National Rhymes of the Nursery Part 23

He'll sit in a barn, And to keep himself warm, Will hide his head under his wing.

Poor thing!

_Bless you, 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.

_The rose is red_

The rose is red, the violet blue, The gilly-flower sweet, and so are you These are the words you bade me say For a pair of new gloves on Easter-day.

_Simple Simon met a pieman_

Simple Simon met a pieman Going to the fair; Says Simple Simon to the pieman, "Let me taste your ware."

[Ill.u.s.tration: SIMPLE SIMON]

Says the pieman to Simple Simon, "Show me first your penny."

Says Simple Simon to the pieman, "Indeed, I have not any."

Simple Simon went a-fishing, For to catch a whale; All the water he had got Was in his mother's pail.

_Yankee Doodle_

Yankee Doodle went to town, Upon a little pony; He stuck a feather in his hat, And called it Macaroni.

[Ill.u.s.tration: TWEEDLE-DUM AND TWEEDLE-DEE]

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.

_Here's Sulky Sue_

Here's Sulky Sue, What shall we do?

Turn her face to the wall Till she comes to.

_Jack Sprat had a cat_

Jack Sprat Had a cat, It had but one ear; It went to buy b.u.t.ter, When b.u.t.ter was dear.

_A long-tailed pig_

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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: AS I WAS GOING UP PIPPEN HILL.]

As I was going up Pippen Hill Pippen Hill was dirty; There I met a pretty miss, And she dropped 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.

_Lavender blue and rosemary green_

Lavender blue and rosemary green, When I am king you shall be queen; Call up my maids at four o'clock, Some to the wheel and some to the rock, Some to make hay and some to shear corn, And you and I will keep ourselves warm.

_Hey, my kitten, my kitten_

Hey, my kitten, my kitten, And hey, my kitten, my deary!

Such a sweet pet as this Was neither far nor neary.

Here we go up, up, up, And here we go down, down, downy; And here we go backwards and forwards, And here we go round, round, roundy.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "HERE WE GO BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS."]

_Polly put the kettle on_

Polly, put the kettle on, Polly, put the kettle on, Polly, put the kettle on, And we'll all have tea.

Sukey, take it off again, Sukey, take it off again, Sukey, take it off again, They're all gone away.

_There was a little boy went into a barn_

There was a little boy went into a barn, And lay down on some hay; An owl came out and flew about, And the little boy ran away.

_The old woman and her 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 the pig 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!

Pig won't get over the stile; And I shan't get home to-night."

But the dog would not.