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?
Tell-tale tit!
Your tongue shall be slit,
And all the dogs in the town
Shall have a little bit.
Little Jack Horner
Sat in a corner,
Eating a Christmas pie;
He put in his thumb,
And pulled out a plum,
And said, "What a good boy am I!"
Heigh, diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Robin and Richard were two pretty men;
They lay in bed till the clock struck ten;
Then up starts Robin, and looks in the sky,
Oh! brother Richard, the sun's very high!
See, saw, Margery Daw,
Jacky shall have a new master;
Jacky must have but a penny a day,
Because he can't work any faster.
Great A, little a,
Bouncing B!
The cat's in the cupboard,
And can't see me.
Three children sliding on the ice
Upon a summer's day,
As it fell out, they all fell in--
The rest they ran away.
Now had these children been at home,
Or sliding on dry ground,
Ten thousand pounds to one penny,
They had not all been drown'd.
Ye parents who have children dear,
And eke ye that have none,
If you would keep them safe abroad,
Pray keep them safe at home.
[Illustration]
Ding, dong, bell,
The cat is in the well!
Who put her in?
Little Johnny Green;
What a naughty boy was that
To try to drown poor pussy cat,
Who never did any harm,
And killed the mice in his father's barn.
MORAL:
He that injures one threatens a hundred.
Cock a doodle doo!
My dame has lost her shoe;
My master's lost his fiddling stick,
And don't know what to do.
[The following is a game played as follows: A string of boys and girls,
each holding by his predecessor's skirts, approaches two others, who
with 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 arm--if possible.]
How many miles is it to Babylon?
Threescore miles and ten.
Can I get there by candle-light?
Yes, and back again!
If your heels are nimble and light,
You may get there by candle-light.
Now go to sleep, my little son,
Or I shall have to spank you;
How do you do? says uncle John--
I'm pretty well, I thank you.
[Illustration]
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.
A sunshine shower
Won't last half an hour.
As the day lengthens,
So the cold strengthens.
The fishes' cry
Is never long dry.
Hickery, dickery, 6 and 7,
Alabone, crackabone, 10 and 11;
Spin, spun, muskidem,
Twiddle 'em, twaddle 'em, 21.
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!
Hark! hark! the dogs do bark,
The beggars have come to town;
Some in rags, and some in tags,
And some in velvet gowns.
For 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.
As I was going up and down,
I met a little dandy,
He pulled my nose, and with two blows
I knocked him down quite handy.
I bought a dozen new-laid eggs,
Of good old farmer Dickens;
I hobbled home upon two legs,
And found them full of chickens.
Swan, swam over the sea;
Swim, swan, swim,
Swan, swam back again;
Well, swum, swan.
Bossy-cow, bossy-cow, where do you lie?
In the green meadow under the sky.
Billy-horse, billy-horse, where do you lie?
Out in the stable with nobody nigh.
Birdies bright, birdies sweet, where do you lie?
Up in the tree-tops,--oh, ever so high!
Baby dear, baby love, where do _you_ lie?
In my warm crib, with Mamma close by.
Nose, nose, jolly red nose;
And what gave thee that jolly red nose?
Nutmegs and cinnamon, spices and cloves,
And they gave me this jolly red nose.
[Illustration]
Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, where have you been?
I've been to London to visit the Queen!
Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, what did you there?
I frighten'd a little mouse under her chair.
Bobby Shaftoe's gone to sea,
Silver buckles on his knee;
He'll come back and marry me,
Pretty Bobby Shaftoe.
Bobby Shaftoe's fat and fair,
Combing down his yellow hair;
He's my love for evermore;
Pretty Bobby Shaftoe.
[Illustration]
"Will you walk into my parlor?" said the spider to the fly;
"'Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy.
The way into my parlor is up a winding stair;
And I have many curious things to show you when you're there."
"Oh, no, no," said the little fly; "to ask me is in vain;
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."
"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the spider to the fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin;
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
"Oh, no, no," said the little fly; "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"
Said the cunning spider to the fly,--
"Dear friend, what can I do
To prove the warm affection I've always felt for you?"
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you're pleased to say,
And bidding you good-morning now, I'll call another day."
The spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly fly would soon come back again;
So he wove a subtle web in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,--
"Come hither, hither, pretty fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple, there's a crest upon your head!
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"
Alas! alas! how very soon this silly little fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by.
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, her green and purple hue,--
Thinking only of her crested head--poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning spider, and fiercely held her fast!
