The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes
Part 3
One, two, three, four, five, Once I caught a fish alive, Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, But I let him go again.
Why did you let him go? Because he bit my finger so. Which finger did he bite? The little one upon the right.
THE CODLIN WOMAN
There was a little woman, as I've been told, Who was not very young, nor yet very old, Now this little woman her living got, By selling codlins, hot, hot, hot!
OF PIGS
A Long-Tailed pig and a short-tailed pig, Or a pig without e'er a tail, A sow pig, or a boar pig, Or a pig with a curly tail.
GOOD KING ARTHUR
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 stuff'd it well with plums; And in it put great lumps of fat, As big as my two thumbs.
The king and queen did eat thereof, And noble men beside; And what they could not eat that night, The queen next morning fried.
SOLOMON GRUNDY
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.
THREE BLIND MICE
Three blind mice, three blind mice, They all ran after the farmer's wife, She cut off their tails with a carving knife; Did you ever see such a thing in your life As three blind mice?
CROSS-PATCH
Cross-Patch, draw the latch, Sit by the fire and spin; Take a cup, and drink it up, Then call your neighbours in.
YANKEE DOODLE
Yankee Doodle came to town, Mounted on a pony; He stuck a feather in his cap And called it Maccaroni.
Yankee Doodle came to town, Yankee Doodle dandy, He stuck a feather in his cap And called it sugar-candy.
TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR
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.
Then 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.
How your bright and tiny spark Lights the traveller in the dark! Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
BOYS _and_ GIRLS
Boys and girls come out to play, The moon doth shine as bright as day;
Come with a whoop, and come with a call, Come with a good will or come not at all.
Lose your supper and lose your sleep, Come to your playfellows in the street.
Up the ladder and down the wall, A halfpenny loaf will serve us all;
You find milk, and I'll find flour, And we'll have a pudding in half an hour.
SING IVY
My father he left me three acres of land, Sing ivy, sing ivy; My father he left me three acres of land, Sing holly, go whistle, and ivy!
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!
I harrowed it with a bramble bush, Sing ivy, sing ivy; And reaped it with my little pen-knife, Sing holly, go whistle, and ivy!
PUSSYCAT MEW
Pussycat Mew 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!
GOOSEY, GOOSEY, GANDER
Goosey, goosey, gander, Whither dost thou wander? Up stairs and down stairs, 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.
THE MAN AND HIS CALF
There was an old man, And he had a calf, And that's half; He took him out of the stall, And put him on the wall, And that's all.
RIDE A COCK-HORSE
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.
SEEKING A WIFE
When I was a bachelor, I lived by myself, And all the bread and cheese I got I put upon a shelf, The rats and the mice did lead me such a life, That I went up to London, to get myself a wife.
The streets were so broad, and the lanes were so narrow, I could not get my wife home without a wheelbarrow, The wheelbarrow broke, my wife got a fall, Down tumbled wheelbarrow, little wife, and all.
DOCTOR FAUSTUS
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.
POLLY, PUT THE KETTLE ON
Polly, put the kettle on, Polly, put the kettle on, Polly, put the kettle on, And we'll have tea.
Sukey, take it off again, Sukey, take it off again, Sukey, take it off again, They're all gone away.
THE BLACKSMITH
Robert Barnes, fellow fine, Can you shoe this horse of mine? "Yes, good sir, that I can, As well as any other man; Here's a nail, and there's a prod, And now, good sir, your horse is shod."
THE FOUNT OF LEARNING
Here's A, B, and C, D, E, F, and G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, and U, W, X, Y, and Z. And here's the child's dad Who is sagacious and discerning, And knows this is the fount of all learning.
OF ARITHMETIC
Multiplication is vexation, Division is as bad; The Rule of Three doth puzzle me, And Practice drives me mad.
OVER THE WATER TO CHARLEY
Over the water, and over the lea, 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.
THREE JOLLY WELSHMEN
There were three jolly Welshmen, As I have heard say, And they went a-hunting Upon St. David's day.
All the day they hunted, And nothing could they find; But a ship a-sailing, A-sailing with the wind.
One said it was a ship, The other he said "Nay"; The third he 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 he said "Nay"; The third he said it was a cheese, With half o' it cut away.
THE DAYS OF THE MONTH
Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November; February has twenty-eight alone, All the rest have thirty-one, Except in leap-year, when's the time That February has twenty-nine.
A VARIED SONG
I'll sing you a song, The days are long, The woodcock and the sparrow; The little dog he has burned his tail, And he must be hanged to-morrow.
A DILLER, A DOLLAR.
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.
A PIE SAT ON A PEAR-TREE
A Pie sat on a pear-tree, A pie sat on a pear-tree, A pie sat on a pear-tree, Heigh O, heigh O, heigh O! Once so merrily hopped she, Twice so merrily hopped she, Thrice so merrily hopped she, Heigh O, heigh O, heigh O!
THE GIRL IN THE LANE
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.
