The Nursery Rhyme Book Part 14

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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

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

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

[_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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

[_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 Sh.o.r.editch.

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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Here comes a candle to light you to bed]

[_Game on a child's features._]

HERE sits the Lord Mayor; [_Forehead._ Here sit his two men; [_Eyes._ Here sits the c.o.c.k; [_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._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

DANCE, Thumbkin, dance; [_Keep the thumb in motion._ Dance, ye merrymen, every one; [_All the fingers in motion._ For Thumbkin, he can dance alone, [_The thumb only moving._ Thumbkin, he can dance alone; [_Ditto._ Dance, Foreman, dance, [_The first finger moving._ Dance, ye merrymen, every one; [_The whole moving._ 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._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

[_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), d.i.c.kory (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!

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

[_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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

[_A song set to five fingers._]