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CONTENTS
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Polly, put the kettle on,
Polly, put the kettle on,
Polly, put the kettle on,
We’ll all have tea.
Sukey, take it off again,
Sukey, take it off again,
Sukey, take it off again,
They’ve all gone away.
HOT CROSS BUNS
Hot Cross Buns!
Hot Cross Buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot Cross Buns!
If you have no daughters,
If you have no daughters,
If you have no daughters,
Pray give them to your sons;
But if you have none of these little elves,
Then you must eat them all yourselves.
![Hot Cross Buns]( "Hot Cross Buns")
THE LITTLE WOMAN AND THE PEDLAR
![and the Pedlar]( "and the Pedlar")
There was a little woman, as I’ve heard say,
Fol, lol, diddle, diddle dol;
She went to market, her eggs for to sell,
Fol, lol, diddle, diddle dol.
She went to market all on a market day,
And she fell asleep upon the king’s highway;
Fol de rol de lol lol lol lol lol,
Fol, lol, diddle, diddle dol.
2 And there came a pedlar whose name was Stout,
Fol, lol, &c.,
He cut her petticoats all round about,
Fol, lol, &c.,
He cut her petticoats up to her knees,
Which made the little woman to shiver and freeze,
Fol de rol, &c.
3 When the little woman began to awake,
Fol, lol, &c.,
She began to shiver, and she began to shake,
Fol, lol, &c.,
She began to shake, and she began to cry,
Lawk-a-mercy on me! this is none of I,
Fol de rol, &c.
4 If it be I, as I suppose it be,
Fol lol, &c.,
I’ve a little dog at home, and he knows me;
Fol, lol, &c.,
If it be I, he will wag his little tail,
If it be not I, he will bark and rail,
Fol de rol, &c.
5 And when the little woman went home in the dark,
Fol, lol, &c.,
Her little dog he did begin to bark,
Fol, lol, &c.,
He began to bark, and she began to cry,
Lawk-a-mercy on me! this is none of I,
Fol de rol, &c.
THE LITTLE DISASTER
Once there lived a little man,
Where a little river ran,
And he had a little farm and little dairy O!
And he had a little plough,
And a little dappled cow,
Which he often called his pretty little Fairy O!
2And his dog he called Fidelle,
For he loved his master well;
And he had a little pony for his pleasure O!
In a sty not very big
He’d a frisky little pig,
Which he often called his little piggy treasure O!
3 Once his little maiden, Ann,
With her pretty little can,
Went a-milking when the morning sun was beaming O!
When she fell, I don’t know how,
But she stumbled o’er the plough,
And the cow was quite astonished at her screaming O!
4Little maid cried out in vain,
While the milk ran o’er the plain,
Little pig ran grunting after it so gaily O!
While the little dog behind,
For a share was much inclined,
So he pulled back squeaking piggy by the taily O!
5Such a clatter now began
As alarmed the little man,
Who came capering from out his little stable O!
Pony trod on doggy’s toes,
Doggy snapped at piggy’s nose,
Piggy made as great a noise as he was able O!
6Then to make the story short,
Little pony with a snort
Lifted up his little heels so very clever O!
And the man he tumbled down,
And he nearly cracked his crown,
And this only made the matter worse than ever O!
![The Little Disaster]( "The Little Disaster")
THE OLD WOMAN OF NORWICH
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,
Yet this plaguey old woman could never be quiet.
THE OLD WOMAN TOSSED UP IN A BLANKET
There was an old woman tossed up in a blanket,
Seventeen times as high as the moon;
Where she was going I could not but ask it,
For in her hand she carried a broom.
“Old woman, old woman, old woman,” quoth I;
“O whither, O whither, O whither so high?”
“To sweep the cobwebs from the sky,
And I’ll be with you by-and-by!”
BUY A BROOM
From Deutschland I come with my light wares all laden,
To dear happy England in summer’s happy bloom;
Then listen, fair lady, and young pretty mädchen,
Come buy of the wandering Baierin a broom;
A large one for the lady, and a small one for the baby,
Come buy ye, pretty lady, come buy ye a broom.
![Buy a Broom]( "Buy a Broom")
HAUSEGESINDE
![Schlaf, Kindlein, Schlaf]( "Schlaf, Kindlein, Schlaf")
Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne,
Kannnichtruhn heisst mein Huhn,
Wedelschwanz heisst meine Gans;
Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne.
