.tkeCOWwith the crumpled tor 
 That tossed the Dog, 
 
 That, worried the Cat, 
 
 That killecTtheTKatj 
 That ate the" Malt. 
 
 ,t lay'^infthe House that'Jack' built 
 
 I Hiis th^MAIDENall forlorn, 
 pTtiatjnilked the Cow with the crumpled horn. 
 I That tossed the Dop, S 
 
 That worried the'Cat, 
 
 Hat killed the Eat,
 
 S is the W AH all tattered audt toi 
 1 That kissed the Maiden aU forlon 
 That milked the. Cow 
 
 with the crumpled fioh 
 That tossed the Dog, 
 ,t worried thq Cat, 
 at killed the I\at, 
 That ate the JYCalt, 
 
 lay in the House, 
 
 f 
 
 gp\$ is aePRIESyail shaven and sWn, 
 
 That married the Man all tattered and torn,! 
 
 That kissed Ihe Maiden all forlorn, 
 (That milked the Cow with the crumpled horn, 
 | I That tossed theT)og, 
 
 t I ' , . - 
 
 That worried the Cat, 
 That killed the Rat, 
 That ate the Malt, 
 
 rt fay in the House "that Tack built 
 Qj >
 
 H\$ is theCOCJfohat crowed m thejnjorJ 
 That waked the Priest all shaven and sharp, 
 That married the Man all tattered and tornl 
 That kissed the Maiden all forlorn, 
 That milked the cow with the crumpled 
 
 That tossed the Dog f 
 
 That worried the Cat, 
 
 That killed the Rat, 
 
 that ate the Malt, 
 .t laj in the House that Jack buflt
 
 H I'p is the J^ARWER who sowed the com, 
 Thai fed the Cock that crowed in the tnorft, 
 That waked the Priest all shaven and shorn, 
 /That married the Man all tattered and torn,, 
 That kissed the Maiden all forlorn, 
 
 jnilked the Cow with the crumpled htah 
 That tossed the Dog, \ 
 
 That worried the Cat; 
 
 That killed the Rat, 
 i\ . \ 
 
 That ate the Malt* 
 
 iftfrlay in the- House that Jack bnilt
 
 That belonged to the Fanner who sowed the co 
 
 That fed the Cock that crowed in.the morn, 
 That waked the Priest all shaven and shorn. 
 
 That married the Man all tattered and torn, 
 
 \ 
 That kissed the Maiden all forlorn, 
 
 That milked the Cow with the crumpled 
 
 That tossed the Dog, 
 That worried the Cat^ 
 That killed the Itet, 
 
 is the HOI^SE andi the HOUND and the HO) 
 
 rn. 
 
 horn, 
 
 That ate the Malt, 
 That lay in the House that Tack built,
 
 ^ ACCUMULATIVE STORIES. 389 
 
 The original of ' ' The house that Jack built "is presumed to be a hymn 
 in " Seper Haggadah," fol. 23, a translation of which is here given. The 
 historical interpretation was first given by P. N. Leberecht, at Leipsic, 
 in 1731, and is printed in the "Christian Reformer," vol. xvii., p. 28. 
 The original is in the Chaldee language, and it may be mentioned that a 
 very fine Hebrew manuscript of the fable, with illuminations, is in the 
 possession of George Offer, Esq., London. It is inserted in the Hebrew 
 Passover Service Book and concludes the service for the first two nights 
 of the Passover. 
 
 1. A kid, a kid, my father bought 
 For two pieces of money : 
 
 A kid, a kid. 
 
 2. Then came the cat, and ate the kid, 
 That my father bought 
 
 For two pieces of money : 
 
 A kid, a kid. 
 
 3. Then came the dog, and bit the cat, 
 That ate the kid, 
 
 That my father bought 
 For two pieces of money : 
 
 A kid, a kid. 
 
 4. Then came the staff, and beat the dog, 
 That bit the cat, 
 
 That ate the kid, 
 That my father bought 
 For two pieces of money : 
 
 A kid, a kid. 
 
 5. Then came the fire, and burned the staff 
 That beat the dog, 
 
 That bit the cat, 
 That ate the kid, 
 That my father bought 
 For two pieces of money: 
 
 A kid, a kid.
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 Then came the water, amd quenched the fire, 
 
 That burned the staff, 
 
 That beat the dog, 
 
 That bit the cat, 
 
 That ate the kid, 
 
 That my father bought 
 
 For two pieces of money: 
 
 A kid, a kid. 
 
 Then came the ox and drank the water, 
 
 That quenched the fire, 
 
 That burned the staff, 
 
 That beat the dog, 
 
 That bit the cat, 
 
 That ate the kid, 
 
 That my father bought 
 
 For two pieces of money: 
 
 A kid, a kid. 
 
 Then came the butcher, and slew the ox, 
 
 That drank the water, 
 
 That quenched the fire, 
 
 That burned the staff, 
 
 That beat the dog, 
 
 That bit the cat, 
 
 That ate the kid, 
 
 That my father bought 
 
 For two pieces of money: 
 
 A kid, a kid. 
 
 Then came the angel of death, and killed the butcher, 
 
 That slew the ox, 
 
 That drank the water, 
 
 The quenched the fire, 
 
 That burned the staff, 
 
 That beat the dog,
 
 ACCUMULATIVE STORIES. 391 
 
 That bit the cat, 
 That ate the kid, 
 That my father bought 
 For two pieces of money : 
 
 A kid, a kid 
 
 10. Then came the Holy One, blessed be He 
 And killed the angel of death, 
 That killed the butcher, 
 That slew the ox, 
 That drank the water, 
 That quenched the fire, 
 That burned the staff, 
 That beat the dog, 
 That bit the cat, 
 That ate the kid, 
 That my father bought 
 For two pieces of money: 
 
 A kid, a kid. 
 
 The following is the interpretation: 
 
 1. The kid, which was one of the pure animals, denotes the Hebrews. 
 The father by whom it was purchased is Jehovah, who represents 
 
 Himself as sustaining this relation to the Hebrew nation. The two 
 pieces of money signify Moses and Aaron, through whose mediation the 
 Hebrews were brought out of Egypt. 
 
 2. The cat denotes the Assyrians, by whom the ten tribes were carried 
 into captivity. 
 
 3. The dog is symbolical of the Babylonians. 
 
 4. The staff signifies the Persians. 
 
 5. The fire indicates the Grecian empire under Alexander the Great. 
 
 6. The water betokens the Roman, or the fourth of the great monar- 
 chies to whose dominion the Jews were subjected. 
 
 7. The ox is a symbol of the Saracens, who subdued Palestine, and 
 brought it under the caliphate. 
 
 8. The butcher that killed the ox denotes the crusaders, by whom the 
 Holy Land was wrested out of the hands of the Saracens. 
 
 9. The angel of death signifies the Turkish power, by which the land 
 of Palestine was taken from the Franks, and to which it is still subject. 
 
 10. The commencement of the tenth stanza is designed to show that 
 God will take signal vengeance on the Turks, immediately after whose 
 overthrow the Jews are to be restored to their own land, and live under 
 the government of their long-expected Messiah,
 
 392 NURSERY RHYMES. ^ 
 
 AN old 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; the piggy would not go over the stile. 
 
 She went a little farther, and she met a dog. So she 
 said to the dog, ' ' Dog ! bite pig ; piggy won't go 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; 
 piggy 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," (and so fort k, always repeating the 
 foregoing words. ) 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," &c. 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, " 
 &c. 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," &c. 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, " &c. But the rope would not. 
 
 So she went a little farther, and she met a rat. So 
 she said, "Rat! rat! gnaw rope; rope won't hang 
 butcher, " &c. But the rat would not. 
 
 So she went a little farther, and she met a cat. So 
 she said, "Cat! cat! kill rat, rat won't gnaw rope,"
 
 394 NURSERY EHYMES. 
 
 &c. But the cat said to her, ' ' If you will go to yonder 
 cow and fetch me a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat. " 
 So away went the old woman to the cow. 
 
 But the cow said to her, ' ' If you will go to yonder 
 haystack* and fetch me a handful of hay, I'll give you 
 the milk. " So away went the old woman to the hay- 
 stack ; and she brought the hay to the cow. 
 
 As soon as the cow had eaten the hay she gave the 
 old woman the milk, and away she went with it in a 
 saucer to the cat. 
 
 As soon as the cat had lapped up the milk, the cat 
 began to kill the rat; the rat began to gnaw the rope; 
 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 be- 
 gan to bite the pig; the little pig in a fright jumped 
 over the stile; and so the old woman got home that 
 night. 
 
