National Rhymes of the Nursery Part 19

The Buck gives us a venison dish, When hunted for the spoil: The Shark eats up the little fish, The Whale produces oil.

The Glow-worm s.h.i.+nes the darkest night, With Lantern in his tail; The Turtle is the cit's delight, And wears a coat of mail.

In Germany they hunt the Boar, The Bee brings honey home, The Ant lays up a winter store, The Bear loves honey-comb.

The Eagle has a crooked beak, The Plaice has orange spots; The Starling, if he's taught, will speak; The Ostrich walks and trots.

The child that does not these things know, Might well be called a dunce; But I in knowledge quick will grow, For youth can come but once.

_Snail, Snail_

Snail, Snail, come out of your hole, Or else I'll beat you as black as a coal.

Snail, Snail, put out your horns, Here comes a thief to pull down your walls.

_As I was going to sell my eggs_

As I was going to sell my eggs I met a man with bandy legs; Bandy legs and crooked toes, I tripped up his heels, and he fell on his nose.

_A Farmer went trotting upon his grey mare_

A farmer went trotting upon his grey mare, b.u.mpety, b.u.mpety, b.u.mp!

With his daughter behind him so rosy and fair, Lumpety, lumpety, lump!

A raven cried "Croak!" and they all tumbled down, b.u.mpety, b.u.mpety, b.u.mp!

The mare broke her knees, and the farmer his crown, Lumpety, lumpety, lump!

The mischievous raven flew laughing away, b.u.mpety, b.u.mpety, b.u.mp!

And vowed he would serve them the same the next day, Lumpety, lumpety, lump!

_My little brother_

I love you well, my little brother, And you are fond of me; Let us be kind to one another, As brothers ought to be.

You shall learn to play with me, And learn to use my toys; And then I think that we shall be Two happy little boys.

_There was an old woman lived under a hill_

There was an old woman lived under a hill, She put a mouse in a bag and sent it to the mill; The miller did swear by the point of his knife, He never took toll of a mouse in his life.

_When I was a little boy_

When I was a little boy, I washed my mammy's dishes, I put my finger in my eye, And pulled out golden fishes.

_Hickety, pickety_

Hickety, pickety, my black hen, She lays eggs for gentlemen; Gentlemen come every day To see what my black hen doth lay.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "... MY BLACK HEN, LAYS EGGS FOR GENTLEMEN."]

_I had a little husband_

I had a little husband, No bigger than my thumb; I put him in a pint pot, And there I bid him drum.

I bought a little horse, That galloped up and down; I bridled him, and saddled him, And sent him out of town.

I gave him some garters, To garter up his hose, And a little handkerchief, To wipe his pretty nose.

_Wash me and comb me_

Wash me and comb me, And lay me down softly, And lay me on a bank to dry, That I may look pretty When somebody comes by.

_Come take up your hats, and away let us haste_

Come take up your hats, and away let us haste, To the b.u.t.terfly's Ball, and the Gra.s.shopper's Feast.

The trumpeter, Gad-fly, has summoned the crew, And the revels are now only waiting for you.

On the smooth shaven gra.s.s, by the side of a wood, Beneath a broad oak which for ages had stood, See the children of earth, and the tenants of air, To an evening's amus.e.m.e.nt together repair.

And there came the Beetle so blind and so black, Who carried the Emmet, his friend, on his back.

And there came the Gnat and the Dragonfly too, With all their relations, green, orange, and blue.

And there came the Moth, with her plumage of down, And the Hornet with jacket of yellow and brown; And with him the Wasp, his companion, did bring, But they promised that evening to lay by their sting.

Then the sly little Dormouse peeped out of his hole, And led to the Feast his blind cousin the Mole: And the Snail, with her horns peeping out of her sh.e.l.l, Came, fatigued with the distance, the length of an ell.

A mushroom the table, and on it was spread A water-dock leaf, which their table-cloth made.

The viands were various, to each of their taste, And the Bee brought the honey to sweeten the feast.

With steps most majestic the Snail did advance, And he promised the gazers a minuet to dance; But they all laughed so loud that he drew in his head, And went in his own little chamber to bed.

Then, as evening gave way to the shadows of night, Their watchman, the Glow-worm, came out with his light.

So home let us hasten, while yet we can see, For no watchman is waiting for you or for me.

_I had a little pony_

I had a little pony, They called him Dapple Grey, I lent him to a lady, To ride a mile away.

She whipped him, she lashed him, She drove him through the mire, I wadna gie my pony yet For all the lady's hire.