2 Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne,
Entequent heisst meine Ent’,
Sammetmatz heisst meine Katz;
Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne.
3 Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne,
Schwarz und weiss heisst meine Geiss,
Schmortöpflein heisst mein Schwein,
Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne.
4 Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne,
Ehrenwerth heisst mein Pferd,
Gute-Muh heisst meine Kuh;
Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne.
5 Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne,
Wettermann heisst mein Hahn,
Kunterbunt heisst mein Hund;
Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne.
6 Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne,
Guck-heraus heisst mein Haus,
Schlupf-heraus heisst mein’ Maus;
Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne.
7 Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne
Wohlgethan heisst mein Mann,
Sausewind heisst mein Kind,
Widewidewenne heisst meine Trut-henne.
Gesprochen:
Nun kennt ihr mich mit Mann und Kind
Und meinem ganzen Hausgesind.
SCHLAF, KINDLEIN, SCHLAF.
There was a little man
And he woo’d a little maid,
And he said, “Little maid, will you wed, wed, wed?
I have little more to say
Than ‘will you, yea or nay?’
For least said is soonest mended-ded-ded-ded.”
2The little maid replied,
(Some say a little sighed,)
“But what shall we have to eat, eat, eat?
“Will the love that you’re rich in
“Make a fire in the kitchen?
“Or the little god of love turn the spit, spit, spit?”
![Little Man and Maid]( "Little Man and Maid")
THE JOLLY TESTER
O dear Six-pence, I’ve got Six-pence,
I love Six-pence as I love my life;
I’ll spend a penny on’t, and I’ll lend another on’t,
And I’ll carry fourpence home to my wife.
2 O dear Four-pence, I’ve got Four-pence,
I love Four-pence as I love my life;
I’ll spend a penny on’t, and I’ll lend another on’t,
And I’ll carry two-pence home to my wife.
3 O dear Two-pence, I’ve got Two-pence,
I love Two-pence as I love my life;
I’ll spend a penny on’t, and I’ll lend a penny on’t,
And I’ll carry nothing home to my wife.
4 O dear nothing, I’ve got nothing,
What will nothing buy for my wife?
I have nothing, I spend nothing,
I love nothing better than my wife.
LUCY LOCKET
Lucy Locket lost her pocket,
Kitty Fisher found it;
But ne’er a penny was there in’t,
Except the binding round it.
IF ALL THE WORLD WERE PAPER
If all the world were paper,
And all the sea were ink,
And all the trees were bread and cheese,
What should we do for drink?
2 If all the world were sand—O!
Oh, then what should we lack—O!
If, as they say, there were no clay,
How should we take tobacco?
3 If all our vessels ran-a,
If none but had a crack,
If Spanish apes ate all the grapes,
How should we do for sack?
Ye FAIRY SHIP
A ship, a ship a-sailing,
A-sailing on the sea,
And it was deeply laden
With pretty things for me;
There were raisins in the cabin,
And almonds in the hold;
The sails were made of satin,
And the mast it was of gold.
2 The four-and-twenty sailors
That stood between the decks,
Were four-and-twenty white mice
With rings about their necks.
The captain was a duck, a duck,
With a jacket on his back,
And when this fairy ship set sail,
The captain he said, “Quack!”
THE LITTLE COCK-SPARROW
A little cock-sparrow sat on a high tree,
A little cock-sparrow sat on a high tree,
A little cock-sparrow sat on a high tree,
And he chirrupped, he chirrupped so merrily.
He chirrupped, he chirrupped, he chirrupped, he chirrupped,
He chirrupped, he chirrupped, he chirrupped, he chirrupped,
A little cock-sparrow sat on a high tree,
And he chirrupped, he chirrupped so merrily.
2A naughty little boy with a bow and arrow,
Determined to shoot this little cock-sparrow;
3For this little cock-sparrow would make a nice stew,
And his giblets would make a nice little pie too.
4“Oh, no,” says cock-sparrow, “I won’t make a stew,”
And he fluttered his wings, and away he flew.
![The Little Cock-Sparrow]( "The Little Cock-Sparrow")
THE CARRION CROW
A carrion crow sat on an oak,
Derry, derry, derry, decco;
A carrion crow sat on an oak,
Watching a tailor shaping his cloak.
Heigh-ho! the carrion crow,
Derry, derry, derry, decco.
