National Rhymes of the Nursery Part 27

"Puss," says the Dame, "Can you catch a rat, Or a mouse in the dark?"

"Purr," says the cat.

_How do you do, neighbour?_

How do you do, neighbour?

Neighbour, how do you do?

Very well, I thank you.

How does Cousin Sue do?

She is very well, And sends her love unto you, And so does Cousin Bell.

Ah! how, pray, does she do?

"_Oh, what have you got for dinner?_"

"Oh, What have you got for dinner, Mrs. Bond?"

"There's beef in the larder, and ducks in the pond.

Dilly, dilly, ducklings, come and be killed, For you must be stuffed, and my customers filled!

"John Ostler, go fetch me a duckling or two, John Ostler, go fetch me a duckling or two; Cry dilly, dilly, ducklings, come and be killed, For you must be stuffed, and my customers filled!"

"I have been to the ducks that are swimming in the pond, And they won't come to be killed, Mrs. Bond; I cried dilly, dilly, ducklings, come and be killed, For you must be stuffed, and the customers filled!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: "COME, LITTLE WAG-TAILS, COME AND BE KILLED."]

Mrs. Bond she went down to the pond in a rage, With plenty of onions, and plenty of sage; She cried, "Come, little wag-tails, come and be killed, For you shall be stuffed, and my customers filled!"

_Lucy Locket_

Lucy Locket lost her pocket, Kitty Fisher found it; Never a penny was there in it, Save the binding round it.

_One, he loves_

One, he loves; two, he loves; Three, he loves, they say; Four, he loves with all his heart;

Five, he casts away.

Six, he loves; seven, she loves; Eight, they both love.

Nine, he comes; ten, he tarries; Eleven, he courts; twelve, he marries.

[Ill.u.s.tration: TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SAILOR, APOTHECARY, PLOUGHBOY, THIEF.]

_He loves me_

1. He loves me, 2. He don't!

3. He'll have me, 4. He won't!

5. He would if he could, 6. But he can't, 7. So he don't!

_There once were two cats_

There once were two cats of Kilkenny, Each thought there was one cat too many.

So they fought and they fit, And they scratched and they bit, Till, excepting their nails And the tips of their tails, Instead of two cats, there weren't any.

_Three little kittens_

Three little kittens lost their mittens, And they began to cry, Oh! mother dear, We very much fear That we have lost our mittens.

Lost your mittens!

You naughty kittens!

Then you shall have no pie.

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.

No, you shall have no pie.

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.

The three little kittens found their mittens And they began to cry, Oh! mother dear, See here, see here!

See, we have found our mittens.

Put on your mittens, You silly kittens, And you shall have some pie.

Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r, Oh! let us have the pie!

Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r.

The three little kittens put on their mittens And soon ate up the pie; Oh! mother dear, We greatly fear, That we have soiled our mittens.

Soiled your mittens!

You naughty kittens!

Then they began to sigh, Mi-ow, mi-ow, mi-ow.

Then they began to sigh, Mi-ow, mi-ow, mi-ow.

The three little kittens washed their mittens, And hung them up to dry; Oh! mother dear, Do you not hear, That we have washed our mittens?

Washed your mittens!

Oh! you're good kittens.

But I smell a rat close by.

Hush! hush! mee-ow, mee-ow.

We smell a rat close by, Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.

_The c.o.c.k's on the housetop_

The c.o.c.k's on the housetop blowing his horn; The bull's in the barn a-threshing of corn; The maids in the meadows are making of hay, The ducks in the river are swimming away.

_I do not like thee, Doctor Fell_