The Real Mother Goose SLEEP, BABY, SLEEP Sleep, baby, sleep, Our cottage vale is deep: The little lamb is on the green, With woolly fleece so soft and clean-- Sleep, baby, sleep. Sleep, baby, sleep, Down where the woodbines creep; Be always like the lamb so mild, A kind, and sweet, and gentle child. Sleep, baby, sleep. CRY, BABY Cry, baby, cry, Put your finger in your eye, And tell your mother it wasn't I. BAA, BAA, BLACK SHEEP Baa, baa, black sheep, Have you any wool? Yes, marry, have I, Three bags full; One for my master, One for my dame, But none for the little boy Who cries in the lane. LITTLE FRED When little Fred went to bed, He always said his prayers; He kissed mamma, and then papa, And straightway went upstairs. THE CAT AND THE FIDDLE Hey, diddle, diddle! The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon; The little dog laughed To see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon. DOCTOR FELL I do not like thee, Doctor Fell; The reason why I cannot tell; But this I know, and know full well, I do not like thee, Doctor Fell! A COUNTING-OUT RHYME Hickery, dickery, 6 and 7, Alabone, Crackabone, 10 and 11, Spin, spun, muskidun, Twiddle 'em, twaddle 'em, 21. JACK AND HIS FIDDLE "Jacky, come and give me thy fiddle, If ever thou mean to thrive." "Nay, I'll not give my fiddle To any man alive. 'If I should give my fiddle, They'll think that I've gone mad; For many a joyous day My fiddle and I have had." BUTTONS Buttons, a farthing a pair! Come, who will buy them of me? They're round and sound and pretty, And fit for girls of the city. Come, who will buy them of me? Buttons, a farthing a pair! HOT BOILED BEANS Ladies and gentlemen come to supper-- Hot boiled beans and very good butter. LITTLE PUSSY I like little Pussy, Her coat is so warm, And if I don't hurt her She'll do me no harm; So I'll not pull her tail, Nor drive her away, But Pussy and I Very gently will play. SING A SONG OF SIXPENCE Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye; Four-and-twenty blackbirds Baked in a pie! When the pie was opened The birds began to sing; Was not that a dainty dish To set before the king? The king was in his counting-house, Counting out his money; The queen was in the parlor, Eating bread and honey. The maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes; When down came a blackbird And snapped off her nose. TOMMY TITTLEMOUSE Little Tommy Tittlemouse Lived in a little house; He caught fishes In other men's ditches. THE DERBY RAM As I was going to Derby all on a market-day, I met the finest ram, sir, that ever was fed upon hay; Upon hay, upon hay, upon hay; I met the finest ram, sir, that ever was fed upon hay. This ram was fat behind, sir; this ram was fat before; This ram was ten yards round, sir; indeed, he was no more; No more, no more, no more; This ram was ten yards round, sir; indeed, he was no more. The horns that grew on his head, they were so wondrous high, As I've been plainly told, sir; they reached up to the sky. The sky, the sky, the sky; As I've been plainly told, sir, they reached up to the sky. The tail that grew from his back, sir, was six yards and an ell; And it was sent to Derby to toll the market bell; The bell, the bell, the bell; And it was sent to Derby to toll the market bell. THE HOBBY-HORSE I had a little hobby-horse, And it was dapple gray; Its head was made of pea-straw, Its tail was made of hay, I sold it to an old woman For a copper groat; And I'll not sing my song again Without another coat. THE MULBERRY BUSH Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, Here we go round the mulberry bush. On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we wash our hands, Wash our hands, wash our hands, This is the way we wash our hands, On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we wash our clothes, Wash our clothes, wash our clothes, This is the way we wash our clothes, On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we go to school, Go to school, go to school, This is the way we go to school, On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we come out of school, Come out of school, come out of school, This is the way we come out of school, On a cold and frosty morning. YOUNG LAMBS TO SELL If I'd as much money as I could tell, I never would cry young lambs to sell; Young lambs to sell, young lambs to sell; I never would cry young lambs to sell. BOY AND THE SPARROW A little cock-sparrow sat on a green tree, And he chirruped, he chirruped, so