 * Or haymakers, proceeding thus in the stead of the rest of this para- 
 graph: * ' And fetch me a wisp of hay, I'll give you the milk." So away 
 the old woman went; but the haymakers said to her, "If you will go to 
 yonder stream and fetch us a bucket of water, we'll give you the hay." 
 So away the old woman went, but when she got to the stream, she found 
 the bucket was full of holes. So she covered the bottom with pebbles, 
 and then filled the bucket with water, and away she went back with it to 
 the haymakers, and they gave her a wisp of hay.
 
 396 
 
 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 TITTY MOUSE and Tatty Mouse both lived in a hov*e, 
 Titty Mouse went a-leasing, and Tatty Mouse we*rt 
 
 a-leasing 
 So they both went a-leasing. 
 
 Titty Mouse leased an ear of corn, and Tatty Mouse 
 
 leased an ear of corn, 
 So they both leased an ear of corn. 
 
 Titty Mouse made a pudding, and Tatty Mouse made a 
 
 pudding, 
 
 So they both made a pudding. 
 
 And Tatty Mouse put her pudding into the pot to boil, 
 But when Titty went to put hers in the pot, it tumbled 
 
 over and scalded her to death.
 
 ACCUMULATIVE STORIES. 397 
 
 Then Tatty sat down and wept. Then a three-legged 
 stool said, ' ' Tatty, why do you weep?" ' Titty's dead, " 
 said Tatty, "and so I weep." Then said the stool, 
 "I'll hop;" so the stool hopped. Then a besom in the 
 corner of the room said, "Stool, why do you hop?" 
 "Oh!" said the stool, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, 
 and so I hop." Then said the besom, "I'll sweep;" 
 so the besom began to sweep. Then said the door, 
 " Besom, why do you sweep?" "Oh!" said the besom, 
 "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, and the stool hops, 
 and so I sweep." Then said the door, "I'll jar;" so 
 the door jarred. Then said the window, "Door, why 
 do you jar?" "Oh!" said the door, " Titty's dead, and 
 Tatty weeps, and the stool hops, and the besom sweeps, 
 and so I jar." Then said the window, "111 creak;" 
 so the window creaked. Now, there was an old form 
 outside the house, and when the window creaked, the 
 form said, "Window, why do you creak?" "Oh!" 
 said the window, " Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, and 
 the stool hops, and the besom sweeps, the door jars, 
 and so I creak." Then said the old form, "I'll run 
 round the house;" then the old form ran rouud the 
 house. Now, there was a fine large walnut-tree grow- 
 ing by the cottage, and the tree said to the form, 
 "Form, why do you run round the house?" "Oh!" 
 said the form, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, and the 
 stool hops, and the besom sweeps, the door jars, and 
 the window creaks, and so I run round the house." 
 Then said the walnut tree, "I'll shed my leaves;" so 
 the walnut-tree shed all its beautiful green leaves. 
 Now, there was a little bird perched on one of the 
 boughs of the tree, and when all the leaves fell, it said, 
 " Walnut-tree, why do you shed your leaves?" "Oh!" 
 said the tree, " Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, the stool 
 hops, and the besom sweeps, the door jars, and the
 
 398 JVURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 window creaks, the old form runs round the house, and 
 so I shed my leaves." Then said the little bird, "I'll 
 moult all my feathers;" so he moulted all his pretty 
 feathers. Now, there was a little girl walking- below, 
 carrying a jug of milk for her brothers' and sisters' sup- 
 per, and when she saw the poor little bird moult all its 
 feathers, she said, ' ' Little bird, why do you moult all 
 your feathers?" "Oh!" said the little bird, "Titty's 
 dead, and Tatty weeps, the stool hops, and the besom 
 sweeps, the door jars, and the window creaks, the old 
 form runs round the house, the walnut-tree sheds its 
 leaves, and so I moult all my feathers. " Then said the 
 little girl, "I'll spill the milk;" so she dropped the 
 pitcher and spilt the milk. Now, there was an old man 
 just by on the top of a ladder thatching a rick, 
 and when he saw the little girl spill the milk, 
 he said, ' ' Little girl, what do you mean by spilling 
 the milk? Your little brothers and sisters must go 
 without their supper." Then said the little girl, 
 "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, the stool hops, and the 
 besom sweeps, the door jars, and the window creaks, the 
 the old form runs round the house, the walnut-tree 
 sheds all its leaves, the little bird moults all 
 its feathers, and so I spilt the milk." "Oh!" said 
 the old man, "then I'll tumble off the ladder and break 
 my neck;" so he tumbled off the ladder and broke his 
 neck. And when the old man broke his neck, the great 
 walnut-tree fell down with a crash, and upset the old 
 form and house, and the house falling knocked the win- 
 dow out, and the window knocked the door down, and 
 the door upset the besom, the besom upset the stool, 
 and poor little Tatty Mouse was buried beneath the 
 ruins.
 
 NINETEENTH CLASS. 
 
 fireside Stories. 
 
 THE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS. 
 
 ONCE upon a time there was an old sow with three 
 little pigs, and as she had not enough to keep them, she 
 sent them out to seek their fortune. The first that 
 went off met a man with a bundle of straw, and said to 
 him, " Please, man, give me that straw to build me a 
 house;" which the man did, and the little pig built a 
 house with it. Presently came along a wolf, and 
 knocked at the door and said, ' ' Little pig, little pig, let 
 me come in. " 
 
 To which the pig answered, ' ' No, no, by the hair of 
 my chiny chin chin." 
 
 The wolf then answered to that, "Then I'll huff, and 
 I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in." So he huffed, 
 and he puffed, and he blew his house in, and ate up the 
 little pig. 
 
 The second little pig met a man with a bundle of 
 furze, and said, "Please, man, give me that furze to 
 build a house;" which the man did, and the pig built 
 his house. Then along came the wolf, and said, 
 " Little pig, little pig, let me come in." 
 
 " No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin." 
 
 "Then I'll puff, and I'll huff, and I'll blow your 
 house in. " So he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed, 
 and he huffed, and at last he blew the house down, and 
 he ate up the little pig. 
 
 The third little pig met a man with a load of bricks, 
 and said, ' ' Please, man, give me those bricks to build 
 a house with;" so the man gave him the bricks, and he 
 built his house with them. So the wolf came, as he did 
 to the other little pigs, and said, " Little pig, little pig, 
 let me come in." 
 
 " No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin." 
 
 "Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your 
 house in." 
 
 Well, he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and 
 he puffed, and he puffed, and he huffed; but he could 
 not get the house down. When he found that he could 
 not, with all his huffing and puffing, blow the housf) 
 
 [399]
 
 400 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 down, he said, ' ' Little pig, I know where there is a nice 
 field of turnips." 
 
 "Where?" said the little pig. 
 
 "Oh, in Mr. Smith's home-field, and if you will be 
 ready to-morrow morning I will call for you, and we 
 will go together, and get some for dinner. " 
 
 "Very well," said the little pig, "I will be ready. 
 What time do you mean to go ?" 
 
 "Oh, at six o'clock." 
 
 Well, the little pig got up at five, and got the turnips 
 before the wolf came (which he did about six) and 
 who said, " Little pig, are you ready?" 
 
 The little pig said, ' ' Ready ! I have been, and come 
 back again, and got a nice pot-full for dinner." 
 
 The wolf felt very angry at this, but thought that he 
 would be up to the little pig somehow or other, so he 
 he said, ' ' Little pig, I know where there is a nice apple- 
 tree." 
 
 "Where?" said the pig. 
 
 " Down at Merry-garden," replied the wolf, "and if 
 you will not deceive me I will come for you, at five 
 o'clock to-morrow, and we will go together and get 
 some apples. " 
 
 Well, the little pig bustled up the next morning at 
 four o'clock, and went off for the apples, hoping to get 
 back before the wolf came ; but he had farther to go, 
 and had to climb the tree, so that just as he was coming 
 down from it, he saw the wolf coming, which, as you 
 may suppose, frightened him very much. When the 
 wolf came up he said, " Little pig, what! are you here 
 before me? Are they nice apples ?" 
 
 " Yes, very," said the little pig. " I will throw you 
 down one;" and he threw it so far, that, while the wolf 
 was gone to pick it up, the little pig jumped down and 
 ran home. 
 
 The next day the wolf came again, and said to the 
 little pig, "Little pig, there is a fair at Shanklin this 
 afternoon, will you go?" 
 
