Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building Part 9

BOBBY SHAFTOE

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 evermair, Pretty Bobby Shaftoe.

DING-DONG-BELL

Ding-- Dong-- Bell!

p.u.s.s.y's in the well.

Who put her in? Little Johnny Green.

Who pulled her out? Big Johnny Stout.

What a naughty boy was that, To drown poor p.u.s.s.y cat, Who never did him any harm, And killed the mice in his father's barn.

LONDON BRIDGE

London bridge is broken down, Dance over my Lady Lee, London bridge is broken down, With a gay ladye.

How shall we build it up again?

Dance over my Lady Lee, How shall we build it up again?

With a gay ladye.

We'll build it up with gravel and stone, Dance over my Lady Lee, We'll build it up with gravel and stone, With a gay ladye.

Gravel and stone will be washed away, Dance over my Lady Lee, Gravel and stone will be washed away, With a gay ladye.

We'll build it up with iron and steel, Dance over my Lady Lee, We'll build it up with iron and steel, With a gay ladye.

Iron and steel will bend and break, Dance over my Lady Lee, Iron and steel will bend and break, With a gay ladye.

We'll build it up with silver and gold, Dance over my Lady Lee, We'll build it up with silver and gold, With a gay ladye.

Silver and gold will be stolen away, Dance over my Lady Lee, Silver and gold will be stolen away, With a gay ladye.

We'll set a man to watch it then, Dance over my Lady Lee, We'll set a man to watch it then, With a gay ladye.

We'll put a pipe within his mouth, Dance over my Lady Lee, We'll put a pipe within his mouth, With a gay ladye.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Bobby Shaftoe's gone to sea."]

GREEN GRAVEL

All round the green gravel the gra.s.s grows so green, And all the pretty maids are fit to be seen, Wash them in milk, dress them in silk, And the first to go down shall be married in green.

OLD MOTHER HUBBARD

Old Mother Hubbard Went to the cupboard To get her poor dog a bone; But when she came there The cupboard was bare, And so the poor dog had none.

She went to the baker's To buy him some bread, But when she came back The poor dog was dead.

She went to the joiner's To buy him a coffin, But when she came back The poor dog was laughing.

She went to the butcher's To get him some tripe, But when she came back He was smoking his pipe.

She went to the hatter's To buy him a hat, But when she came back He was feeding the cat.

She went to the barber's To buy him a wig, But when she came back He was dancing a jig.

She went to the tailor's To buy him a coat, But when she came back He was riding a goat.

She went to the cobbler's To buy him some shoes, But when she came back He was reading the news.

She went to the seamstress To buy him some linen, But when she came back The dog was a-spinning.

She went to the hosier's To buy him some hose, But when she came back He was dressed in his clothes.

The dame made a curtsey, The dog made a bow; The dame said, "Your servant."

The dog said, "Bow, wow."

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE STORY OF MOTHER HUBBARD, TOLD IN j.a.pANESE PICTURES.]

LITTLE BO-PEEP

Little Bo-Peep, she lost her sheep, And can't tell where to find them; Leave them alone, and they'll come home, And bring their tails behind them.

Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep, And dreamed she heard them bleating; When she awoke she found it a joke, For they still 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 their tails behind them!

It happened one day, as Bo-peep did stray Unto 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, Then went over hill and dale, And tried what she could, as a shepherdess should, To tack to each sheep its tail.

COME OUT TO PLAY

Boys and girls, come out to play, The moon does shine as bright as day; Leave your supper, and leave your sleep, And meet your playfellows in the street, Come with a whoop and come with a call, Come with a good will or not at all.

Up the ladder and down the wall, A halfpenny roll will serve us all.

You find milk and I'll find flour, And we'll have pudding in half an hour.

LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST