Who visited in a wheelbarrow;
And her servant before,
Knocked loud at each door,
To announce the old woman of Harrow.
YOUNG ROGER AND DOLLY
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!
THE PIPER AND HIS COW
There was a piper had a cow,
And he had naught to give her;
He pulled out his pipes and played her a tune,
And bade the cow consider.
The cow considered very well,
And gave the piper a penny,
And bade him play the other tune,
"Corn rigs are bonny."
THE MAN OF DERBY
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.
THE COACHMAN
Up at Piccadilly, oh!
The coachman takes his stand,
And when he meets a pretty girl
He takes her by the hand;
Whip away forever, oh!
Drive away so clever, oh!
All the way to Bristol, oh!
He drives her four-in-hand.
THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN
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 soundly and put them to bed.
A THORN
I went to the wood and got it;
I sat me down to look for it
And brought it home because I couldn't find it.
THE OLD WOMAN OF SURREY
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.
THE LITTLE MOUSE
I have seen you, little mouse,
Running all about the house,
Through the hole your little eye
In the wainscot peeping sly,
Hoping soon some crumbs to steal,
To make quite a hearty meal.
Look before you venture out,
See if pussy is about.
If she's gone, you'll quickly run
To the larder for some fun;
Round about the dishes creep,
Taking into each a peep,
To choose the daintiest that's there,
Spoiling things you do not care.
BOY AND GIRL
There was a little boy and a little girl
Lived in an alley;
Says the little boy to the little girl,
"Shall I, oh, shall I?"
Says the little girl to the little boy,
"What shall we do?"
Says the little boy to the little girl,
"I will kiss you."
WHEN
When I was a bachelor
I lived by myself;
And all the bread and cheese I got
I laid up on the shelf.
The rats and the mice
They made such a strife,
I was forced to go to London
To buy me a wife.
The streets were so bad,
And the lanes were so narrow,
I was forced to bring my wife home
In a wheelbarrow.
The wheelbarrow broke,
And my wife had a fall;
Down came wheelbarrow,
Little wife and all.
SING, SING
Sing, sing, what shall I sing?
Cat's run away with the pudding-string!
Do, do, what shall I do?
The cat has bitten it quite in two.
LONDON BRIDGE
London Bridge is broken down,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
London Bridge is broken down,
With a gay lady.
How shall we build it up again?
Dance over my Lady Lee;
How shall we build it up again?
With a gay lady.
Build it up with silver and gold,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Build it up with silver and gold,
With a gay lady.
Silver and gold will be stole away,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Silver and gold will be stole away,
With a gay lady.
Build it up with iron and steel,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Build it up with iron and steel,
With a gay lady.
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
With a gay lady.
Build it up with wood and clay,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Build it up with wood and clay,
With a gay lady.
Wood and clay will wash away,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Wood and clay will wash away,
With a gay lady.
Build it up with stone so strong,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Huzza! 'twill last for ages long,
With a gay lady.
MARCH WINDS
March winds and April showers
Bring forth May flowers.
THE BALLOON
"What is the news of the day,
Good neighbor, I pray?"
"They say the balloon
Is gone up to the moon!"
A CHERRY
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.
THE LOST SHOE
Doodle doodle doo,
The Princess lost her shoe:
Her Highness hopped,--
The fiddler stopped,
Not knowing what to do.
HOT CODLINS
There was a little woman, as I've been told,
Who was not very young, nor yet very old;
Now this little woman her living got
By selling codlins, hot, hot, hot!
SWAN
Swan, swan, over the sea;
Swim, swan, swim!
Swan, swan, back again;
Well swum, swan!
THREE STRAWS
Three straws on a staff
Would make a baby cry and laugh.
THE MAN OF TOBAGO
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."
DING, DONG, BELL
Ding, dong, bell,
Pussy's in the well!
Who put her in?
Little Tommy Lin.
Who pulled her out?
Little Johnny Stout.
What a naughty boy was that,
To try to drown poor pussy-cat.
Who never did him any harm,
But killed the mice in his father's barn!
A SUNSHINY SHOWER
A sunshiny shower
Won't last half an hour.
THE FARMER AND THE RAVEN
A farmer went trotting upon his gray mare,
Bumpety, bumpety, bump!
With his daughter behind him so rosy and fair,
Lumpety, lumpety, lump!
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!
CHRISTMAS
Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat,
Please to put a penny in an old man's hat;
If you haven't got a penny a ha'penny will do,
If you haven't got a ha'penny, God bless you.
WILLY BOY
"Willy boy, Willy boy, where are you going?
I will go with you, if that I may."
"I'm going to the meadow to see them a-mowing,
I'm going to help them to make the hay."
POLLY AND SUKEY
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.
THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF POOR COCK ROBIN
Who killed Cock Robin?
"I," said the sparrow,
"With my little bow and arrow,
I killed Cock Robin."
Who saw him die?
"I," said the fly,
"With my little eye,
I saw him die."
Who caught his blood?
"I," said the fish,
"With my little dish,
I caught his blood."
Who'll make his shroud?
"I," said the beetle,
"With my thread and needle.
I'll make his shroud."
Who'll carry the torch?
"I," said the linnet,
"I'll come in a minute,
I'll carry the torch."
Who'll be the clerk?
"I," said the lark,
"If it's not in the dark,
I'll be the clerk."
Who'll dig his grave?
"I," said the owl,
"With my spade and trowel
I'll dig his grave."
Who'll be the parson?
"I," said the rook,
"With my little book,
I'll be the parson."
Who'll be chief mourner?
"I," said the dove,
"I mourn for my love,
I'll be chief mourner."
Who'll sing a psalm?
"I," said the thrush,
"As I sit in a bush.
I'll sing a psalm."
Who'll carry the coffin?
"I," said the kite,
"If it's not in the night,
I'll carry the coffin."
Who'll toll the bell?
"I," said the bull,
"Because I can pull,
I'll toll the bell."
All the birds of the air
Fell sighing and sobbing,
When they heard the bell toll
For poor Cock Robin.
THE MOUSE AND THE CLOCK
Hickory, dickory, dock!
The mouse ran up the clock;
The clock struck one,
And down he run,
Hickory, dickory, dock!
HOT-CROSS BUNS
Hot-cross Buns!
Hot-cross Buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot-cross Buns!
Hot-cross Buns!
Hot-cross Buns!
If ye have no daughters,
Give them to your sons.
BOBBY SHAFTOE
Bobby Shaftoe's gone to sea,
With 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.
THE BUNCH OF BLUE RIBBONS
Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Johnny's so long at the fair.
He promised he'd buy me a bunch of blue ribbons,
He promised he'd buy me a bunch of blue ribbons,
He promised he'd buy me a bunch of blue ribbons,
To tie up my bonny brown hair.
THE WOMAN OF EXETER
There dwelt an old woman at Exeter;
When visitors came it sore vexed her,
So for fear they should eat,
She locked up all her meat,
This stingy old woman of Exeter.
SNEEZING
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, joy to-morrow.
PUSSY-CAT BY THE FIRE
Pussy-cat sits by the fire;
How can she be fair?
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!"
WHEN THE SNOW IS ON THE GROUND
The little robin grieves
When the snow is on the ground,
For the trees have no leaves,
And no berries can be found.
The air is cold, the worms are hid;
For robin here what can be done?
Let's strow around some crumbs of bread,
And then he'll live till snow is gone.