 "Oh, yes," said the pig, " I will go; what time shall 
 you be ready?" 
 
 ** At three," said the wolf.
 
 402 NURSEEY RHYMES. ^ 
 
 So the little pig went off before the time as usual, 
 and got to the fair, and bought a butter- churn, which 
 he was going home with, when he saw the wolf coming. 
 Then he could not tell what to do. So he got into the 
 churn to hide, and by so doing turned it round, and it 
 rolled down the hill with the pig in it, which frightened 
 the wolf so much, that he ran home without going to 
 the fair. He went to the little pig's house, and told 
 him how frightened he had been by a great round thing 
 which came down the hill past him. Then the little pig 
 said, " Hah, I frightened you, then? I had been to the 
 fair and bought a butter- churn, and when I saw you, I 
 got into it, and rolled down the hill." Then the wol 
 was very angry indeed, and delared he would eat up the 
 little pig, and that he would get down the chimney after 
 him. When the little pig saw what he was about, he 
 hung on the pot full of water, and made up a blazing 
 fire, and, just as the wolf was coming down, took off 
 the cover, and in fell the wolf; so the little pig put on 
 the cover again in an instant, boiled him up, and ate 
 him for supper, and lived happy ever after. 
 
 TEENY-TINY.* 
 
 ONCE upon a time there was a teeny-tiny woman 
 lived in a teeny- tiny house in a teeny-tiny village. Now, 
 one day this teeny-tiny woman put on her teeny-tiny 
 bonnet, and went out of her teeny-tiny house to take a 
 teeny-tiny walk. And when this teeny-tiny woman 
 had gone a teeny-tiny way, she came to a teeny-tiny 
 gate; so the teeny-tiny woman opened the teeny-tiny 
 gate, and went into a teeny -tiny churchyard. And 
 when this teeny -tiny woman had got into the teeny- tiny 
 churchyard, she saw a teeny tiny bone on a teeny-tiny 
 grave, and the teeny-tiny woman said to her teeny-tiny 
 self, "This teeny-tiny bone will make me some teeny- 
 tiny soup for my teeny tiny supper " So the teeny- tiny 
 
 *This simple tale seldom fails to rivet the attention of children, es- 
 pecially if well told. 'I he last two words should be said loudly with a 
 Start. It was obtained from oral tradition.
 
 FIRESIDE STORIES. 403 
 
 woman put the teeny-tiny bone into her teeny-tiny 
 pocket, and went home to her teeny-tiny house. 
 
 Now when the teeny-tiny woman got home to her 
 teeny- tiny house, she was a teeny- tiny tired; so she 
 went up her teeny-tiny stairs to her teeny-tiny bed, and 
 put the teeny-tiny bone into a teeny-tiny cupboard. 
 And when this teeny-tiny woman had been asleep a 
 teeny-tiny time, she was awakened by a teeny-tiny voice 
 from the teeny-tiny cupboard, which said, ' ' Give me 
 my bone!" And this teeny-tiny woman was a teeny-tiny 
 frightened, so she hid her teeny-tiny head under the 
 teeny-tiny clothes, and went to sleep again. And when 
 she had been to sleep again a teeny-tiny time, the teeny- 
 tiny voice again cried out from the teeny-tiny cupboard 
 a teeny-tiny louder, "Give me my bone!" This made 
 the teeny-tiny woman a teeny-tiny more frightened, so 
 she hid her teeny-tiny head a teeny-tiny farther under 
 the teeny-tiny clothes, And when the teeny- tiny woman 
 had been to sleep again a teeny tiny time, the teeny- 
 tiny voice from the teeny- tiny cupboard said again a 
 teeny-tiny louder, "GIVE ME MY BONE!" At this the 
 teeny- tiny woman was a teeny- tiny bit more frightened, 
 but she put her teeny-tiny head out of the teeny-tiny 
 clothes, and said in her loudest teeny- tiny voice, " TAKE 
 IT!!" 
 
 THE MISER AND HIS WIFE.* 
 
 ONCE upon a time there was an old miser, who lived 
 with his wife near a great town, and used to put by 
 every bit of money he could lay his hands on. His 
 wife was a simple woman, and they lived together with- 
 out quarreling, but she was obliged to put up with very 
 
 * "Let us cast away nothing," says Mr. Gifford, "for we know not 
 what use we may have for it." So will every one admit whose reading 
 has been sufficiently extensive to enable him to judge of the value of the 
 simplest traditional tales. The present illustrates a passage in Ben Jon- 
 son in a very remarkable manner: 
 
 Say we are robbed, 
 If any come to borrow a spoon or so; 
 I will not have Good Fortune or God's Blessing 
 Let in while I am busy.
 
 404 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 hard fare. Now, sometimes, when there was a six- 
 pence she thought might be spared for a comfortable 
 dinner or supper, she used to ask the miser for it, but he 
 would say, ' ' No, wife, it must be put by for Good For- 
 tune. " It was the same with every penny he could get 
 hold of, and, notwithstanding all she could say, almost 
 every coin that came into the house was "put by for 
 Good Fortune." 
 
 The miser said this so often that some of his neigh- 
 bors heard him, and one of them thought of a trick by 
 which he might get the money. So the first day that 
 the old chuff was away from home, he dressed himself 
 like a wayfaring man, and knocked at the door. ' ' Who 
 are you?" said the wife. He answered, " I am Good 
 Fortune, and I am come for the money which your hus- 
 band has laid by for me." So this simple woman, not 
 suspecting any trickery, readily gave it to him, and when 
 her good man came home, told him very pleasantly that 
 Good Fortune had called for the money which had been 
 kept so long for him. 
 
 THE THREE QUESTIONS. 
 
 THERE lived formerly in the county of Cumberland a 
 nobleman who had three sons, two of whom were 
 comely and clever youths, but the other was a natural 
 fool, named Jack, who was generally dressed in a parti- 
 colored coat and a steeple-crowned hat with a tassel, as 
 became his condition. Now, the King of the East 
 Angles had a beautiful daughter, who was distinguished 
 by her great ingenuity and wit, and he issued a decree 
 that whoever should answer three questions put to him 
 by the Princess should have her in marriage, and be 
 heir to the crown at his decease. Shortly after this 
 decree was published, news of it reached the ears of the 
 nobleman's sons, and the two clever ones determined 
 to have a trial, but they were sadly at a loss to prevent 
 their idiot brother from going with them. They could 
 not by any means get rid of him, and were compelled 
 at length to let Jack accompany them. They had not 
 gone far before Jack shrieked with laughter, saying, 
 " I have found an egg. " " Put it in your pocket," said
 
 FIRESIDE STORIES. 405 
 
 the brothers. A little while afterwards he burst out 
 into another fit of laughter on finding a crooked hazel 
 stick, which he also put in his pocket ; and a third time 
 he again laughed extravagantly because he found a 
 nut. That also was put with his other treasures. 
 
 When they arrived at the palace, they were imme- 
 diately admitted on mentioning the nature of their 
 business, and were ushered into a room where the Prin- 
 cess and her suite were sitting. Jack, who never stood 
 on ceremony, bawled out, ' ' What a troop of fair ladies 
 we've got here!" "Yes," said the Princess, "we are 
 fair ladies, for we carry fire in our bosoms." "Do 
 you?" said Jack, "then roast me an egg, "pulling out 
 the egg from his pocket. " How will you get it out 
 again?" said the Princess. "With a crooked stick," 
 replied Jack, producing the hazel. "Where did that 
 come from?" said the Princess. "From a nut," an- 
 swered Jack, pulling out the nut from his pocket. And 
 "thus the fool of the family," having been the first to 
 answer the questions of the Princess, was married to 
 her the next day, and ultimately succeeded to the 
 throne. 
 
 THE CAT AND THE MOUSE.* 
 
 THE cat and the mouse 
 Played in the malt-house: 
 
 The cat bit the mouse's tail off. "Pray, puss, give me 
 my tail." "No," says the cat, "I'll not give you your 
 tail, till you go to the cow, and fetch me some milk." 
 
 First she leapt, and then she ran, 
 
 Till she came to the cow, and thus began, 
 
 "Pray, cow, give me milk, that I may give cat milk, 
 that cat may give me my own tail again." "No," 
 said the cow, " I will give you no milk, till you go to 
 the farmer and get me some hay. " 
 
 First she leapt, and then she ran, 
 
 Till she came to the farmer, and thus began, 
 
 "This tale has been traced back fifty years, but it is probably con- 
 siderably older.
 
