The Nursery Rhymes of England Part 17

My father left me three acres of land, Sing ivy, sing ivy; My father left me three acres of land, Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I ploughed it with a ram's horn, Sing ivy, sing ivy; And sowed it all over with one pepper corn, Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I harrowed it with a bramble bush, Sing ivy, sing ivy; And reaped it with my little penknife, Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I got the mice to carry it to the barn, Sing ivy, &c.

And thrashed it with a goose's quill, Sing holly, &c.

I got the cat to carry it to the mill, Sing ivy, &c.

The miller he swore he would have her paw, And the cat she swore she would scratch his face, Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

CLXXII.

[The original of the following is to be found in 'Deuteromelia, or the second part of Musicks Melodie,' 4to, Lond. 1609, where the music is also given.]

Three blind mice, see how they run!

They all ran after the farmer's wife, Who cut off their tails with the carving-knife, Did you ever see such fools in your life?

Three blind mice.

CLXXIII.

[The music to the following song, with different words, is given in 'Melismata,' 4to, Lond. 1611. See also the 'Pills to Purge Melancholy,' 1719, vol. i, p. 14. The well-known song, 'A frog he would a wooing go,' appears to have been borrowed from this. See Dauney's 'Ancient Scottish Melodies,' 1838, p.

53. The story is of old date, and in 1580 there was licensed 'A most strange weddinge of the frogge and the mouse,' as appears from the books of the Stationers' Company, quoted in Warton's Hist. Engl, Poet., ed. 1840, vol. iii, p. 360.]

There was a frog liv'd in a well, Kitty alone, Kitty alone; There was a frog liv'd in a well, Kitty alone, and I!

There was a frog liv'd in a well, And a farce[*] mouse in a mill, [*merry c.o.c.k me cary, Kitty alone, Kitty alone, and I.

This frog he would a wooing ride, Kitty alone, &c.

This frog he would a wooing ride, And on a snail he got astride, c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

He rode till he came to my Lady Mouse hall, Kitty alone, &c.

He rode till he came to my Lady Mouse hall, And there he did both knock and call, c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

Quoth he, Miss Mouse, I'm come to thee, Kitty alone, &c.

Quoth he, Miss Mouse, I'm come to thee, To see if thou canst fancy me, c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

Quoth she, answer I'll give you none, Kitty alone, &c.

Quoth she, answer I'll give you none, Until my uncle Rat come home, c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

And when her uncle Rat came home, Kitty alone, &c.

And when her uncle Rat came home, Who's been here since I've been gone?

c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

Sir, there's been a worthy gentleman, Kitty alone, &c.

Sir, there's been a worthy gentleman, That's been here since you've been gone, c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

The frog he came whistling through the brook, Kitty alone, &c.

The frog he came whistling through the brook, And there he met with a dainty duck, c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

This duck she swallow'd him up with a pluck, Kitty alone, Kitty alone; This duck she swallow'd him up with a pluck, So there's an end of my history book.

c.o.c.k me cary, Kitty alone, Kitty alone and I.

CLXXIV.

There was a man in our toone, in our toone, in our toone, There was a man in our toone, and his name was Billy Pod; And he played upon an old razor, an old razor, an old razor, And he played upon an old razor, with my fiddle fiddle fe fum fo.

And his hat it was made of the good roast beef, the good roast beef, the good roast beef, And his hat it was made of the good roast beef, and his name was Billy Pod; And he played upon an old razor, &c.

And his coat it was made of the good fat tripe, the good fat tripe, the good fat tripe, And his coat it was made of the good fat tripe, and his name was Billy Pod; And he played upon an old razor, &c.

And his breeks were made of the bawbie baps, the bawbie baps, the bawbie baps, And his breeks were made of the bawbie baps, and his name was Billy Pod; And he played upon an old razor, &c.

And there was a man in t.i.ther toone, in t.i.ther toone, in t.i.ther toone, And there was a man in t.i.ther toone, and his name was Edrin Drum; And he played upon an old laadle, an old laadle, an old laadle, And he played upon an old laadle, with my fiddle fiddle fe fum fo.

And he eat up all the good roast beef, the good roast beef, &c. &c.

And he eat up all the good fat tripe, the good fat tripe, &c. &c.

And he eat up all the bawbie baps, &c. and his name was Edrin Drum.

CLXXV.

John Cook had a little grey mare; he, haw, hum!

Her back stood up, and her bones they were bare; he, haw, hum!

John Cook was riding up Shuter's bank; he, haw, hum!

And there his nag did kick and prank; he, haw, hum!

John Cook was riding up Shuter's hill; he, haw, hum!

His mare fell down, and she made her will; he, haw, hum!

The bridle and saddle were laid on the shelf; he, haw, hum!

If you want any more you may sing it yourself; he, haw, hum!

CLXXVI.

A carrion crow sat on an oak, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, Watching a tailor shape his cloak; Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

Wife, bring me my old bent bow, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, That I may shoot yon carrion crow; Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

The tailor he shot and missed his mark, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, And shot his own sow quite through the heart; Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

Wife, bring brandy in a spoon, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, For our old sow is in a swoon; Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

[Ill.u.s.tration]