The Nursery Rhyme Book

IX. Games

 
THERE were three jovial Welshmen,
As I have heard them say,
And they would go 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 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 said it was a cheese,
And half o't cut away.
 
 
And all the day they hunted,
And nothing could they find
But a hedgehog in a bramble-bush,
And that they left behind.
 
 
The first said it was a hedgehog;
The second he said nay;
The third it was a pin-cushion,
And the pins stuck in wrong way.
 
 
And all the night they hunted,
And nothing could they find
But a hare in a turnip field,
And that they left behind.
 
 
The first said it was a hare;
The second he said nay;
The third said it was a calf,
And the cow had run away.
 
 
And all the day they hunted,
And nothing could they find
But an owl in a holly-tree,
And that they left behind.
 
 
One said it was an owl;
The other he said nay;
The third said 'twas an old man,
And his beard growing grey.
 

 
JACK, be nimble,
And, Jack, be quick;
And, Jack, jump over
The candlestick.
 

 
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.
 

[Children hunting bats.]

 
BAT, bat (clap hands),
Come under my hat,
And I'll give you a slice of bacon;
And when I bake,
I'll give you a cake,
If I am not mistaken.
 

[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.]

 
GAY go up and gay go down,
To ring the bells of London town.
 
 
Bull's eyes and targets,
Say the bells of St. Marg'ret's.
 
 
Brickbats and tiles,
Say the bells of St. Giles'.
 
 
Halfpence and farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's.
 
 
Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clement's.
 
 
Pancakes and fritters,
Say the bells of St. Peter's.
 
 
Two sticks and an apple,
Say the bells at Whitechapel.
 
 
Old Father Baldpate,
Say the slow bells at Aldgate.
 
 
You owe me ten shillings,
Say the bells at St. Helen's.
 
 
Pokers and tongs,
Say the bells at St. John's.
 
 
Kettles and pans,
Say the bells at St. Ann's.
 
 
When will you pay me?
Say the bells at Old Bailey.
 
 
When I grow rich,
Say the bells at Shoreditch.
 
 
Pray when will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.
 
 
I am sure I don't know,
Says the great bell at Bow.
 
 
Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head.
 

[Game on a child's features.]

 
HERE sits the Lord Mayor; [Forehead.
Here sit his two men; [Eyes.
Here sits the cock; [Right cheek.
Here sits the hen; [Left cheek.
Here sit the little chickens; [Tip of nose.
Here they run in, [Mouth.
Chinchopper, chinchopper,
Chinchopper, chin! [Chuck the chin.
 

 
[Keep the thumb in motion.
DANCE, Thumbkin, dance; [All the fingers in motion.
Dance, ye merrymen, every one; [The thumb only moving.
For Thumbkin, he can dance alone, [Ditto.
Thumbkin, he can dance alone; [The first finger moving.
Dance, Foreman, dance, [The whole moving.
Dance, ye merrymen, every one;
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.]

[Children stand round, and are counted one by one, by means of this rhyme. The child upon whom the last number falls is out, for "Hide and Seek," or any other game where a victim is required.]

 
HICKORY (1), Dickory (2), Dock (3),
The mouse ran up the clock (4);
The clock struck one (5);
The mouse was gone (6);
O(7), u(8), t(9), spells out!
 

[A game at ball.]

 
CUCKOO, cherry-tree,
Catch a bird, and give it to me;
Let the tree be high or low,
Let it hail, rain, or snow.
 

[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 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! [Pulling up its nose.
And walk in! [Opening its mouth and putting in its finger.
 

[Game with the hands.]

 
PEASE-PUDDING 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.
 

 
IS John Smith within?" —
"Yes, that he is."
"Can he set a shoe?" —
"Ay, marry, two,
Here a nail, there a nail,
Tick, tack, too."
 

 
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 there I saw a monkey.
2. Just like me.
 

 
1. I AM a gold lock.
2. I am a gold key.
1. I am a silver lock.
2. I am a silver key.
1. I am a brass lock.
2. I am a brass key.
1. I am a lead lock.
2. I am a lead key.
1. I am a monk lock.
2. I am a monk key!
 

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 you 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 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.
 

 
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.
 

 
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.
 

[The following is a game played thus: 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 arms – 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."
 

 
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.
 