2 “O wife, bring me my old bent bow,”
Derry, derry, derry, decco;
“O wife, bring me my old bent bow,
“That I may shoot yon carrion crow.”
Heigh-ho! the carrion crow,
Derry, derry, derry, decco.
3 The tailor shot, and he missed his mark,
Derry, derry, derry, decco;
The tailor shot, and he missed his mark,
And shot his old sow right through the heart
Heigh-ho! the carrion crow,
Derry, derry, derry, decco.
4 “O wife, bring brandy in a spoon,”
Derry, derry, derry, decco;
“O wife, bring brandy in a spoon,
“For our old sow is in a swoon.”
Heigh-ho! the carrion crow,
Derry, derry, derry, decco.
THE SCARECROW
O all you little blackey tops,
Pray don’t you eat my father’s crops,
While I lie down to take a nap.
Shua O! Shua O!
2 If father he perchance should come,
With his cocked hat and his long gun,
Then you must fly and I must run.
Shua O! Shua O!
THE NORTH WIND & THE ROBIN
The north wind doth blow
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor Robin do then—poor thing?
He’ll sit in a barn
To keep himself warm,
And hide his head under his wing—poor thing!
![The North Wind and the Robin]( "The North Wind and the Robin")
A B C
A, B, C, die Katze lief im Schnee,
Und wie sie wieder ’raus kam,
Da hatt’ sie weisse Stieflein an:
O jemine, O jemine, O jemine, O je!
2A, B, C, die Katze lief zur Hoh’,
Sie lecket ihr kalt Pfötchen rein
Und putzt sich auch das Stiefelein
Und ging nicht mehr im Schnee.
ET MOI DE M’EN COURIR
En passant dans un p’tit bois,
Où le coucou chantait,
Où le coucou chantait;
Dans son joli chant il disait:
Coucou, coucou, coucou, coucou,
Et moi qui croyais qu’il disait;
Cass’-lui le cou, cass’-lui le cou!
Et moi de m’en cour’, cour’, cour’,
Et moi de m’en courir!
2En passant auprès d’un étang,
Où les canards chantaient,
Où les canards chantaient;
Dans leur joli chant ils disaient:
“Cancan, cancan, cancan, cancan,”
Et moi qui croyais qu’ils disaient,
“Jett’-le dedans, jett’-le dedans,”
Et moi de m’en cour’, cour’, cour’,
Et moi de m’en courir!
3En passant devant une maison,
Où la bonn’ femm’ chantait,
Où la bonn’ femm’ chantait;
Dans son joli chant ell’ disait:
“Dodo, dodo, dodo, dodo,”
Et moi qui croyais qu’elle disait,
“Cass’-lui les os, cass’-lui les os,”
Et moi de m’en cour’, cour’, cour’,
Et moi de m’en courir!
THE OLD MAN IN LEATHER
One misty, moisty morning, when cloudy was the weather,
There I met an old man clothed all in leather, clothed all in leather,
With cap under his chin,
How do you do, how do you do, how do you do, again, again.
![The Old Man in Leather]( "The Old Man in Leather")
AIKEN DRUM
1There was a man lived in the moon,
lived in the moon, lived in the moon,
There was a man lived in the moon,
And his name was Aiken Drum,
And he played upon a ladle, a ladle, a ladle,
And he played upon a ladle,
And his name was Aiken Drum.
2And his hat was made of good cream cheese,
And his name, &c.
3And his coat was made of good roast beef,
And his name, &c.
4And his buttons were made of penny loaves,
And his name, &c.
5His waistcoat was made of crust of pies,
And his name, &c.
6His breeches were made of haggis bags,
And his name, &c.
7There was a man in another town,
And his name was Willy Wood;
And he played upon a razor,
And his name was Willy Wood.
8And he ate up all the good cream cheese,
And his name, &c.
9And he ate up all the good roast beef,
And his name, &c.
10 And he ate up all the penny loaves,
And his name, &c.
11 And he ate up all the good pie crust,
And his name, &c.
12 But he choked upon the haggis bags,
And there was an end of Willy Wood.
BILLY PRINGLE
Billy Pringle had a little pig,
When it was young it was not very big,
When it was old it lived in clover,
Now it’s dead and that’s all over.
Billy Pringle he lay down and died,
Betty Pringle she lay down and cried,
So there was an end of one, two, and three,
Billy Pringle he, Betty Pringle she, and the piggy wiggy wee.