merry was he; A naughty boy came with his wee bow and arrow, Determined to shoot this little cock-sparrow. "This little cock-sparrow shall make me a stew, And his giblets shall make me a little pie, too." "Oh, no," says the sparrow "I won't make a stew." So he flapped his wings and away he flew. OLD WOMAN, OLD WOMAN There was an old woman tossed in a basket. Seventeen times as high as the moon; But where she was going no mortal could tell, For under her arm she carried a broom. "Old woman, old woman, old woman," said I, "Whither, oh whither, oh whither so high?" "To sweep the cobwebs from the sky; And I'll be with you by-and-by THE FIRST OF MAY The fair maid who, the first of May, Goes to the fields at break of day, And washes in dew from the hawthorn-tree, Will ever after handsome be. SULKY SUE Here's Sulky Sue, What shall we do? Turn her face to the wall Till she comes to. THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT This is the house that Jack built. This is the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the maiden all forlorn, That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the man all tattered and torn, That kissed the maiden all forlorn, That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the priest all shaven and shorn, That married the man all tattered and torn, That kissed the maiden all forlorn, That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the cock that crowed in the morn, That waked the priest all shaven and shorn, That married the man all tattered and torn, That kissed the maiden all forlorn, That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the farmer sowing the corn, That kept the cock that crowed in the morn. That waked the priest all shaven and shorn, That married the man all tattered and torn, That kissed the maiden all forlorn, That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, That tossed the dog, That worried the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. SATURDAY, SUNDAY On Saturday night Shall be all my care To powder my locks And curl my hair. On Sunday morning My love will come in, When he will marry me With a gold ring. LITTLE JENNY WREN Little Jenny Wren fell sick, Upon a time; In came Robin Redbreast And brought her cake and wine. "Eat well of my cake, Jenny, Drink well of my wine." "Thank you, Robin, kindly, You shall be mine." Jenny she got well, And stood upon her feet, And told Robin plainly She loved him not a bit. Robin being angry, Hopped upon a twig, Saying, "Out upon you! Fie upon you! Bold-faced jig!" THE OLD WOMAN AND THE PEDLAR There was an old woman, as I've heard tell, She went to market her eggs for to sell; She went to market all on a market-day, And she fell asleep on the King's highway. There came by a pedlar whose name was Stout, He cut her petticoats all round about; He cut her petticoats up to the knees, Which made the old woman to shiver and freeze. When the little old woman first did wake, She began to shiver and she began to shake; She began to wonder and she began to cry, "Lauk a mercy on me, this can't be I! "But if I be I, as I hope it be, I've a little dog at home, and he'll know me; If it be I, he'll wag his little tail, And if it be not I, he'll loudly bark and wail." Home went the little woman all in the dark; Up got the little dog, and he began to bark; He began to bark, so she began to cry, "Lauk a mercy on me, this is none of I!" BOBBY SNOOKS Little Bobby Snooks was fond of his books, And loved by his usher and master; But naughty Jack Spry, he got a black eye, And carries his nose in a plaster. THE LITTLE MOPPET I had a little moppet, I put it in my pocket, And fed it with corn and hay. There came a proud beggar, And swore he should have her; And stole my little moppet away. I SAW A SHIP A-SAILING I saw a ship a-sailing, A-sailing on the sea; And, oh! it was all laden With pretty, things for thee! There were comfits in the cabin, And apples in the hold; The sails were made of silk, And the masts were made of gold. The four-and-twenty sailors That stood between the decks, Were four-and-twenty white mice With chains about their necks. The captain was a duck, With a packet on his back; And when the ship began to move, The captain said, "Quack! Quack!" A WALNUT As soft as silk, as white as milk, As bitter as gall, a strong wall, And a green coat covers me all. THE MAN IN THE MOON The Man in the Moon came tumbling down, And asked the way to Norwich; He went by the south, and burnt his mouth With eating cold pease porridge. 