 406 NURSERY RHYMES. 
 
 "Pray, farmer, give me hay, that I may give cow 
 hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may give cat 
 milk, that cat may give me my own tail again." 
 "No," says the farmer, " I'll give you no hay, till you 
 go to the butcher and fetch me some meat." 
 
 First she leapt, and then she ran, 
 
 Till she came to the butcher, and thus began, 
 
 Pray, butcher, give me meat, that I may give farmer 
 meat, that farmer may give me hay, that I may give 
 cow hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may give 
 cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again." 
 " No, " says the butcher, " I'll give you no meat till you 
 go to the baker and fetch me some bread." 
 
 First she leapt, and then she ran, 
 
 Till she came to the baker, and thus began, 
 
 " Pray, baker, give me bread, that I may give butcher 
 bread, that butcher may give me meat, that I may give 
 farmer meat, that farmer may give me hay, that I may 
 give cow hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may 
 give cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again. " 
 
 "Yes," says the baker, " I'll give you some bread, 
 But if you eat my meal, I'll cut off your head." 
 
 Then the baker gave mouse bread, and mouse gave 
 butcher bread, and butcher gave mouse meat, and mouse 
 gave farmer meat, and farmer gave mouse hay, and 
 mouse gave cow hay, and cow gave mouse milk, and 
 mouse gave cat milk, and cat gave mouse her own tail 
 again !
 
 INDEX. 
 
 FIRST CLASS. 
 
 HISTORICAL. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 As I was going by Charing 
 
 Cross 22 
 
 As I walked by myself 22 
 
 At the siege of Belleisle 20 
 
 Doctor Sacheverel 21 
 
 Eighty-eight wor Kirby f eight. 25 
 Good Queen Bess was a glor- 
 ious dame 20 
 
 Ho! Master Teague, what is 
 
 your story? 21 
 
 High diddle ding 26 
 
 High ding a ding and ho ding 
 
 a ding. 26 
 
 Hector Protector was dressed 
 
 all in green 23 
 
 I had a little nut-tree, nothing 
 
 would bear it 17 
 
 Jim and George were two great 
 
 lords 25 
 
 Little General Monk 16 
 
 Old King Cole 15 
 
 Over the water and over the 
 
 lea 26 
 
 Please to remember 23 
 
 Poor old Robinson Crusoe ! . . . . 26 
 
 Robin Hood, Robin Hood 17 
 
 See saw, sack-a-day 22 
 
 The King of France, and four 
 
 thousand men 19 
 
 The King of France went up 
 
 the hill 19 
 
 The King of France, with 
 
 twenty thousand men 20 
 
 The King of France, the King 
 of France, with forty thou- 
 sand men 20 
 
 The twenty-ninth of May 20 
 
 The rose is red, the grass is 
 
 green 20 
 
 There was a monkey climbed 
 
 up a tree 24 
 
 We make no spare 22 
 
 When good King Arthur ruled 
 thisland 18 
 
 PAGB 
 
 When Arthur first in court 
 
 began 16 
 
 What is the rhyme for porin- 
 
 _ger.. 16 
 
 William and Mary, George and 
 Anne 21 
 
 SECOND CLASS. 
 
 LITERAL. 
 
 A, B, C, tumble down D 84 
 
 A,B,C,andD 31 
 
 A was an archer, and shot at a 
 
 frog 3 
 
 A was an angler 36 
 
 A for the ape we saw at the fair. 42 
 
 A was an apple-pie 34 
 
 At reck'ning let's play 82 
 
 Apple-pie pudding and pan- 
 
 Come hither, little pussy-cat. . 
 Come hither, little puppy dog. 
 Come hither, pretty cockatoo. 
 Come hither, then, good little 
 
 boy 
 
 F for fig, J for jig 
 
 Great A, little a 
 
 Hickery, dickery, 6 and 7 
 
 Miss One, Two and Three 
 
 One. two, three 
 
 One's none 
 
 One, two, buckle my shoe 
 
 One, 2, 3, 4, 5! I caught a hare 
 
 alive 
 
 Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's 
 
 man I 
 
 Twenty, nineteen, eighteen. . . 
 Who is that I heard call ?. . . . 
 
 THIRD CLASS. 
 
 TALES. 
 
 A dog and a cock a journey 
 oncetook 69 
 
 Bryan O'Lin and his wife and 
 wife's mother 58 
 
 27 
 
 38 
 
 [407]
 
 408 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Doctor Foster went to Glo'ster. 61 
 Have you ever heard of Billy 
 
 Pringle's pig ? 43 
 
 I had a little hobby-horse 66 
 
 Little Blue Betty lived in a 
 
 lane 62 
 
 Little Tom Tittlemouse 45 
 
 Little King Boggen he built a 
 
 fine hall 59 
 
 Little Jack Jelf 48 
 
 Little Willie Winkie 57 
 
 Little Tom Twig 53 
 
 Little Jack Horner 67 
 
 Little Tommy Tittlemouse. . . 48 
 
 My dear, do you know 44 
 
 My Lady Wind, my Lady Wind 63 
 
 Moss was a little man 59 
 
 Old Mother Goose 54 
 
 Old Abram Brown 63 
 
 Our saucy boy Dick 58 
 
 Pemmy was a pretty girl 58 
 
 Punch and Judy 46 
 
 Robin the Bobbin 46 
 
 Robin and Richard were two 
 
 pretty men 55 
 
 Solomon Grundy 43 
 
 Simple Simon met a pieman. . . 47 
 There was an old man of Can- 
 tyre 65 
 
 There was a fat man of Bom- 
 bay 45 
 
 There was a crooked man 49 
 
 There was a little man 52 
 
 There was a man, and he had 
 
 nought. . 50 
 
 There was an old woman who 
 
 rode on a broom 68 
 
 There was a king, and he had 
 
 three daughters 69 
 
 There was a jolly miller 46 
 
 The man in the moon 63 
 
 The lion and the unicorn 59 
 
 The Queen of Hearts, she made 
 
 some tarts 64 
 
 Three wise men of Gotham 56 
 
 Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy 
 
 was a thief 60 
 
 Two little dogs 53 
 
 Tom, Tom, the piper's son 62 
 
 Tommy kept a chandler's shop. 61 
 When I was a little girl, about 
 
 seven years old 55 
 
 When little Fred went to bed. . 57 
 
 FOURTH CLASS. 
 
 A man of words and not of 
 deeds... . 72 
 
 PAGK 
 
 A swarm of bees in May 71 
 
 A pullet in the pen 73 
 
 A sunshiny shower 73 
 
 A guinea it would sink 78 
 
 A cat may look at a king 79 
 
 As the days grow longer 73 
 
 As the days lengthen 76 
 
 Beer a bumble 80 
 
 Bounce Buckram, velvet'sdear. 70 
 
 Friday night's dream 79 
 
 For every evil under the sun . . 72 
 
 Go to bed first, a golden purse. 76 
 
 Gray's Inn for walks 80 
 
 He that goes to see his wheat 
 
 in May 77 
 
 He that would thrive 78 
 
 He that hath it and will not 
 
 keepit 80 
 
 If wishes were horses 72 
 
 If you sneeze on Monday 73 
 
 InJuly 78 
 
 In time of prosperity friends 
 
 will be plenty 80 
 
 Lazy Lawrence, let me go 77 
 
 March will search, April will 
 
 try 79 
 
 Nature requires five 70 
 
 Needles and pins 73 
 
 St. Swithin's Day, if thou dost 
 
 rain 70 
 
 See a pin and pick it up 76 
 
 Shoe the horse, shoe the mare . 70 
 
 Sow in the sop 80 
 
 To make your candles last for 
 
 aye 71 
 
 Three straws on a staff 76 
 
 They that wash on Monday ... 73 
 
 The mackerel's cry 78 
 
 Titfortat 79 
 
 Trim tram 79 
 
 The fair maid who, the first of 
 
 May 80 
 
 The art of good driving is a 
 
 paradox quite 79 
 
 When the sand doth feed the 
 
 clay 79 
 
 When the wind is in the east . . 74 
 
 Yeow mussent sing a' Sunday. 77 
 
 FIFTH CLASS. 
 
 SCHOLASTIC. 
 
 A diller, a dollar 81 
 
 At Dover dwellsGeorge Brown, 
 
 Esquire 82 
 
 Birch and green holly, boys... 81 
 
 Cross-patch 84 
 
 Come when you're called 82 
 
 Doctor Faustus was a goodman 85
 
 INDEX. 
 