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlor,--but she ne'er came out again!
And now, dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly, flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed;
Unto an evil counsellor close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale of the Spider and the Fly.
One, two, three, four,
Mary at the cottage door;
Five, six, seven, eight,
Eating cherries off a plate;
O-U-T spells out!
One, two, three, four, five,
Catching fishes all alive.
Why did you let them go?
Because they bit my finger so.
Which finger did they bite?
The little finger on the right.
Of all the gay birds that e'er I did see,
The owl is the fairest by far to me;
For all the day long she sits on a tree,
And when the night comes, away flies she.
St. Swithin's day, if thou dost rain,
For forty days it will remain;
St. Swithin's day, if thou be fair,
For forty days 'twill rain na mair.
There once were two cats of Kilkenny,
Each thought there was one cat too many,
So they fought and they fit,
And they scratched and they bit,
Till, excepting their nails
And the tips of their tails,
Instead of two cats, there weren't any.
1 This pig went to the barn;
2 This ate 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.
There was a little man,
And he had a little gun,
And his bullets were made of lead, lead, lead;
He went to the brook
And saw a little duck,
And he shot it through the head, head, head.
He carried it home
To his old wife Joan,
And bid a fire for to make, make, make,
To roast the little duck,
He had shot in the brook,
And he'd go and fetch her the drake, drake, drake.
As I was going o'er London Bridge,
I met a cart full of fingers and thumbs!
[Gloves.]
Come to the window,
My baby, with me,
And look at the stars
That shine on the sea!
There are two little stars
That play at bo-peep
With two little fish
Far down in the deep;
And two little frogs
Cry neap, neap, neap;
I see a dear baby
That should be asleep.
There was an old woman
And nothing she had;
And so this old woman
Was said to be mad.
She'd nothing to eat,
She'd nothing to wear,
She'd nothing to lose,
She'd nothing to fear,
She'd nothing to ask,
And nothing to give,
And when she did die,
She'd nothing to leave.
I had a little husband, no bigger than my thumb;
I put him in a pint-pot, and there I bid him drum.
I bought a little horse, that galloped up and down;
I saddled him and bridled him, and sent him out of town.
I gave him some garters, to garter up his hose,
And a little pocket handkerchief to wipe his pretty nose.
Goosey, goosey, gander, wither dost thou wander?
Up stairs, and down stairs, and in my lady's chamber.
There I met an old man, who would not say his prayers;
I took him by the left leg, and threw him down stairs.
[Illustration]
Little Polly Flinders
Sat among the cinders,
Warming her pretty little toes;
Her mother came and caught her,
And whipped her little daughter
For spoiling her nice new clothes.
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 to drink?
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
When the traveller in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark:
How could he see where to go
If you did not twinkle so?
In the dark blue sky you keep,
Often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark
Lights the traveller in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
The man in the moon
Came tumbling down,
And asked the way to Norwich.
He went by the South,
And he burnt his mouth,
With eating cold pease porridge.
Hub a dub, dub,
Three men in a tub;
The butcher, the baker,
The candlestick maker;
All jumped out of an Irish potato.
Bell-horses, bell-horses,
What time of day?
One o'clock, two o'clock,
Off and away.
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.
[Illustration]
Tom, Tom, the piper's son,
Stole a pig and away he run;
The pig was eat, and Tom was beat,
And Tom ran crying down the street.
If all the world were water,
And all the water were ink,
What should we do for bread and cheese?
What should we do for drink?
Ten little Injuns standing in a line--
One went home, and then there were nine.
Nine little Injuns swinging on a gate--
One tumbled off, and then there were eight.
Eight little Injuns never heard of heaven--
One kicked the bucket, and then there were seven.
Seven little Injuns cutting up tricks--
One went to bed and then there were six.
Six little Injuns kicking all alive--
One broke his neck, and then there were five.
Five little Injuns on a cellar door--
One tumbled off, and then there were four.
Four little Injuns climbing up a tree--
One fell down, and then there were three.
Three little Injuns out in a canoe--
One fell overboard, and then there were two.
Two little Injuns fooling with a gun--
One shot the other, and then there was one.
One little Injun living all alone--
He got married, and then there was none!
Jack Spratt'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 Spratt.
Hush-a-bye, baby,
Daddy is near;
Mamma is a lady,
And that's very clear.
This is the way the ladies ride,
Tri, tre, tri, tree, tri, tre, tri, tree!