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 BAT, BAT Bat, bat, 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. HARK! HARK! Hark, hark! the dogs do bark! Beggars are coming to town: Some in jags, and some in rags And some in velvet gown. THE HART The hart he loves the high wood, The hare she loves the hill; The Knight he loves his bright sword, The Lady--loves her will. MY LOVE Saw ye aught of my love a-coming from the market? A peck of meal upon her back, A babby in her basket; Saw ye aught of my love a-coming from the market? THE MAN OF BOMBAY There was a fat man of Bombay, Who was smoking one sunshiny day; When a bird called a snipe Flew away with his pipe, Which vexed the fat man of Bombay POOR OLD ROBINSON CRUSOE! Poor old Robinson Crusoe! Poor old Robinson Crusoe! They made him a coat Of an old Nanny goat. I wonder why they should do so! With a ring-a-ting-tang, And a ring-a-ting-tang, Poor old Robinson Crusoe! A SIEVE A riddle, a riddle, as I suppose, A hundred eyes and never a nose! MY MAID MARY My maid Mary she minds the dairy While I go a-hoeing and mowing each morn; Gaily run the reel and the little spinning wheel. While I am singing and mowing my corn. A DIFFICULT RHYME What is the rhyme for porringer? The king he had a daughter fair And gave the Prince of Orange her PRETTY JOHN WATTS Pretty John Watts, We are troubled with rats, Will you drive them out of the house? We have mice, too, in plenty, That feast in the pantry, But let them stay And nibble away, What harm in a little brown mouse? GOOD ADVICE Come when you're called, Do what you're bid, Shut the door after you, And never be chid. I LOVE SIXPENCE I love sixpence, a jolly, jolly sixpence, I love sixpence as my life; I spent a penny of it, I spent a penny of it, I took a penny home to my Wife. Oh, my little fourpence, a jolly, jolly fourpence, I love fourpence as my life; I spent twopence of it, I spent twopence of it, And I took twopence home to my wife. BYE, BABY BUNTING Bye, baby bunting, Father's gone a-hunting, Mother's gone a-milking, Sister's gone a-silking, And brother's gone to buy a skin To wrap the baby bunting in. TOM, TOM, THE PIPER'S SON Tom, Tom, the piper's son, Stole a pig, and away he run, The pig was eat, And Tom was beat, And Tom ran crying down the street. COMICAL FOLK In a cottage in Fife Lived a man and his wife Who, believe me, were comical folk; For, to people's surprise, They both saw with their eyes, And their tongues moved whenever they spoke! When they were asleep, I'm told, that to keep Their eyes open they could not contrive; They both walked on their feet, And 'twas thought what they eat Helped, with drinking, to keep, them alive! COCK-CROW Cocks crow in the morn To tell us to rise, And he who lies late Will never be wise; For early to bed And early to rise, Is the way to be healthy And wealthy and wise. TOMMY SNOOKS As Tommy Snooks and Bessy Brooks Were walking out one Sunday, Says Tommy Snooks to Bessy Brooks, "Wilt marry me on Monday?" THE THREE SONS There was an old woman had three sons, Jerry and James and John, Jerry was hanged, James was drowned, John was lost and never was found; And there was an end of her three sons, Jerry and James and John! THE BLACKSMITH "Robert Barnes, My fellow fine, Can you shoe this horse of mine?" "Yes, good sir, that I can, As well as any other man; There's a nail, and there's a prod, Now, good sir, your horse is shod." TWO GRAY KITS The two gray kits, And the gray kits' mother, All went over The bridge together. The bridge broke down, They all fell in; "May the rats go with you," Says Tom Bolin. ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE One, two, Buckle my shoe; Three, four, Knock at the door; Five, six, Pick up sticks; Seven, eight, Lay them straight; Nine, ten, A good, fat hen; Eleven, twelve, Dig and delve; Thirteen, fourteen, Maids a-courting; Fifteen, sixteen, Maids in the kitchen; Seventeen, eighteen, Maids a-waiting; Nineteen, twenty, My plate's empty. COCK-A-DOODLE-DO! Cock-a-doodle-do! My dame has lost her shoe, My master's lost his fiddle-stick And knows not what to do. Cock-a-doodle-do! What is my dame to do? Till master finds his fiddle-stick, She'll dance without her shoe. PAIRS OR PEARS Twelve pairs hanging high, Twelve knights riding by, Each knight took a pear, And yet left a dozen there. BELLEISLE At the siege of Belleisle I was there all the while, All the while, all the while, At the siege of Belleisle.