 409 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Father lohnson, Nicholas John- 
 son's son 86 
 
 If "ifs"and"ands" 85 
 
 In fir tar is 82 
 
 Legomotion 82 
 
 Mistress Mary, quite contrary. 86 
 
 Multiplication is vexation 83 
 
 My story's ended 86 
 
 Speak when you're spoken to . . 81 
 
 Tell tale, tit! 82 
 
 Thirty days hath September. . 85 
 
 The rose is red 82 
 
 When I was a little boy I had 
 
 but little wit 85 
 
 When V and I together meet. . 86 
 
 SIXTH CLASS. 
 
 SONGS. 
 
 A pretty little girl in a round 
 
 eared cap 99 
 
 A frog he would a-wooing go.. 124 
 A carrion crow sat on an oak.. 120 
 
 About the bush, Willy 102 
 
 As 1 was going along, long ... 99 
 
 As I was going up the hill 102 
 
 As I was walking o'er Little 
 
 Moorfields 
 
 As I was going to Derby 132 
 
 Away, birds, away ! 122 
 
 Buz, quoth the blue fly 106 
 
 Dame, get up and bake your 
 
 pies 123 
 
 Elsie Marley is grown so fine . . 110 
 
 Hot-cross buns! 112 
 
 How does my lady's garden 
 
 grow ? 123 
 
 Hie hoc, the carrion crows 121 
 
 I have been to market, my lady. 108 
 I love sixpence, pretty little 
 
 sixpence 107 
 
 I will sing you a song 132 
 
 I'll sing you a song 128 
 
 I saw three ships come sailing by 130 
 If I'd as much money as I 
 
 could spend 104 
 
 Johnny shall have a new bon- 
 net 107 
 
 Jacky, come give me the fiddle 106 
 John Cook had a little grey 
 
 mare Ill 
 
 Little Tom Dagget ... 95 
 
 Lend me thy mare to ride a 
 
 mile? 89 
 
 Little Bo-peep has lost his 
 
 sheep 97 
 
 London Bridge is broken down 105 
 My father left me three acres 
 
 of land 108 
 
 PAGE 
 Merry are the bells and merry 
 
 would they ring 118 
 
 My father he died, but I can't 
 
 tell you how 103 
 
 My maid Mary she minds her 
 
 dairy 97 
 
 Oh, where are you going 87 
 
 Oh, who is so merry, so merry 
 
 heigh-ho! 131 
 
 Old Father of the Pye 102 
 
 Of all the gay birds that e'er 
 
 I did see 113 
 
 One misty, moisty morning. . . 94 
 
 Polly, put the kettle on 90 
 
 Says t' auld man tit oak-tree . . 96 
 
 Sing a song of sixpence 100 
 
 Some up and some down 102 
 
 Sing song 1 merry go round . . . 113 
 The white dove sat on the cas- 
 tle wall 94 
 
 The north wind doth blow. ... Ill 
 The miller he grinds his corn, 
 
 his corn 129 
 
 There was a man in our toone. 129 
 There were three jovial hunts- 
 men 123 
 
 There were two birds sat on a 
 
 stone 121 
 
 There was a frog lived in a 
 
 well 114 
 
 The fox and his wife they had 
 
 agreatstrife 93 
 
 There was a jolly miller 103 
 
 Tom he was a piper's SOD 116 
 
 Trip upon trenchers an- dance 
 
 upon dishes 104 
 
 Three blind mice, see how they 
 
 run! .. 92 
 
 Up at Piccadilly, oh 1 89 
 
 Whistle, daughter, thistle.... 128 
 Where are you going my 
 
 pretty maid? 88 
 
 Wooley Foster has gone to sea . 109 
 
 Wolley Foster has a cow 110 
 
 Where are you going my 
 
 pretty maid? 88 
 
 When I was a little boy 98 
 
 You shall have an apple 89 
 
 SEVENTH CLASS. 
 
 A flock of white sheep 135 
 
 A house full, a yard full 146 
 
 A riddle, a riddle, as I suppose. 147 
 A water there is I must pass . . 150 
 As soft as silk, as white as milk 153 
 As I was going o'er Tipple Tine 152
 
 410 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 PAGB 
 
 As I went through my houter 
 
 touter 152 
 
 As I went over Hottery Tot- 
 tery 150 
 
 As I was going to St. Ives .... 149 
 As I went over Lincoln Bridge. 148 
 As I was going o'er Westmin- 
 ster Bridge 148 
 
 As I went through the garden 
 
 gap 147 
 
 As round as an apple, as deep 
 
 as a cup 147 
 
 As straight as a Maypole 145 
 
 As I was going o'er yon moor 
 
 of moss 143 
 
 As white as milk 141 
 
 As high as a castle 141 
 
 As I looked out of my chamber 
 
 window.... 138 
 
 As I was going o'er London 
 
 Bridge 135, 136, 144 
 
 At the end of my yard there is 
 
 a vat 144 
 
 Arthur O'Bower has broken 
 
 his band 140 
 
 Black we are, but much ad- 
 mired 140 
 
 Banks f ull, braes full 142 
 
 Black'm, sant'm, rough'm 
 
 glower'm, saw 145 
 
 Black within and red without. 147 
 Congealed water and Cain's 
 
 brother 147 
 
 Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy and 
 
 Bess 146 
 
 Every lord in this land 146 
 
 Flour of England, fruit of 
 
 Spain 143 
 
 Formed long ago, yet made to- 
 day 148 
 
 Hoddy-doddy 135 
 
 Hick-a-more, Hack-a-more 136 
 
 Higgeldy piggeldy 138 
 
 Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. 139 
 Higher than a house, higher 
 
 than a tree 149 
 
 Hitty Pitty within the wall. . . 149 
 Highty, tighty, paradighty 
 
 clothed in green 152 
 
 Humpty Dumpty lay in a beck. 153 
 I went to the wood and got it.. 134 
 I have a little sister, they call 
 
 her peep, peep 136 
 
 I went into my grandmother's 
 
 garden ... 138 
 
 I am become of flesh and blood . 144 
 I saw a fight the other day ... 150 
 I have four sisters beyond the 
 sea .. 151 
 
 PAGB! 
 I had a little castle upon the 
 
 sea-sand 152 
 
 I'm in everyone's way 134 
 
 In marble walls as white as 
 
 milk 143 
 
 I've seen you where you never 
 
 was 142 
 
 Into my house came neighbor 
 
 John 145 
 
 Jackatawad ran over the moor. 145 
 
 Lives in winter 136 
 
 Lillylow, lillylow, set up on an 
 
 end 144 
 
 Link lank on a bank . 145 
 
 Long legs, crooked thighs 146 
 
 Little Nancy Etticoat 148 
 
 Made in London 138 
 
 Make three-fourths of across.. 142 
 
 Over the water 146 
 
 Old Mother Twitchett 136 
 
 Old father Greybeard 136 
 
 Purple, yellow, red and green. 138 
 
 Pease-porridge hot 147 
 
 Riddle-me, riddle-me, riddle- 
 
 me-ree 134 
 
 Riddle me, riddle me, what is 
 
 that 135 
 
 See, see ! what shall I see? 149 
 
 Ten and ten and twice eleven . 152 
 
 The cuckoo and the gawk 134 
 
 The fiddler and his wife 135 
 
 The land was white 141 
 
 The calf, the goose, the bee. . . 140 
 
 The moon nine days old 146 
 
 The first letter of our fore- 
 
 fadye 148 
 
 There was a girl in our town . . 133 
 There was a little green house. 135 
 There was a King met a King. 143 
 There a man went over the 
 
 Wash 144 
 
 There were three sisters in a 
 
 hall 147 
 
 There was a man rode through 
 
 our town 147 
 
 There was a man who had no 
 
 eyes 148 
 
 There is a bird of great renown 150 
 Thomas a Tattamus took two 
 
 T's 140 
 
 Twelve pears hanging high 141 
 Three words I know to be true 141 
 Two legs sat upon three legs. . 149 
 Two legs sat upon three legs. . 145 
 Thirty white horses upon a red 
 
 hill 146 
 
 When I went up sandy hill. . . 136 
 What shoemaker makes shoes 
 
 without leather 137
 
 INDEX. 
 
 411 
 
 PAGE 
 
 When I was taken from the 
 
 fair body 140 
 
 What God never sees 141 
 
 Which weighs heavier 144 
 
 EIGHTH CLASS. 
 
