The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes Part 29

Master I have, and I am his man, Gallop a dreary dun; Master I have, and I am his man, And I'll get a wife as fast as I can; With a heighty gaily gamberally, Higgledy, piggledy, niggledy, niggledy, Gallop a dreary dun.

ROCK-A-BY, BABY

Rock-a-by, baby, thy cradle is green; Father's a n.o.bleman, mother's a queen; And Betty's a lady, and wears a gold ring; And Johnny's a drummer, and drums for the king.

THE FARMER AND HIS DAUGHTER

A Farmer went trotting upon his gray 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!

A STRANGE SIGHT

Upon St. Paul's steeple stands a tree, As full of apples as may be; The little boys of London Town, They run with hooks and pull them down; And then they run from hedge to hedge, Until they come to London Bridge.

I'LL TRY

Two Robin Redb.r.e.a.s.t.s built their nest Within a hollow tree; The hen sat quietly at home, The c.o.c.k sang merrily; And all the little ones said: "Wee, wee, wee, wee, wee, wee."

One day the sun was warm and bright, And s.h.i.+ning in the sky, c.o.c.k Robin said: "My little dears, 'Tis time you learned to fly;"

And all the little young ones said: "I'll try, I'll try, I'll try."

I know a child, and who she is I'll tell you by and by, When Mamma says "Do this," or "that,"

She says "What for?" and "Why?"

She'd be a better child by far If she would say "I'll try."

THE FOX AND THE GOOSE

The fox and his wife they had a great strife, They never ate mustard in all their whole life; They ate their meat without fork or knife, And loved to be picking a bone, e-ho!

The fox jumped up on a moonlight night; The stars they were s.h.i.+ning, and all things bright; "Oh, ho!" said the fox, "it's a very fine night For me to go through the town, e-ho!"

The fox when he came to yonder stile, He lifted his lugs and he listened a while; "Oh, ho!" said the fox, "it's but a short mile From this into yonder wee town, e-ho!"

The fox when he came to the farmer's gate, Whom should he see but the farmer's drake; "I love you well for your master's sake, And long to be picking your bones, e-ho!"

The gray goose she ran round the hay-stack; "Oh, ho!" said the fox, "you are very fat, You'll grease my beard and ride on my back From this into yonder wee town, e-ho!"

The farmer's wife she jumped out of bed, And out of the window she popped her head; "Oh, husband! oh, husband! the geese are all dead, For the fox has been through the town, e-ho!"

Then the old man got up in his red cap, And swore he would catch the fox in a trap; But the fox was too cunning, and gave him the slip, And ran through the town, the town, e-ho!

When he got to the top of the hill, He blew his trumpet both loud and shrill, For joy that he was in safety still, And had got away through the town, e-ho!

When the fox came back to his den, He had young ones both nine and ten; "You're welcome home, daddy; you may go again, If you bring us such fine meat from the town, e-ho!"

WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

"Where are you going to, my pretty maid?"

"I'm going a-milking, sir," she said.

"May I go with you, my pretty maid?"

"You're kindly welcome, sir," she said.

"What is your father, my pretty maid?"

"My father's a farmer, sir," she said.

"What is your fortune, my pretty maid?"

"My face is my fortune, sir," she said.

"Then I can't marry you, my pretty maid!"

"n.o.body asked you, sir," she said.

THE DIVISION OF LABOUR

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