THREE MEN IN A TUB
Rub-a-dub-dub, Three men in a tub; And who do you think they be? The butcher, the baker, The candlestick-maker; Turn 'em out, knaves all three!
LITTLE MISS MUFFET
Little Miss Muffet, She sat on a tuffet, Eating of curds and whey; There came a big spider, And sat down beside her, And frightened Miss Muffet away.
THE BOY AND THE OWL
There was a little boy went into a field, And lay down on some hay;
An owl came out and flew about, And the little boy ran away.
COCK ROBIN'S COURTING
Cock Robin got up early, At the break of day, And went to Jenny's window To sing a roundelay.
He sang Cock Robin's love To the little Jenny Wren, And when he got unto the end, Then he began again.
FOR EVERY EVIL
For every evil under the sun, There is a remedy, or there is none. If there be one, seek till you find it; If there be none, never mind it.
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY
When I was a little boy, I washed my mammy's dishes, I put my finger in my eye, And pulled out golden fishes.
ANDREW
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?
MARY'S CANARY
Mary had a pretty bird, Feathers bright and yellow; Slender legs--upon my word, He was a pretty fellow. The sweetest note he always sung, Which much delighted Mary; She often, where the cage was hung, Sat hearing her canary.
THE CUCKOO
In April, Come he will.
In May, He sings all day.
In June, He changes his tune.
In July, He prepares to fly.
In August, Go he must.
A SWARM OF BEES
A swarm of bees in May Is worth a load of hay; A swarm of bees in June Is worth a silver spoon; A swarm of bees in July Is not worth a fly.
ROBIN AND RICHARD
Robin and Richard were two little men, They did not awake till the clock struck ten;
Then up starts Robin, and looks at the sky; Oh! brother Richard, the sun's very high!
They both were ashamed, on such a fine day, When they were wanted to make the new hay.
Do you go before, with bottle and bag, I will come after on little Jack nag.
THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF COCK ROBIN
Who killed Cock Robin? 'I' said the sparrow "With my 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 bear the torch? 'I' said the linnet "Will come in a minute, I'll bear the torch."
Who'll be the clerk? 'I' said the lark "I'll say Amen 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 his dirge? 'I' said the thrush "As I sing in a bush, I'll sing his dirge."
Who'll carry his coffin? 'I' said the kite "If it be in the night, I'll carry his coffin."
Who'll toll the bell? 'I' said the bull "Because I can pull, I'll toll the bell."
The birds of the air Fell sighing and sobbing When they heard the bell toll For poor Cock Robin.
LADY-BIRD, LADY-BIRD
Lady-Bird, Lady-Bird, fly away home, Your house is on fire, your children have gone, All but one, that lies under a stone; Fly thee home, Lady-Bird, ere it be gone.
THE LOVING BROTHERS
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.
NOTHING-AT-ALL
There was an old woman called Nothing-at-all, Who rejoiced in a dwelling exceedingly small; A man stretched his mouth to its utmost extent, And down at one gulp house and old woman went.
FORTUNE-TELLING BY CHERRY-STONES
One, I love; two, I love; Three, I love, I say; Four, I love with all my heart; Five, I cast away; Six, he loves; seven, she loves; Eight, both love; Nine, he comes; ten, he tarries; Eleven, he courts; and twelve, he marries.
LITTLE BO-PEEP
Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep, And can't tell where to find them; Let them alone, and they'll come home, And bring their tails behind them.
Little Bo-Peep fell fast asleep, And dreamt she heard them bleating; And when she awoke, she found it a joke, For still they were all fleeting.
Then up she took her little crook, Determined for to find them; She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed, For they'd left all their tails behind them.
It happened one day as Bo-Peep did stray Into a meadow hard by, There she espied their tails side by side, All hung on a tree to dry.
She heaved a sigh, and wiped her eye, And went over hill and dale, oh; And tried what she could, as a shepherdess should, To tack to each sheep its tail, oh!
TO BED!
Come let's to bed, Says Sleepy-head; Sit up a while, says Slow; Put on the pan, says Greedy Nan, Let's sup before we go.
OF GOING TO BED
Go to bed first, A golden purse;
Go to bed second, A golden pheasant;
Go to bed third, A golden bird.
GRACE BEFORE MEAT
Here a little child I stand, Heaving up my either hand;
Cold as paddocks though they be, Here I lift them up to Thee, For a benison to fall On our meat and on us all!
THERE WAS A BUTCHER
There was a butcher cut his thumb, When it did bleed, then blood did come.
There was a chandler making candle, When he them stript, he did them handle.
There was a cobbler clouting shoon, When they were mended, they were done.
There was a crow sat on a stone, When he was gone, then there was none.
There was a horse going to the mill, When he went on, he stood not still.
There was a lackey ran a race, When he ran fast, he ran apace.
There was a monkey climbed a tree, When he fell down, then down fell he.
There was a navy went into Spain, When it return'd, it came again.