 CHARMS. 
 A thatcher of Thatchwood .... 155 
 
 Cushy cow bonny 154 
 
 Come, butter, come 155 
 
 Hickup, hickup, go away ! 156 
 
 Hickup, snicup 156 
 
 I went to the toad 154 
 
 If you love me, pop and fly. . . 156 
 Matthew, Mark, Luke and 
 
 John 157 
 
 My father he left me 157 
 
 My grandmother sent me a 
 
 three-cornered handkerchief. 156 
 
 Peter Piper picked a peck 155 
 
 Robert Rowley rolled a round 
 
 roll round 156 
 
 Swan swam over the sea 156 
 
 Three Crooked cripples 156 
 
 When a Twister a-twisting ... 155 
 
 NINTH CLASS. 
 
 GAFFERS AND GAMMERS. 
 
 A little old man and I fell out. 175 
 
 A little old man of Derby 167 
 
 Dame Trot and her cat 172 
 
 Father Short caine down the 
 
 lane 173 
 
 Old Mother Hubbard 161 
 
 Old Betty Blue 168 
 
 Old Mother Niddity Nod 175 
 
 Oh, dear, what can the matter 
 
 be? 171 
 
 There was an old woman 171 
 
 There was an old woman lived 
 
 under a hill 173 
 
 There was an old woman had 
 
 three sons 169 
 
 There was an old man who 
 
 lived in a wood 170 
 
 There was an old woman as 
 
 I've heard tell 158 
 
 There was an old woman 168 
 
 There was an old man who 
 
 lived in Middle Row 177 
 
 There was an old woman of 
 
 Leeds 177 
 
 There was an old man of To- 
 bago 160 
 
 There was an old woman of 
 
 Norwich... .. 174 
 
 PAGE 
 There was an old man and he 
 
 hadacalf 173 
 
 There was an old woman called 
 
 Nothing-at-all 174 
 
 There was an old woman in 
 
 Surrey 174 
 
 There was an old woman tossed 
 
 up in a basket 176 
 
 TENTH CLASS. 
 
 A game at ball 194 
 
 A duck and a drake 195 
 
 A play with the face 215 
 
 Awake, arise, pull out your 
 
 eyes 185 
 
 A game of the fox 218 
 
 A game of the fingers 221 
 
 Bat, bat, come under my hat. . 214 
 
 Brow brinky, eye winky 215 
 
 Buff says Buff to all his men. . 181 
 
 Bo peeper, nose dreeper 215 
 
 Beans and butter 208 
 
 Come, my children, come away 178 
 
 Cuckoo, cherry-tree 194 
 
 Clap hands, clap hands. 206 
 
 Clap hands, clap hands 212 
 
 Dance, Thumbkin, dance 180 
 
 Drop-glove 192 
 
 Draw a pail of water 213 
 
 Eye winker, Tom Tinker 216 
 
 Eggs, butter, bread 217 
 
 Enclosure game 197 
 
 Flowers, flowers, high-do! 217 
 
 Fox a fox, a brummalary 218 
 
 First pig went to market 193 
 
 Game of the Gipsy 212 
 
 Gay go up, and gay go down. . 182 
 
 Good horses, bad horses 200 
 
 Green cheese, yellow laces 207 
 
 Games on a child's features 214 
 
 Game of the cat 229 
 
 Here goes my lord 187 
 
 Highty lock, O! 181 
 
 "How many miles to Barley 
 
 Bridge?" 195 
 
 Here come 1 205 
 
 Here we all stand round the 
 
 ring 199 
 
 Here we come a piping 209 
 
 Hot boiled beans and very 
 
 good butter 208 
 
 Hitty-titty indoors 209 
 
 How many miles to Baby Ion?.. 212 
 
 Here stands a post 212 
 
 Here sits the Lord Mayor 214 
 
 Here comes a woman from 
 
 Babyland 228
 
 412 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Hewley-Puley 185 
 
 Here's a poor soldier 224 
 
 Heetum. pee turn, penny pie. . . 221 
 
 Handy-dandy riddledy 228 
 
 Here we go round the bramble 
 
 bush 190 
 
 I've a glove in my hand 192 
 
 ntery, mintery, outery-corn. . 192 
 
 went up one pair of stairs 200 
 
 am a gold lock 200 
 
 charge my daughters. 212 
 
 went to the sea 218 
 
 I can make diet bread 225 
 
 It's time, I believe, for us to 
 
 get leave 218 
 
 Jack's alive 221 
 
 Let us go to the wood said this 
 
 pig 220 
 
 My mother and your father. . . 
 My lady's lost her diamond 
 
 ring 225 
 
 Mary Brown. Fair Gundela, . 199 
 My mother and your mother.. 225 
 My father was a Frenchman . . 218 
 My hand burns hot, hot, hot. . 194 
 Margery Mutton-pie and John- 
 ny Bopeep 189 
 
 "May my geese fly over your 
 
 barn?":.. f. 195 
 
 Nettles grow in an angry 
 
 bush... 6 197 
 
 Now we dance looby, looby 189 
 
 Number number nine, this 
 
 hoop's mine. 207 
 
 Niddy-Noddy 194 
 
 One to make ready 180 
 
 One-ery, two-ery 179 
 
 One old. Oxford ox opening 
 
 oysters 202 
 
 One-ery, two-ery, hickary hum 209 
 
 Pease-pudding hot 198 
 
 Put your finger in Foxy's hole 219 
 
 Queen Anne, Queen Anne 181 
 
 Ride a cock-horse to Banbury 
 
 Cross 188 
 
 Ride a cock-horse to Coventry 
 
 Cross 203 
 
 Ride a cock-horse to Banbury 
 
 Cross 202 
 
 Ride a cock-horse to Banbury 
 
 Cross 197 
 
 Ring me (1), ring me (2), ring 
 
 me rary (3) 207 
 
 Ringthebell 215 
 
 See-saw, jack a daw ! 188 
 
 Sieve my lady's oatmeal 188 
 
 See-saw 196 
 
 See-saw, Margery Daw 217 
 
 See-saw sacradown 214 
 
 PAGE 
 
 See-saw, Margery Daw 198 
 
 Slate games 226 
 
 Shoe the colt, shoe ! 221 
 
 The fox gives warning 231 
 
 The old game of honey-pots. . . 230 
 
 The old dame 193 
 
 The dog of the kill 226 
 
 The first day of Christmas 222 
 
 There's a good card for thee. . . 194 
 
 Take this ! What's this? 185 
 
 There were two black birds. . . 197 
 The town lovers 204 
 
 210 
 224 
 
 This little pig went to market. 
 
 The poor soldier 
 
 The diamond ring 224 
 
 There is a girl of our town 204 
 
 The game of dump 227 
 
 There was a man, and his name 
 
 was Dob 201 
 
 This pig went to the barn 216 
 
 This pig went to market 217 
 
 This broke the barn 216 
 
 This pig went to market 219 
 
 This is the key of the kingdom. 205 
 This is the way the ladies ride. 204 
 Trip and go, heave and hoe !. . . 188 
 
 Titty cum tawta 196 
 
 Tip top tower 192 
 
 To Beccles ! To Beccles ! 193 
 
 To market ride the gentlemen. 196 
 
 T wo broken tradesmen 209 
 
 Tom Brown's two little Indian 
 
 boys 204 
 
 Twelve huntsmen with horns 
 
 and hounds 206 
 
 Trip trap over the grass 213 
 
 The bramble-bush 190 
 
 The fox 1 81 
 
 Thumb boldjthility thold 216 
 
 Thumbikin, Thumbikin, broke 
 
 the barn 221 
 
 Who goes round my house this 
 
 night? 181 
 
 Who is going round my sheep- 
 fold? . 201 
 
 Weave the diaper tick-a-tick . . 205 
 Whoop, whoop, and hollow. . . 212 
 We are three brethren out of 
 
 Spain 208 
 
 What's there ? Cheese and 
 
 bread 227 
 
 ELEVENTH CLASS. 
 
 PARADOXES. 
 
