The Nursery Rhymes of England Part 34

Cou'd you, without you cou'd, cou'd ye?

CCCLXVII.

If all the world was apple-pie, And all the sea was ink, And all the trees were bread and cheese, What should we have for drink?

CCCLXVIII.

Tobacco wick! tobacco wick!

When you're well, 'twill make you sick: Tobacco wick! tobacco wick!

'Twill make you well when you are sick.

CCCLXIX.

[The following occurs in a MS. of the seventeenth century, in the Sloane Collection, the reference to which I have mislaid.]

The man in the wilderness asked me, How many strawberries grew in the sea?

I answered him, as I thought good, As many as red herrings grew in the wood.

CCCLXX.

[The conclusion of the following resembles a verse in the nursery history of Mother Hubbard.]

There was an old woman, and what do you think?

She lived upon nothing but victuals and drink: Victuals and drink were the chief of her diet; This tiresome old woman could never be quiet.

She went to the baker, to buy her some bread, And when she came home her old husband was dead; She went to the clerk to toll the bell, And when she came back her old husband was well.

CCCLXXI.

Here am I, little jumping Joan; When n.o.body's with me, I'm always alone.

CCCLXXII.

There was an old woman had nothing, And there came thieves to rob her; When she cried out she made no noise, But all the country heard her.

CCCLXXIII.

There was a little Guinea-pig, Who, being little, was not big; He always walked upon his feet, And never fasted when he eat.

When from a place he ran away, He never at that place did stay; And while he ran, as I am told, He ne'er stood still for young or old.

He often squeak'd and sometimes vi'lent, And when he squeak'd he ne'er was silent; Though ne'er instructed by a cat, He knew a mouse was not a rat.

One day, as I am certified, He took a whim and fairly died; And, as I'm told by men of sense, He never has been living since.

CCCLXXIV.

[Mind your punctuation!]

I saw a peac.o.c.k with a fiery tail, I saw a blazing comet drop down hail, I saw a cloud wrapped with ivy round, I saw an oak creep upon the ground, I saw a pismire swallow up a whale, I saw the sea brimful of ale, I saw a Venice gla.s.s full fifteen feet deep, I saw a well full of men's tears that weep, I saw red eyes all of a flaming fire, I saw a house bigger than the moon and higher, I saw the sun at twelve o'clock at night, I saw the man that saw this wondrous sight.

CCCLXXV.

My true love lives far from me, Perrie, Merrie, Dixie, Dominie.

Many a rich present he sends to me, Petrum, Partrum, Paradise, Temporie, Perrie, Merrie, Dixie, Dominie.

He sent me a goose, without a bone; He sent me a cherry, without a stone.

Petrum, &c.

He sent me a Bible, no man could read; He sent me a blanket, without a thread.

Petrum, &c.

How could there be a goose without a bone?

How could there be a cherry without a stone?

Petrum, &c.

How could there be a Bible no man could read?

How could there be a blanket without a thread?

Petrum, &c.

When the goose is in the egg-sh.e.l.l, there is no bone; When the cherry is in the blossom, there is no stone.

Petrum, &c.

When ye Bible is in ye press no man it can read; When ye wool is on ye sheep's back, there is no thread.

Petrum, &c.

CCCLXXVI.

There was a man and he was mad, And he jump'd into a pea-swad;[A]

The pea-swad was over-full, So he jump'd into a roaring bull; The roaring bull was over-fat, So he jump'd into a gentleman's hat; The gentleman's hat was over-fine, So he jump'd into a bottle of wine; The bottle of wine was over-dear, So he jump'd into a bottle of beer; The bottle of beer was over-thick, So he jump'd into a club-stick; The club-stick was over-narrow, So he jump'd into a wheel-barrow; The wheel-barrow began to crack, So he jump'd on to a hay-stack; The hay-stack began to blaze, So he did nothing but cough and sneeze!

[Footnote A: The pod or sh.e.l.l of a pea.]

CCCLXXVII.

I saw a s.h.i.+p a-sailing, A-sailing on the sea; And, oh! it was all laden With pretty things for thee!

There were comfits in the cabin, And apples in the hold; The sails were made of silk, And the masts were made of gold: