Rhymes Old and New Part 4

BABY SONGS

HUSH YE, MY BAIRNIE

_From the Gaelic._

Hush ye, my bairnie, my bonnie wee laddie; When ye're a man ye shall follow yer daddie; Lift me a coo, and a goat, and a wether, Bringing them hame tae yer mammie thegither.

Hush ye, my bairnie, my bonnie wee lammie; Routh o' guid things ye shall bring tae yer mammie; Hare frae the meadow, and deer frae the mountain, Grouse frae the muirlan', and trout frae the fountain.

Hush ye, my bairnie, my bonnie wee dearie; Sleep! come and close the een, heavie and wearie; Closed are the wearie een, rest ye are takin', Soun' be your sleepin', and bright be yer wakin'.

THE WEE CROODLEN DOO

"Where hae ye been a' the day, My little wee croodlen doo?"

"Oh, I've been at my grandmother's; Mak my bed, mammie, noo!"

"What got ye at your grandmother's, My little wee croodlen doo?"

"I got a bonny wee fis.h.i.+e; Mak my bed, mammie, noo!"

"Oh, where did she catch the fis.h.i.+e, My bonny wee croodlen doo?"

"She catch'd it in the gutter hole; Mak my bed, mammie, noo!"

"And what did you do wi' the bones o't, My bonny wee croodlen doo?"

"I gied them to my little dog; Mak my bed, mammie, noo!"

"And what did the little doggie do, My little wee croodlen doo?"

"He stretched out his head, and his feet, and dee'd, As I do, mammie, noo!"

Baby cry, Wipe his eye.

Baby good, Give him food.

Baby sleepy, Go to bed.

Baby naughty, Smack his head.

O, can ye sew cus.h.i.+ons, Can ye sew sheets, Can ye sing Ba-loo-loo, When the bairnie greets?

And hee and ba, birdie, And hee and ba, lamb; And hee and ba, birdie, My bonnie lamb!

Hush, hush, hush, hush, And I dance mine own child, And I dance mine own child, Hush, hush, hush, hus.h.!.+

A DUTCH LULLABY

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night Sailed off in a wooden shoe, Sailed on a river of crystal light, Into a sea of dew: "Where are you going, and what do you wish?"

"We have come to fish for the herring-fish That live in this beautiful sea; Nets of silver and gold have we!"

Said Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

The old man laughed, and sang a song, As they rocked in the wooden shoe, And the wind that sped them all night long Ruffled the waves of dew.

The little stars were the herring-fish That lived in that beautiful sea; "Now cast your nets wherever you wish, Never afeared are we!"

So cried the stars to the fishermen three, Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

All night long their nets they threw To the stars in the twinkling foam, Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe, Bringing the fishermen home; 'Twas all so pretty a sail, it seemed As if it _could not_ be, And some folk thought 'twas a dream they'd dreamed, Of sailing that beautiful sea; But I shall name you the fishermen three: Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes, And Nod is a little head, And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies, Is a wee one's trundle-bed.

So shut your eyes while mother sings Of wonderful sights that be, And you shall see the beautiful things, As you rock in the misty sea, Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three: Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

O hush thee, my babie, thy sire was a knight, Thy mother a lady both gentle and bright; The woods and the glens from the tow'rs which we see, They are all belonging, dear babie, to thee.

O fear not the bugle, though loudly it blows; It calls but the warders that guard thy repose; Their bows would be bended, their blades would be red, E'er the step of a foeman draws near to thy bed.

O hush thee, my babie, the time will soon come, When thy sleep shall be broken by trumpet and drum, Then hush thee, my darling, take rest while you may, For strife comes with manhood, and waking with day.

When little birdie bye-bye goes, Quiet as mice in churches, He puts his head where n.o.body knows, And on one leg he perches.

When little baby bye-bye goes, On mother's arm reposing, Soon he lies beneath the clothes, Safe in cradle dozing.

When little p.u.s.s.y goes to sleep, Tail and nose together, Then little mice around her creep, Lightly as a feather.

When little baby goes to sleep, And he is very near us, Then on tiptoe softly creep, That baby may not hear us.

Dance a baby, diddy; What can a mammy do wid 'e?

Sit in a lap, give it some pap, And dance a baby, diddy.

Smile, my baby, bonny; What will time bring on 'e?

Sorrow and care, frowns and grey hair, So smile my baby, bonny.

Laugh, my baby, beauty; What will time do to 'e?

Furrow your cheek, wrinkle your neck, So laugh, my baby, beauty.

Dance, my baby, deary; Mother will never be weary, Frolic and play now while you may, So dance, my baby, deary.

Baby, baby, naughty baby!

Hush, you squalling thing, I say!

Hush this moment, or it may be Wellington will pa.s.s this way.

And he'll beat you, beat you, beat you, And he'll beat you into pap; And he'll eat you, eat you, eat you, Gobble you, gobble you, snap, snap, snap.