 Barney Bodkin broke his nose. 246 
 
 Here am 1 247 
 
 I saw a ship a-sailing 233 
 
 I would if Icou'd 235
 
 4!3 
 
 PAGE 
 
 I saw a peacock 237 
 
 If a man who turnips cries . . . 246 
 If all the world was apple-pie. 238 
 
 In a cottage in Fife 232 
 
 My true love lives far from 
 me 247 
 
 that I was where I would be. 233 
 Peter White will ne'er go right. 233 
 The man in the wilderness .... 239 
 There was an old woman and 
 
 what do you think ? 239 
 
 There was an old woman had 
 
 nothing 246 
 
 There was a man and he was 
 
 mad 240 
 
 There was a little Guinea pig.. 237 
 There was a man of Newington. 238 
 
 Three children sliding 236 
 
 Tobacco wick ! tobacco wick ! . . 246 
 Up stairs, down stairs, upon 
 my lady's window 246 
 
 TWELFTH CLASS. 
 
 LULLABIES. 
 
 Bye, baby bunting 249 
 
 Bye, O my baby! 250 
 
 Bye, baby bumpkin 252 
 
 Dance to your daddy 253 
 
 Dance, little baby, dance up 
 
 high 256 
 
 Danty baby diddy 255 
 
 Give me a blow, and I'll beat 
 
 'em 249 
 
 Hey, my kitten, my kitten. . . . 251 
 
 Hush thee, my baby 253 
 
 Hush-a-bye, baby, on the tree- 
 top 252 
 
 Hush-a-bye, a ba lamb 252 
 
 Hush, hush, hush, hush ! 248 
 
 Hush-a-bye, lie still and sleep.. 256 
 Hushy baby, my doll, I pray 
 don't cry 257 
 
 1 won't be my father's Jack. . . 254 
 My dear c-ockadoodle, my jewel. 250 
 
 Ride, baby, ride 248 
 
 Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle 
 
 is green 248 
 
 Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit pie ! .... 254 
 
 Rock well my cradle 251 
 
 To market, to market. . . . 256, 257 
 Tom shall have a new bonnet. . 249 
 Young lambs to sell! 256 
 
 THIRTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 JINGLES. 
 
 Acatcamefiddlingoutofabarn 267 
 Cock a doodle doo! 274 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Come dance a jig 265 
 
 Ding, dong bell 259 
 
 Diddledy, diddledy, dumpty. . . 260 
 Dibbity, dibbity, dibbity doe. . 263 
 
 Ding, dong, darrow 273 
 
 Deedle, deedle, dumpling, my 
 
 son John 260 
 
 Doodledy, doodledy, doodledy 
 
 dan.. . 264 
 
 Doodle, doodle, doo 264 
 
 Feedum, fiddledum fee 262 
 
 Fiddle-de-dee, fiddle-de-dee.... 264 
 "Fire! Fire!" said the town- 
 crier 278 
 
 Gilly Silly Jarter 262 
 
 Hey ding a ding, what shall I 
 
 sing?. 258 
 
 Hey diddle dinketty, poppety. 260 
 
 Hey, dorolot, dorolot ! 271 
 
 Hey ! diddle diddle 270 
 
 Hey! diddle (the Quaker's ver- 
 sion) 279 
 
 Handy Spandy, Jack-a-dandy. 262 
 High, ding, cockatoo-moody. . 264 
 
 Hickety, dickety, dock 266 
 
 Hub a dub dub 263 
 
 Hyder iddle diddle dell 262 
 
 Is John Smith within ? 279 
 
 Little Tee Wee 264 
 
 Little Jack a Dandy 269 
 
 Little Dicky Dilver 266 
 
 Little Polly Flinders 268 
 
 Old woman, old woman, shall 
 
 we go a-shearing ?. 267 
 
 Old Dame Widdle Waddle ... 278 
 
 Pussicat, wussicat 265 
 
 Round about, round about. . . 274 
 
 Rompty iddity, row, row, row 
 
 See-saw, Jack in a hedge 
 
 Sing jigmijole 
 
 265 
 260 
 
 Sing, sing, what shall I sing ?. . 261 
 
 Tiddle, liddle lightum 263 
 
 There was an old woman lived 
 
 inashoe 264 
 
 There was an old woman sat 
 
 spinning 272 
 
 There was an old woman, her 
 
 name it was Peg 267 
 
 There was an old soldier of 
 
 Bister 266 
 
 To market, to market, to buy a 
 
 fatpig 279 
 
 Tweedle-dum and Tweedle dee. 263 
 
 FOURTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 NATURAL HISTORY. 
 
 A long-tailed pig, or a short- 
 tailed pig 288
 
 414 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 A little cock sparrow sat on a 
 
 green tree 295 
 
 A-milking, a-milking, my maid 808 
 A farmer went trotting upon 
 
 his grey mare 226 
 
 A pye sate on a pear-tree 301 
 
 All of a row 301 
 
 As I went over the water 823 
 
 As titty mouse sat in the witty. 311 
 
 As I went to Bonner 307 
 
 Bah, bah, black sheep 291 
 
 Barnaby Bright he was a sharp 
 
 cur........ .283 
 
 Bow, wow, says the dog 284 
 
 Bow, wow, wow 293 
 
 Burnie bee, burnie bee 319 
 
 Betty Pringle had a little pig.. 307 
 Bless you, bless you, bonny bee. 318 
 
 Cuckoo, cuckoo 281 
 
 Curr dhpo, curr dhoo 293 
 
 Catch him, crowl carry him, 
 
 kite! 289 
 
 Come hither, sweet Robin. ... 297 
 Charley War ley had a cow. . . 310 
 
 Cock-a-doodle-doo 303 
 
 Cock crows in the morn 305 
 
 Cock Robin got up early 302 
 
 Croak! said the Toad 319 
 
 Dame, what makes your ducks 
 
 todie? 299 
 
 Dickery, dickery, dare 318 
 
 Eat, birds, eat, and make no 
 
 waste 287 
 
 Four-and-twenty sailors went 
 
 to kill a snail 317 
 
 Goosey, goosey, gander 285 
 
 Gray goose and gander 318 
 
 Howd'e, dogs, how? whose dog 
 
 art thou? 283 
 
 Hurley burly, trumpet trase . . 285 
 Hussy, hussy, where's your 
 
 horse 286 
 
 Higgleby, piggleby, my black 
 
 hen 304 
 
 Hickety, pickety, my black 
 
 hen 304 
 
 Hie, hie, says Anthony 319 
 
 I had a little dog and they 
 
 called him Buff 323 
 
 I had a. little cow 313 
 
 I had a little cow, to save her.. 306 
 I had two pigeons bright and 
 
 I had a little hen, the prettiest 
 
 303 
 T had a little pony ............. 296 
 
 I had a little hobby-horse ...... 292 
 
 I had a little dog, and his name 
 wasBlueBell ........... 290 
 
 PAGE 
 I like little pussy, her coat is so 
 
 warm 292 
 
 I'll away yhame 281 
 
 In the month of February 2?1 
 
 Jack Sprat 282 
 
 Jack Sprat's pig 308 
 
 Johnny Armstrong killed a 
 
 calf 815 
 
 Little boy blue, come blow 
 
 your horn 283 
 
 Leg over leg 284 
 
 Ladybird, ladybird, fly away.. 288 
 
 Lock the dairy door 292 
 
 Little Robin Redbreast sat 
 
 u pon a tree 294 
 
 Little Cock Robin peeped out . 295 
 
 Little Robin Redbreast 815 
 
 Little Poll Parrot 300 
 
 Little Bob Robin 302 
 
 Lady-cow, lady-cow, fly thy 
 
 way home 311 
 
 Little Robin Redbreast 293 
 
 Little Jenny Wren fell sick ... 314 
 
 Mary had a pretty bird 316 
 
 Un Christmas Eve I turned the 
 
 spit 287 
 
 Once I saw a little bird 311 
 
 Pretty John Watts 282 
 
 Pussy sat by the fireside 327 
 
 Pussy-cat mole 310 
 
 Pussy cat ate the dumplings. . . 806 
 
 Pitty Patty Polt 293 
 
 Pit. pat, well-a-day 301 
 
 Pussy-cat, pussy-cat 302 
 
 Pussy-cat sits by the fire 286 
 
 Rowsty, dowt 285 
 
 Riddle me, riddle me, ree 285 
 
 Robin-a-Bobbin 305 
 
 Robin-a-Bobbin bent his bow.. 287 
 " Robert Barnes, fellow-fine". 323 
 
 Shoe the colt 312 
 
 Snail, snail, put out your 
 
 horns 800 
 
 Snail, snail, come out of your 
 
 hole 300 
 
 Sneel, snaul 801 
 
 Some little mice sat in a barn 816 
 Snail, snail, shoot out you 
 
 See-saw, Margery Daw 
 
 The cuckoo's a fine bird 
 
 The cuckoo's a vine bird 
 
 The sow came in with the 
 
 saddle 
 
 The cat sat asleep by the side 
 
 of the fire 
 
 There was an old crow 
 
 The pettitoes are little feet 
 
 The dove says coo, coo 
 
 290 
 299 
 295
 
 INDEX. 
 