This is the way the ladies ride;
Tri, tre, tri, tree, tri, tre, tri, tree!
This is the way the gentlemen ride!
Gallop-a-trot, gallop-a-trot!
This is the way the gentlemen ride!
Gallop-a-trot, gallop-a-trot!
This is the way the farmers ride!
Hobbledy-hop, hobbledy-hop!
This is the way the farmers ride!
Hobbledy-hop, hobbledy-hop!
[Illustration]
Father, may I go to war?
Yes, you may, my son;
Wear your woollen comforter,
But don't fire off your gun.
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, "I'll shoot you, silly bird."
Fiddle, faddle, feedle.
Nancy Dawson has grown so fine
She won't get up to serve the swine;
She lies in bed till eight or nine,
So it's Oh, poor Nancy Dawson.
And do ye ken Nancy Dawson, honey?
The wife who sells the barley, honey?
She won't get up to feed her swine,
And do ye ken Nancy Dawson, honey?
Old Grimes is dead, that good old man,
We ne'er shall see him more;
He used to wear a long brown coat
All buttoned down before.
[To be read rapidly.]
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?
Smiling girls, rosy boys,
Come and buy my little toys;
Monkeys made of gingerbread,
And sugar horses painted red.
My pussy cat
Has got the gout,
And the rats and mice
Can play about.
Brow brinky,
Eye winky,
Chin choppy,
Nose noppy,
Cheek cherry,
Mouth merry.
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,
Noodle 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!
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 very 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.
God bless the master of this house,
The mistress bless also,
And all the little children
That round the table go;
And all your kin and kinsmen,
That dwell both far and near:
I wish you a merry Christmas,
And a happy new year.
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.
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.
I love you well, my little brother,
And you are fond of me;
Let us be kind to one another,
As brothers ought to be.
You shall learn to play with me.
And learn to use my toys;
And then I think that we shall be
Two happy little boys.
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush,
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
On a cold and frosty morning.
This is the way we wash our hands,
Wash our hands, wash our hands,
This is the way we wash our hands,
On a cold and frosty morning.
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 and frosty morning.
This is the way we go to school,
Go to school, go to school,
This is the way we go to school,
On a cold and frosty morning.
This is the way we come out of school,
Come out of school, come out of school,
This is the way we come out of school,
On a cold and frosty morning.
Christmas comes but once a year,
And when it comes it brings good cheer.
A sunshiny shower
Won't last half an hour.
A carrion crow sat on an oak,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, he ding do,
Watching a tailor shape his coat!
Sing he, sing ho, the old carrion crow.
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, he ding do.
Wife, bring me my old bent bow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, he ding do,
That I may shoot yon carrion crow.
Sing he, sing ho, the old carrion crow.
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, he ding do.
The tailor shot, and he missed his mark,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, he ding do,
And shot the miller's sow right through the heart
Sing he, sing ho, the old carrion crow.
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, he ding do.
Wife! oh wife! bring brandy in a spoon,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, he ding do,
For the old miller's sow is in a swoon,
Sing he, sing ho, the old carrion crow.
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, he ding do.
Speak when you're spoken to,
Come when once called;
Shut the door after you,
And turn to the wall!
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.
Robin the Bobbin, the big-bellied Ben,
He eat more meat than fourscore men;
He eat a cow, he eat a calf,
He eat a hog and a half;
He eat a church, he eat a steeple,
He eat 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 complain'd that his stomach wasn't full.
A glass of milk and a slice of bread,
And then good-night, we must go to bed.
I have a little sister; they call her Peep, Peep.
She wades the water deep, deep, deep;
She climbs the mountains, high, high, high--
Poor little thing! she has but one eye.
[A Star]
Monday's bairn is fair of face,
Tuesday's bairn is full of grace,
Wednesday's bairn is full of woe,
Thursday's bairn has far to go,
Friday's bairn is loving and giving,
Saturday's bairn works hard for its living;
But the bairn that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny, and blithe, and good and gay.
This is the House that Jack built
This is the Malt
That lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the Rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the Cat, that killed the rat,
That ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the Dog, that worried the cat,
That killed the rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the Cow, with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog, that worried the cat,
That killed the rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.
