The Nursery Rhymes of England Part 16

Merry have we met, and merry have we been, Merry let us part, and merry meet again; With our merry sing-song, happy, gay, and free, And a merry ding-dong, happy let us be!

CLIX.

My maid Mary She minds her dairy, While I go a hoing and mowing each morn, Merrily run the reel And the little spinning wheel Whilst I am singing and mowing my corn.

CLX.

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

One a penny, two a penny Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

If ye have no daughters, Give them to your sons.

CLXI.

Wooley Foster has gone to sea, With silver buckles at his knee, When he comes back he'll marry me,-- Bonny Wooley Foster!

Wooley Foster has a cow, Black and white about the mow, Open the gates and let her through, Wooley Foster's ain cow!

Wooley Foster has a hen, c.o.c.kle b.u.t.ton, c.o.c.kle ben, She lay eggs for gentlemen, But none for Wooley Foster!

CLXII.

[The following catch is found in Ben Jonson's 'Masque of Oberon,' and is a most common nursery song at the present day.]

Buz, quoth the blue fly, Hum, quoth the bee, Buz and hum they cry, And so do we: In his ear, in his nose, Thus, do you see?

He ate the dormouse, Else it was he.

CLXIII.

As I was going up the hill, I met with Jack the piper, And all the tunes that he could play Was "Tie up your petticoats tighter."

I tied them once, I tied them twice, I tied them three times over; And all the songs that he could sing Was "Carry me safe to Dover."

CLXIV.

There were two birds sat on a stone, Fa, la, la, la, lal, de; One flew away, and then there was one, Fa, la, la, la, lal, de; The other flew after, and then there was none, Fa, la, la, la, lal, de; And so the poor stone was left all alone, Fa, la, la, la, lal, de!

CLXV.

How does my lady's garden grow?

How does my lady's garden grow?

With c.o.c.kle sh.e.l.ls, and silver bells, And pretty maids all of a row.

CLXVI.

There was a jolly miller Lived on the river Dee: He worked and sung from morn till night, No lark so blithe as he, And this the burden of his song For ever used to be-- I jump mejerrime jee!

I care for n.o.body--no! not I, Since n.o.body cares for me.

CLXVII.

As I was going along, long, long, A singing a comical song, song, song, The lane that I went was so long, long, long, And the song that I sung was as long, long, long, And so I went singing along.

CLXVIII.

Where are you going, 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.

Say, will you marry me, my pretty maid?

Yes, if you please, kind sir, she said.

Will you be constant, my pretty maid?

That I can't promise you, sir, she said.

Then I won't marry you, my pretty maid!

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

CLXIX.

[Song on the bells of Derby on foot-ball morning, a custom now discontinued:]

Pancakes and fritters, Say All Saints and St. Peters; When will the _ball_ come, Say the bells of St. Alkmun; At two they will throw, Says Saint Werabo; O! very well, Says little Michel.

CLXX.

I have been to market, my lady, my lady; Then you've not been to the fair, says p.u.s.s.y, says p.u.s.s.y; I bought me a rabbit, my lady, my lady; Then you did not buy a hare, says p.u.s.s.y, says p.u.s.s.y;

I roasted it, my lady, my lady; Then you did not boil it, says p.u.s.s.y, says p.u.s.s.y; I eat it, my lady, my lady; And I'll eat you, says p.u.s.s.y, says p.u.s.s.y.

CLXXI.