Chapter 3

The sow came in with the saddle, The little pig rock'd the cradle, The dish jump'd up on the table To see the pot swallow the ladle. The spit that stood behind the door Threw the pudding-stick on the floor. Odsplut! said the gridiron, Can't you agree? I'm the head constable, Bring them to me.

Little Tommy Tucker, Sing for your supper: What shall I sing? White bread and butter. How shall I cut it Without any knife? How shall I marry Without any wife?

I would, if I could; if I couldn't, how could I? I couldn't without I could, could I? Could you without you could, could ye? could ye? could ye? You couldn't without you could, could ye?

Oh that I were where I would be! Then should I be where I am not; But where I am, there I must be, And where I would be I can not.

Hiccory, diccory, dock, The mouse run up the clock; The clock struck one, and down he run, Hiccory, diccory, dock.

Jacky, come give me your fiddle, If ever you mean to thrive. Nay, I'll not give my fiddle To any man alive.

If I should give you my fiddle, They'll think that I'm gone mad, For many a joyful day My fiddle and I have had.

There was a Piper had a Cow, And he had naught to give her, He pull'd out his pipes and play'd 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."

Away, pretty robin, fly home to your nest, To make you my captive I still should like best, And feed you with worms and with bread: Your eyes are so sparkling, your feathers so soft, Your little wings flutter so pretty aloft, And your breast is all cover'd with red.

Handy-spandy, Jacky dandy, Loves plum-cake and sugar candy. He bought some at a grocer's shop, And pleased away went hop, hop, hop.

When good King Arthur ruled his 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 noblemen beside; And what they could not eat that night, The queen next morning fried.

Rock-a-bye, baby, your 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.

See saw, Jack-a-daw, Johnny shall have a new master; Johnny shall have but a penny a day, Because he can work no faster.

About the bush, Willie, about the bee-hive, About the bush, Willie, I'll meet thee alive.

We're three brethren out of Spain, Come to court your daughter Jane.

My daughter Jane she is too young, She has no skill in a flattering tongue.

Be she young or be she old, It's for her gold she must be sold, So fare you well, my lady gay, We shall return another day.

Mistress Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells, And maidens all in a row.

When I was a little boy, my mother kept me in, Now I am a great boy, and fit to serve the king; I can handle a musket, I can smoke a pipe, I can kiss a pretty girl at ten o'clock at night.

Mary had a pretty bird, Feathers bright and yellow, Slender legs, upon my word He was a pretty fellow.

The sweetest notes he always sung, Which much delighted Mary, And often where the cage was hung, She stood to hear Canary.

This is the way the ladies ride, Prim, prim, prim; This is the way the gentlemen ride, Trim, trim, trim. Presently come the country-folks, Hobbledy gee, hobbledy gee.

One, Six, Two, Seven, Three, Eight, Four, Nine, Five, Ten, I caught a hare alive. I let it go again.

Cock a doodle doo, My dame has lost her shoe; My master's lost his fiddlestick, And knows not what to do.

Tom, Tom of Islington, Married a wife on Sunday, Bro't her home on Monday, Hired a house on Tuesday, Fed her well on Wednesday, Sick was she on Thursday, Dead was she on Friday, Sad was Tom on Saturday, To bury his wife on Sunday.

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 handkerchief to wipe his little nose, And a pair of little garters to tie his little hose.

As I was going to St. Ives, I met 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 going to St. Ives?

Miss Jane had a bag, and a mouse was in it, She opened the bag, he was out in a minute; The Cat saw him jump, and run under the table, And the dog said, catch him, puss, soon as you're able.

Cross Patch, draw the latch, Sit by the fire and spin; Take a cup, and drink it up, Then call your neighbors in.

See-saw, Margery Daw, Sold her bed and lay upon straw. Was not she a dirty slut, To sell her bed and lay in the dirt?

What care I how black he be? Twenty pounds will marry me If twenty won't, forty shall, I'm my mother's bouncing girl.

Here's A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, W, V,[ X, Y, and Z, And oh, dear me, When shall I learn My A, B, C.*/

[*][Note from Brett: "V" and "W" appear to be intentionally inverted to favor the rhyme.]

Milk-man, milk-man, where have you been? In Buttermilk channel up to my chin, I spilt my milk, and I spoilt my clothes, And got a long icicle hung to my nose.

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.

There was an old woman Sold puddings and pies, She went to the mill, And the dust flew in her eyes. While through the streets, To all she meets, She ever cries, Hot Pies--Hot Pies.

A cow and a calf, An ox and a half, Forty good shillings and three. Is not enough tocher For a shoemaker's daughter, A bonny sweet lass With a coal-black ee[*]

[*][Note from Brett: "ee" is correct. I have no idea what it means.]

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.

Little Jack Nory Told me a story How he tried Cock-horse to ride, Sword and scabbard by his side, Saddle, leaden spurs and switches, His pocket tight With cents all bright, Marbles, tops, puzzles, props, Now he's put in jacket and breeches.

There were two blackbirds sitting on a hill, One name Jack, and the other name Jill; Fly away, Jack--fly away, Jill, Come again, Jack--come again, Jill.

Willie boy, Willie boy, Where are you going? O let us go with you, This sunshiny day.

I'm going to the meadow, To see them a mowing, I'm going to help the girls Turn the new hay.

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town, Upstairs and downstairs in his night gown; Tapping at the windows, crying at the lock, "Are the babes in their beds, for it's now ten o'clock?"