[A string of children, hand in hand, stand in a row. A child (a) stands in front of 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 dress'd in green,
Stamping grass and parsley,
Marigold leaves and daisies.
 
 
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.]

 
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.
 

 
SEE, saw, Margery Daw
Sold her bed and lay upon straw.
Was not she a dirty slut,
To sell her bed and lie in the dirt!
 

 
SEE, saw, Margery Daw,
Little Jackey shall have a new master;
Little Jackey shall have but a penny a day,
Because he can't work any faster.
 

[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.
 

[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!
 

 
WHO goes round my house this night?
None but bloody Tom!
Who steals all the sheep at night?
None but this poor one.
 

 
WHOOP, whoop, and hollow,
Good dogs won't follow,
Without the hare cries "Pee-wit."
 

 
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!
 

 
HERE stands a post.
"Who put it there?"
"A better man than you:
Touch it if you dare!"
 

 
THERE were two blackbirds
Sitting on a hill,
The one nam'd Jack,
The other nam'd Jill.
Fly away Jack!
Fly away Jill!
Come again Jack!
Come again Jill!
 

X. Jingles

 
DEEDLE, deedle, dumpling, my son John
Went to bed with his trousers on;
One shoe off, the other shoe on,
Deedle, deedle, dumpling, my son John.
 

 
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.
 
 
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 scratch'd her head,
And can't tell what to do.
 

 
HEY! diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laugh'd
To see the sport,
While the dish ran after the spoon.
 
 
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.
 

 
DING, dong, bell,
Pussy's in the well!
Who put her in? —
Little Tommy Lin.
Who pulled her out? —
Dog with long snout.
What a naughty boy was that
To drown poor pussy-cat,
Who never did any harm,
But kill'd the mice in his father's barn.
 

 
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.
 

 
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.
 

 
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.
 

 
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.
 

 
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.
 

 
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!
 

XI. Love & Matrimony

 
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.
 

 
ROSEMARY green,
And lavender blue,
Thyme and sweet marjoram,
Hyssop and rue.
 

 
BRAVE news is come to town;
Brave news is carried;
Brave news is come to town
Jemmy Dawson's married.
 

 
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?
 
 
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.
 

 
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 I was a bachelor I lived by myself,
And all the meat I got I put upon a shelf;
The rats and the mice did lead me such a life
That I went 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.
 

 
BLUE eye beauty,
Grey eye greedy,
Black eye blackie,
Brown eye brownie.
 

 
AS Tommy Snooks and Bessy Brooks
Were walking out one Sunday,
Says Tommy Snooks to Bessy Brooks,
"To-morrow will be Monday."
 

 
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 walk 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,
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!
 
 
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!
 

 
JACK in the pulpit, out and in,
Sold his wife for a minikin pin.
 

 
JACK SPRAT could eat no fat,
His wife could eat no lean:
 
 
And so, betwixt them both, you see,
They lick'd the platter clean.
 

 
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.
 

 
 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 mended-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?"
 

 
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.
 

 
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 on you.
 

 
HERE comes a lusty wooer,
My a dildin, my a daldin;
Here comes a lusty wooer,
Lily bright and shine a'.
 
 
"Pray, who do you woo,
My a dildin, my a daldin?
Pray, who do you woo,
Lily bright and shine a'?"
 
 
"For your fairest daughter,
My a dildin, my a daldin;
For your fairest daughter,
Lily bright and shine a'."
 
 
"Then there she is for you,
My a dildin, my a daldin;
Then there she is for you,
Lily bright and shine a'."
 

 
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.
 

 
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 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.
 

 
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 ribbands on it,
And dimity petticoats over her knee.
 

 
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.
 

 
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.
 

 
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!
 

 
GEORGEY PORGEY, pudding and pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry;
When the girls come out to play,
Georgey Porgey runs away.
 

 
THERE was a lady loved a swine:
"Honey," quoth she,
"Pig-hog, wilt thou be mine?"
"Grunt," quoth he.
 
 
"I'll build thee a silver stye,
Honey," quoth she;
"And in it thou shall lie;"
"Grunt," quoth he.
 
 
"Pinned with a silver pin,
Honey," quoth she,
"That you may go out and in;"
"Grunt," quoth he.
 
 
"Wilt thou now have me,
Honey," quoth she;
"Grunt, grunt, grunt," quoth he,
And went his way.
 

 
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."