SUR LE PONT D’AVIGNON
Sur le pont d’Avignon,
Tout le monde y danse, danse;
Sur le pont d’Avignon,
Tout le monde y danse en rond.
Les beaux messieurs font comm’ ça,
Et puis encor’ comm’ ça:
Sur le pont d’Avignon,
Tout le monde y danse, danse,
Sur le pont d’Avignon,
Tout le monde y danse en rond.
2Les belles dames font comm’ ça,
Et puis encore comm’ ça:
Sur le pont d’Avignon,
Tout le monde y danse, danse,
Sur le pont d’Avignon,
Tout le monde y danse en rond.
3Et les capucins font comm’ ça,
Et puis encore comm’ ça:
Sur le pont d’Avignon,
Tout le monde y danse, danse,
Sur le pont d’Avignon,
Tout le monde y danse en rond.
![Sur le Pont d'Avignon]( "Sur le Pont d'Avignon")
LONDON BRIDGE
London Bridge is broken down,
Dance over my Ladye Lea;
London Bridge is broken down:
With a happy ladye.
2How shall we build it up again?
Dance over my Ladye Lea;
How shall we build it up again?
With a happy ladye.
3Silver and gold will be stole away,
Dance over my Ladye Lea;
Silver and gold will be stole away:
With a happy ladye.
4Iron and steel will bend and bow,
Dance over my Ladye Lea;
Iron and steel will bend and bow:
With a happy ladye.
5Wood and clay will wash away,
Dance over my Ladye Lea;
Wood and clay will wash away:
With a happy ladye.
6Build it up with stone so strong,
Dance over my Ladye Lea;
Huzza! ’twill last for ages long.
With a happy ladye.
CHARLEY OVER THE WATER
Over the water, and over the lea,
And over the water to Charley;
And Charley loves good ale and wine,
And Charley loves good brandy,
And Charley loves a pretty girl
As sweet as sugar candy.
2 Over the water and over the sea,
And over the water to Charley;
I’ll have none of your nasty beef,
Nor I’ll have none of your barley.
But I’ll have some of your very best flour
To make a white cake for my Charley.
THE FOUR PRESENTS
I had four brothers over the sea,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixi, Domine;
And they each sent a present unto me.
Petrum, Partrum, Paradisi, Tempore,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixi, Domine.
2The first sent a goose without a bone,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixi, Domine;
The second sent a cherry without a stone,
Petrum, Partrum, Paradisi, Tempore,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixi, Domine.
3The third sent a blanket without a thread,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixi, Domine;
The fourth sent a book that no man could read,
Petrum, Partrum, Paradisi, Tempore,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixi, Domine.
4When the cherry’s in the blossom, there is no stone,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixi, Domine;
When the goose is in the egg-shell, there is no bone.
Petrum, Partrum, Paradisi, Tempore,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixi, Domine.
5When the wool’s on the sheep’s back, there’s no thread,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixi, Domine:
When the book’s in the press, no man can read
Petrum, Partrum, Paradisi, Tempore,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixi, Domine.
![The Four Presents]( "The Four Presents")
THE THREE LITTLE KITTENS
There were three little kittens
Put on their mittens
To eat some Christmas pie.
Mew, mew,
Mew, mew,
Mew, mew, mew.
2These three little kittens
They lost their mittens,
And all began to cry.
Mew, mew, &c.
3“Go, go, naughty kittens,
And find your mittens,
Or you shan’t have any pie.”
Mew, mew, &c.
4These three little kittens
They found their mittens,
And joyfully they did cry.
Mew, mew, &c.
5“O Granny, dear!
Our mittens are here,
Make haste and cut up the pie!”
Purr-rr, purr-rr, purr-rr-rr.
PUSSY-CAT
Pussy-cat high, Pussy-cat low,
Pussy-cat was a fine teazer of tow.
2Pussy-cat she came into the barn,
With her bag-pipes under her arm.
3And then she told a tale to me,
How Mousey had married a humble bee.
4Then was I ever so glad,
That Mousey had married so clever a lad.
ZWEI HASEN
Zwischen Berg und tiefen, tiefen Thal,
Sassen einst zwei Hasen,
Frassen ab das grüne, grüne Gras,
Frassen ab das grüne, grüne Gras
Bis auf den Rasen,
Bis auf den Rasen.
