The Nursery Rhymes of England Part 9

Pemmy lov'd a pretty lad, And f.a.n.n.y lov'd a better; And Pemmy wanted for to wed, But f.a.n.n.y would not let her.

LXXIV.

[A tale for the 1st of March.]

Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a thief; Taffy came to my house and stole a piece of beef: I went to Taffy's house, Taffy was not at home; Taffy came to my house and stole a marrow-bone.

I went to Taffy's house, Taffy was not in; Taffy came to my house and stole a silver pin: I went to Taffy's house, Taffy was in bed, I took up a poker and flung it at his head.

LXXV.

[The tale of Jack Horner has long been appropriated to the nursery. The four lines which follow are the traditional ones, and they form part of 'The pleasant History of Jack Horner, containing his witty Tricks and pleasant Pranks, which he plaied from his Youth to his riper Years,' 12mo, a copy of which is in the Bodleian Library, and this extended story is in substance the same with 'The Fryer and the Boy,' 12mo, Lond. 1617, and both of them are taken from the more ancient story of 'Jack and his Step-dame,' which has been printed by Mr. Wright.]

Little Jack Horner sat in the corner, Eating a Christmas pie; He put in his thumb, and he took out a plum, And said, "What a good boy am I!"

LXXVI.

There was a king and he had three daughter, And they all lived in a basin of water; The basin bended, My story's ended.

If the basin had been stronger, My story would have been longer.

LXXVII.

The man in the moon, Came tumbling down, And ask'd his way to Norwich, He went by the south, And burnt his mouth With supping cold pease-porridge.

LXXVIII.

Our saucy boy d.i.c.k, Had a nice little stick Cut from a hawthorn tree; And with this pretty stick, He thought he could beat A boy much bigger than he.

But the boy turned round, And hit him a rebound, Which did so frighten poor d.i.c.k, That, without more delay, He ran quite away, And over a hedge he jumped quick.

LXXIX.

Moss was a little man, and a little mare did buy, For kicking and for sprawling none her could come nigh; She could trot, she could amble, and could canter here and there, But one night she strayed away--so Moss lost his mare.

Moss got up next morning to catch her fast asleep, And round about the frosty fields so nimbly he did creep.

Dead in a ditch he found her, and glad to find her there, So I'll tell you by and bye, how Moss caught his mare.

Rise! stupid, rise! he thus to her did say; Arise, you beast, you drowsy beast, get up without delay, For I must ride you to the town, so don't lie sleeping there; He put the halter round her neck--so Moss caught his mare.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

FOURTH CLa.s.s--PROVERBS.

Lx.x.x.

St. Swithin's day, if thou dost rain, For forty days it will remain: St. Swithin's day, if thou be fair, For forty days 'twill rain na mair.

Lx.x.xI.

To make your candles last for a', You wives and maids give ear-o!

To put 'em out's the only way, Says honest John Boldero.

Lx.x.xII.

If wishes were horses, Beggars would ride; If turnips were watches, I would wear one by my side.

Lx.x.xIII.

[Hours of sleep.]

Nature requires five, Custom gives seven!

Laziness takes nine, And Wickedness eleven.

Lx.x.xIV.

Three straws on a staff, Would make a baby cry and laugh.

Lx.x.xV.

See a pin and pick it up, All the day you'll have good luck; See a pin and let it lay, Bad luck you'll have all the day!

Lx.x.xVI.

Go to bed first, a golden purse; Go to bed second, a golden pheasant; Go to bed third, a golden bird!

Lx.x.xVII.

When the wind is in the east, 'Tis neither good for man nor beast; When the wind is in the north, The skilful fisher goes not forth; When the wind is in the south, It blows the bait in the fishes' mouth; When the wind is in the west, Then 'tis at the very best.

Lx.x.xVIII.