There was an old woman lived under a hill, And if she's not gone, she lives there still.
WINTER HAS COME
Cold and raw the north wind doth blow, Bleak in a morning early; All the hills are covered with snow, And winter's now come fairly.
MONDAY'S CHILD
Monday's child is fair of 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, But the child that is born on the Sabbath day Is bonny, and blithe, and good, and gay.
JACK AND JILL
Jack and Jill went up the hill, To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down, and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after.
Then up Jack got up, and off did trot, As fast as he could caper,
To old Dame Dob, who patched his nob, With vinegar and brown paper.
CHARLEY, CHARLEY
Charley, Charley, stole the barley Out of the baker's shop, The baker came out and gave him a clout, Which made poor Charley hop.
THE PIPER'S COW
There was a piper had a cow, And he had nought to give her; He pulled out his pipe, 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."
SHAVE A PIG
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.
TONGS
Long legs, crooked thighs, Little head, and no eyes.
GOING TO ST. IVES
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?
MERRY ARE THE BELLS
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!
MORE ABOUT JACK JINGLE
Now what do you think Of little Jack Jingle? Before he was married He used to live single.
ROBIN, THE BOBBIN
Robin, the Bobbin, the bouncing 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!
ALL FOR WANT OF A NAIL
For want of a nail, the shoe was lost, For want of the shoe, the horse was lost, For want of the horse, the rider was lost, For want of the rider, the battle was lost, For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost, And all for the want of a horse-shoe nail!
CURLY LOCKS
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!
ST. VALENTINE'S DAY
Good morrow to you, Valentine! Curl your locks as I do mine;
Two before and three behind; Good morrow to you, Valentine!
THE KING OF FRANCE
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.
THE LATEST NEWS
What is the news of the day, Good neighbour, I pray? They say the balloon is gone up to the moon!
THE LIGHT-HEARTED FAIRY
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 merry, heigh ho! As the light-hearted fairy, heigh ho, heigh ho? His nectar he sips From a primrose's lips, With a hey, and a heigh, and a ho!
Oh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho! As the light-footed fairy, heigh ho, heigh ho? His night is the noon, And his sun is the moon, With a hey, and a heigh, and a ho!
I LIKE LITTLE PUSSY
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.
PUNCH AND JUDY
Punch and Judy Fought for a pie, Punch gave Judy A knock in the eye.
Says Punch to Judy, "Will you have any more?" Says Judy to Punch, "My eye is too sore."
THE OBSTINATE PIG
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; but Piggy would not go over the stile.
She went a little farther and she met a dog.
So she said to the dog:
"Dog, dog, bite pig! Piggy won't get over the stile; And I sha'n'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; Pig won't get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night."
But the stick would not.
She went a little farther and she met a fire.
So she said:
"Fire, fire, burn stick! Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night."
But the fire would not.
She went a little farther and she met some water.
So she said:
"Water, water, quench fire! Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night."
But the water would not.
She went a little farther and she met an ox.
So she said:
"Ox, ox, drink water! Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night."
But the ox would not.
She went a little farther and she met a butcher.
So she said:
"Butcher, butcher, kill ox! Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night."
But the butcher would not.
She went a little farther and she met a rope.
So she said:
"Rope, rope, hang butcher! Butcher won't kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night."
But the rope would not.
She went a little farther and she met a rat.
So she said:
"Rat, rat, gnaw rope! Rope won't hang butcher; Butcher won't kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night."
But the rat would not.
She went a little farther and she met a cat.
So she said:
"Cat, cat, kill rat! Rat won't gnaw rope; Rope won't hang butcher; Butcher won't kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I sha'n't get home to-night."
The cat said: "If you will get me a saucer of milk from the cow in yonder field I will kill the rat."
So the old woman went to the cow and said: "Cow, cow, will you give me a saucer of milk?" And the cow said: "If you will get me a bucket full of water from yonder brook I will give you the milk." And the old woman took the bucket to the brook; but the water all rushed out through the holes in the bottom. So she filled the holes up with stones, got the water, and took it to the cow, who at once gave her the saucer of milk. Then the old woman gave the cat the milk, and when she had lapped up the milk--
The cat began to kill the rat; The rat began to gnaw the rope; The rope began to hang the butcher; The butcher began to kill the ox; The ox began to drink the water; The water began to quench the fire; The fire began to burn the stick; The stick began to beat the dog; The dog began to bite the pig; The pig jumped over the stile; And so the old woman got home that night.
BOW-WOW, SAYS THE DOG
Bow-wow, says the dog; Mew-mew, says the cat; Grunt, grunt, goes the hog; And squeak, goes the rat.
Chirp, chirp, says the sparrow; Caw, caw, says the crow; Quack, quack, says the duck; And what cuckoos say, you know.
So, with sparrows and cuckoos, 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.
THE BURNY BEE
Bless you, bless you, burny bee; Say, when will your wedding be? If it be to-morrow day, Take your wings and fly away.
DANTY BABY