2Als sie satt gefressen, ’fressen war’n
Setzten sie sich nieder,
Bis nun dann der Jäger, Jäger kam,
Und schoss sie nieder, und schoss sie nieder,
3Als sie sich nun angesammelt hatt’n
Und sich besannen,
Dass sie noch Leben, Leben hatt’n
Liefen sie von dannen.
RINGEL TANZ
Es regnet auf der Brücke, und ich werd’ nass.
Ich hab’ noch was vergessen, und weiss nicht was?
Schöne Jungfer hübsch und fein
Komm mit mir zum Tanz herein,
Lass uns einmal tanzen und lustig sein.
LA BERGÈRE
Il était un’ bergère,
Et ron, ron, ron, petit patapon;
Il était un’ bergère,
Qui gardait ses moutons,
Ron, ron,
Qui gardait ses moutons.
2Elle fit un fromage,
Et ron, ron, ron, petit patapon;
Elle fit un fromage
Du lait de ses moutons,
Ron, ron,
De lait de ses moutons.
3Le chat qui la regarde,
Et ron, ron, ron, petit patapon;
Le chat qui la regarde
D’un petit air fripon,
Ron, ron,
D’un petit air fripon.
4Si tu y mets la patte
Et ron, ron, ron, petit patapon,
Si tu y mets la patte
Tu auras du bâton,
Ron, ron,
Tu auras du bâton.
5Il n’y mit pas la patte,
Et ron, ron, ron, petit patapon;
Il n’y mit pas la patte,
Il y mit le menton,
Ron, ron,
Il y mit le menton.
LE PETIT CHASSEUR
Il était un petit homm’,
A cheval sur un bâton;
Il s’en allait à la chass’,
A la chass’ aux hannetons,
Et ti ton, tain’, et ti ton tain’,
Et ti ton tain’ et ti ton ton.
2Il s’en allait à la chass’,
A la chass’ aux hannetons;
Quand il fut sur la montagn’,
Il partit un coup d’canon.
Et ti, &c.
3Quand il fut sur la montagn’
Il partit un coup d’canon;
Il en eut si peur tout d’mêm’,
Qu’il tomba sur ses talons.
Et ti, &c.
4Il en eut si peur tout d’mêm’
Qu’il tomba sur ses talons;
Tout’s les dames du villag’
Lui portèrent des bonbons.
Et ti, &c.
5Tout’s les dames du villag’
Lui portèrent des bonbons;
Je vous remerci’, mesdam’s,
De vous et de vos bonbons.
Et ti, &c.
GEFUNDEN
Ich ging im Walde,
So für mich hin,
Und nichts zu suchen
Das war mein Sinn.
2Im Schatten sah ich
Ein Blümlein stehn,
Wie Sterne leuchtend,
Wie Aeuglein schön.
3Ich wollt’ es brechen
Da sagt es fein:
“Soll ich zum Welken
“Gebrochen sein?”
4Ich grub’s mit allen
Den Würzlein aus,
Zum Garten trug ich’s
Am hübschen Haus.
5Und pflanzt es wieder
Am stillen Ort;
Nun zweigt es immer
Und blüht so fort.—(Goethe.)
![Gefunden]( "Gefunden")
LOOBY LIGHT
Now we dance looby, looby, looby,
Now we dance looby, looby light;
Now we dance looby, looby, looby,
Now we dance looby as yesternight.
Shake your right hand a little,
Shake your left hand a little,
Shake your head a little,
And turn you round about.
MARGERY DAW
See-saw, Margery Daw
Sold her bed to lie upon straw;
Wasn’t she a nasty slut
To sell her bed and lie upon dirt?
THE FLY & THE HUMBLE BEE
Fiddle-de-dee, Fiddle-de-dee,
The fly has married the humble bee.
Says the fly, says he,
“Will you marry me,
And live with me,
Sweet humble bee?”
2Says the bee, says she,
“I’ll live under your wing,
“And you’ll never know
“That I carry a sting.”
Fiddle-de-dee, &c.
3So when the parson
Had joined the pair,
They both went out
To take the air,
Fiddle-de-dee, &c.
4And the flies did buzz,
And the bells did ring—
Did ever you hear
So merry a thing?
Fiddle-de-dee, &c.
5And then to think
That of all the flies
The humble bee
Should carry the prize.
Fiddle-de-dee, &c.
![endpaper]( "endpaper")
![back cover]( "back cover")
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