[Illustration]
This is the Maiden all forlorn,
That milk'd the cow with the crumpled horn,
That toss'd the dog, that worried the cat,
That kill'd the rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the Man all tatter'd and torn,
That kiss'd the maiden all forlorn,
That milk'd the cow with the crumpled horn,
That toss'd the dog, that worried the cat,
That kill'd the rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the Priest all shaven and shorn,
That married the man all tatter'd and torn,
That kiss'd the maiden all forlorn,
That milk'd the cow with the crumpled horn,
That toss'd the dog, that worried the cat,
That kill'd the rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the Cock that crow'd in the morn,
That waked the priest all shaven and shorn,
That married the man all tatter'd and torn,
That kiss'd the maiden all forlorn,
That milk'd the cow with the crumpled horn,
That toss'd the dog, that worried the cat,
That kill'd the rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the Farmer who sow'd the corn,
That kept the cock that crow'd in the morn,
That waked the priest all shaven and shorn,
That married the man all tatter'd and torn,
That kiss'd the maiden all forlorn,
That milk'd the cow with the crumpled horn,
That toss'd the dog, that worried the cat,
That kill'd the rat, that ate the malt,
That lay in the house that Jack built.
Hiram Gordon, where's your pa?
He's gone with Uncle Peter,
To put a board across the fence,
So that we boys can teeter.
Taffy was a Welchman, Taffy was a thief,
Taffy came to my house and stole a piece of beef;
I went to Taffy's house, Taffy wasn't home,
Taffy came to my house and stole a marrow-bone;
I went to Taffy's house, Taffy was in bed,
I took the marrow-bone, and beat about his head.
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.
1. I went up one pair of stairs,
2. Just like me.
1. I went up two pair of stairs,
2. Just like me.
1. I went into a room,
2. Just like me.
1. I looked out of a window,
2. Just like me.
1. And then I saw a monkey,
2. Just like me.
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.
The Knave of Hearts
Brought back the tarts,
And vow'd he'd steal no more.
[Illustration]
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 a rat,
With a rowley, powley, etc.
"Pray, Mr. Rat, will you go with me,"
Heigho, says Rowley;
"Kind Mrs. Mousey for to see?"
With a rowley, powley, etc.
When they came to the door at Mousey's hall,
Heigho, says Rowley;
They gave a loud tap, and they gave a loud call,
With a rowley, powley, etc.
"Pray, Mrs. Mouse, are you within?"
Heigho, says Rowley;
"Yes, kind sirs, and sitting to spin."
With a rowley, powley, etc.
"Pray, Mrs. Mouse, now give us some beer,"
Heigho, says Rowley;
"That Froggy and I am fond of good cheer."
With a rowley, powley, etc.
"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, etc.
"Indeed, Mrs. Mouse," replied the Frog,
Heigho, says Rowley;
"A cold has made me as horse as a hog."
With a rowley, powley, etc.
"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, etc.
But while they were all a-merrymaking,
Heigho, says Rowley;
A Cat and her kittens came tumbling in.
With a rowley, powley, etc.
The Cat she seized the Rat by the crown,
Heigho, says Rowley;
The kittens they pulled the little Mouse down.
With a rowley, powley, etc.
This put Mr. Frog in a terrible fright,
Heigho, says Rowley;
He took up his hat and he wished them good-night.
With a rowley, powley, etc.
As Froggy was crossing it over a brook,
Heigho, says Rowley;
A lilywhite Duck came and gobbled him up.
With a rowley, powley, etc.
So here is an end of one, two three--
Heigho, says Rowley,
The Rat, the Mouse, and little Froggy.
With a rowley, powley, etc.
Ladies and gentlemen, come to supper,
Hot boiled beans and very good butter.
The North Wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor Robin do then?
He will hop to a barn,
And to keep himself warm,
Will hide his head under his wing,
Poor thing!
[Illustration]
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.
By came a peddler, 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.
"But if it be I, as I hope it be,
I've 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,
"Lauk a mercy on me, this is none of I."
When the little old woman first did wake,
She began to shiver, and she began to shake;
She began to wonder, and she began to cry,
"Lauk a mercy on me, this can't be I!"
I had four brothers over the sea.
Perrie, Merrie, Dixie, Dominie.
And they each sent a present unto me,
Petrum, Partrum, Paradise, Temporie,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixie, Dominie.
The first sent a chicken, without any bones;
The second sent a cherry, without any stones,
Petrum, Partrum, Paradise, Temporie,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixie, Dominie.
The third sent a book, which no man could read;
The fourth sent a blanket, without any thread.
Petrum, Partrum, Paradise, Temporie,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixie, Dominie.