 415 
 
 PAGE 
 
 There was an owl lived in an 
 
 oak ......................... 298 
 
 Three little kittens they lost 
 
 their mittens ............... 824 
 
 There was a little boy went 
 
 into a barn .................. 299 
 
 The robin and the wren ...... 302 
 
 The cock doth crow ........... 305 
 
 There was a little one-eyed 
 
 gunner ..................... 308 
 
 There was a piper, he'd a cow. 312 
 There was an old woman had 
 
 three cows ....... ........... 312 
 
 'Twas the twenty-ninth of 
 
 May ....................... 802 
 
 315 
 
 300 
 
 There was a glossy black bird 
 
 The winds they did blow 
 
 'Twas once upon a time 
 
 4 ' VV hat do they call you ?" . . 
 Why is pussy in bed, pray?.. 
 
 Willy wite, willy wite 
 
 When the snow is on the 
 
 ground 301 
 
 Who killed Cock Robin? 320 
 
 FIFTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 RELICS. 
 
 A gift a friend a foe ....... 
 
 A good child, a good child . . . 
 As I went over the water ____ 
 
 As I was going to sell my eggs 
 Around the green gravel ..... 
 
 Baby and I .................. 
 
 Barber, barber, shave a pig.. . 
 Blue is true 
 
 Blow, wind, blow ! and go, mill, 
 go! .......................... 
 
 Blenky my nutty-cock ........ 
 
 Charley Wag . . . .............. 
 
 Come let's to bed. 
 
 Colors 
 
 Cut them on Monday, you cut 
 
 them for health 
 
 Daffy-down-dilly has come up 
 
 to town 
 
 Darby & Joan were dressed in 
 
 black 
 
 Girls and boys come out to 
 
 play 
 
 Go to bed, Tom! 
 
 Hink minx! the old witch 
 
 winks 
 
 Hannah Bantry in the pantry. 
 
 Hark, Hark! 
 
 High diddle doubt 
 
 How many days has my baby 
 
 337 
 345 
 
 345 
 328 
 334 
 337 
 
 343 
 
 345 
 331 
 333 
 
 PAGB 
 
 How do you do, neighbor ?. . . . 846 
 
 I had a little moppet 331 
 
 If all the seas were one sea 334 
 
 Little girl, where have you 
 
 been ? 333 
 
 Little Mary Ester 839 
 
 Little Tommy Tacket 339 
 
 Little Tom Tucker 341 
 
 Little Miss Muffet 342 
 
 Little miss, pretty miss 843 
 
 Monday's child is fair in face. . 336 
 My little old man and I fell out 343 
 
 Old Sir Simon the King 347 
 
 Parson Darby wore a black 
 
 gown 344 
 
 Pe^, Peg, with a wooden leg. . 839 
 
 Ram, rain, go away 335 
 
 Shake a leg, wag a leg 330 
 
 St. Thomas's Day is past and 
 
 gone 347 
 
 The man in the moon drinks 
 
 claret 344 
 
 The Quaker's wife got up to 
 
 bake 338 
 
 The girl in the lane that 
 
 couldn't speak plain 328 
 
 The children of Holland 832 
 
 The barber shaved the mason.. 333 
 To market, to market, a gallop, 
 
 a trot 832 
 
 To market to buy a plum cake 346 
 Willy boy, where are you 
 
 going ? 329 
 
 We're all in the dumps 331 
 
 Wash hands, wash 844 
 
 When Jacky's a very good boy 340 
 Who comes here ? A grenadier 338 
 What's the news of the day ?. . 328 
 What are little boys made of, 
 
 made of ? 336 
 
 SIXTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 A little bit of powdered beef. . 849 
 A man went a-hunting at Rei- 
 
 gate 350 
 
 At Brill-on-the-Hill 349 
 
 All the bairns unborn will rue 
 
 the day 351 
 
 Cripple Dick upon a stick 352 
 
 Dick and Tom, Will and 
 
 John 849 
 
 Driddlety drum, driddlety 
 
 drum 850 
 
 I lost my mare in Lincoln Lane 352 
 
 Isle of Man 351 
 
 King's Sutton is a pretty town 348
 
 416 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Little lad, little lad, where 
 
 wast thou born ? 351 
 
 Little boy, pretty boy, where 
 
 were you born ? 349 
 
 Lincoln was, and London is. . . 351 
 
 My father and mother 349 
 
 The little priest of Felton 349 
 
 The tailor of Bicester 349 
 
 There was a little nobby colt. . 348 
 
 SEVENTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 LOVE AND MATRIMONY. 
 
 A cow and a calf 357 
 
 As Tommy Snooks and Bessy 
 
 Brooks 354 
 
 As I was going up Pippen Hill 353 
 Brave news is come to town. . . 354 
 Birds of a feather flock to- 
 gether 372 
 
 Bessy Bell and Mary Gray. ... 372 
 
 Blue eye beauty 373 
 
 Bonny lass, cauny lass 373 
 
 Curly locks ! wilt thou be mine ? 372 
 Can you make me a cambric 
 
 shirt? 366 
 
 Did you see my wife 360 
 
 Hemp-seed I set 360 
 
 Here comes a lusty wooer 373 
 
 I am a pretty girl 359 
 
 I doubt, I doubt my fire is 
 
 out 367 
 
 I had a little husband 368 
 
 I love my love with an A, be- 
 cause he's agreeable 355 
 
 I married my wife by the light 
 
 of the moon 371 
 
 If you with me will go, my love 363 
 It's once I courted as pretty a 
 
 lass 352 
 
 Jack in the pulpit, out and in.. 363 
 Jack Sprat could eat no fat. . . 363 
 Jack and Jill went up the hill. 374 
 
 Little Jack Jingle. &59 
 
 " Little maid, pretty maid ". . . 362 
 Little Jack Dandy-prat was my 
 
 first suitor 362 
 
 Little John Jiggy Jag 378 
 
 Little Jane ran up the lane... 376 
 
 Little Tom Dandy 376 
 
 Love your own, kiss your own 377 
 
 Margaret wrote a letter 373 
 
 " Madam, I am come to court 
 
 you" 365 
 
 Madam, I will give you a fine 
 silken gowo 367 
 
 Master I have, and I am his 
 
 man 371 
 
 O, the little rusty, dusty, rusty 
 
 miller 359 
 
 Oh, madam, I will give you the 
 
 keys of Canterbury 364 
 
 On Saturday night 360 
 
 Oh! mother, I shall be married 
 
 to Mr. Punchinello 365 
 
 O rare Harry Parry 376 
 
 Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater. . 372 
 
 Rosemary green 360 
 
 Rowley Powley, puddine and 
 
 pie 377 
 
 Saw ye aught of my love 371 
 
 Sylvia, sweet as morning air.. 856 
 There was a little boy and a 
 
 little girl 356 
 
 The keys of Canterbury 364 
 
 There was a little man 358 
 
 Tommy Trout, a man of law. . 361 
 Thomas and Annis met in the 
 
 dark 869 
 
 There was a little pretty lad . 377 
 
 Up hill and down dale 360 
 
 Up street and down street. . . . 371 
 
 Willy, Willy Wilkin 355 
 
 What care I how black I be ?. . 355 
 " Where have you been all the 
 
 day ?" 357 
 
 When shall we be married 359 
 We're all dry drinking on 't. . . 360 
 Where have you been to day, 
 
 Billy 361 
 
 Young Roger came tapping at 
 Dolly's window 
 
 370 
 
 EIGHTEENTH CLASS. 
 
 ACCUMULATIVE STORIES. 
 
 A kid, a kid, my father bought 389 
 I sell you the key of the King's 
 
 garden 
 
 John Ball shot them all 3T9 
 
 The old woman and her pig. . . 802 
 This is the house that Jack built 381 
 Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse. 396 
 
 NINETEENTH CLASS. 
 
 FIRESIDE STORIES. 
 
 The three little pigs. 
 Teeny-Tiny... 
 
 .... 402 
 
 The miser and his wife 403 
 
 The three questions 405 
 
 The cat and the mouse 400
 
 University of California 
 
 SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 Return this material to the library 
 
 from which it was borrowed. 
 
 
 AUG 
 
 SEP 05 198! 
 
 OCT1