Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales Part 20

Jackatawad ran over the moor, Never behind, but always before!

-The ignis fatuus, or Will o' the Wisp. _Jackatawad_ is a provincial term for this phenomenon.

Black'm, saut'm, rough'm, glower'm, saw, Click'm, gatt'm, flaug'm into girnigaw.

-Eating a sloe. A North country riddle, given by Brockett. Girnigaw is the cavity of the mouth.

There was a man rode through our town, Gray Grizzle was his name; His saddle-bow was gilt with gold; Three times I've named his name.

-Gaffer Was. From Yorks.h.i.+re.

There was a man went over the Wash, Grizzle grey was his horse; Bent was his saddle-bow: I've told you his name three times, And yet you don't know!

-The same as the last. From Norfolk.

I am become of flesh and blood, As other creatures be; Yet there's neither flesh nor blood Doth remain in me.

I make kings that they fall out, I make them agree; And yet there's neither flesh nor blood Doth remain in me.

-A pen. Riddles similar to this are current in most languages. Mr.

Stephens has kindly furnished me with the following one obtained in Sweden:

Af kott och blod ar jag upprunnen, Men ingen blod ar i mig funnen; Mnga herrar de mig bara, Med hva.s.sa knifvar de mig skara.

Mngen har jag gifvit ara, Mngen har jag tagit af, Mngen har jag lagt i graf.

Of flesh and blood sprung am I ever; But blood in me that find ye never.

Many great lords bear me proudly, With sharp knives cutting me loudly.

Many I've graced right honorably: Rich ones many I've humble made; Many within their grave I've laid!

The pen has been a fertile subject for the modern riddle-writer. The best production of the kind was printed a few months ago in the _Times_ newspaper, contributed by Miss Agnes Strickland.

Into my house came neighbour John, With three legs and a wooden one; If one be taken from the same, Then just five there will remain.

-He had a IV legged stool with him, and taking away the left-hand numeral, there remains V.

Link lank, on a bank, Ten against four.

-A milkmaid.

Two legs sat upon three legs, With four legs standing by; Four then were drawn by ten: Read my riddle ye can't, However much ye try.

-An amplification of the above, the milkmaid of course sitting on a three-legged stool.

Over the water, And under the water, And always with its head down!

-A nail in the bottom of a s.h.i.+p.

As straight as a maypole, As little as a pin, As bent as a bucker, And as round as a ring.

I do not know the solution of this riddle. A bucker is a bent piece of wood by which slaughtered sheep are hung up by their expanded hind legs, before being cut out.

Hitty Pitty within the wall, Hitty Pitty without the wall: If you touch Hitty Pitty, Hitty Pitty will bite you.

-A nettle. MS. Harl. 1962, xvii. cent.

The first letter of our fore-fadyr, A worker of wax, An I and an N; The colour of an a.s.s: And what have you then?

-Abindon, or Abingdon, in Berks. An ancient rebus given in Lelandi Itin. ed. 1744, ii. 136.

I saw a fight the other day; A damsel did begin the fray.

She with her daily friend did meet, Then standing in the open street; She gave such hard and st.u.r.dy blows, He bled ten gallons at the nose; Yet neither seem to faint nor fall, Nor gave her any abuse at all.

-A pump. MS. Harl. 1962, xvij. cent.

A water there is I must pa.s.s, A broader water never was; And yet of all waters I ever did see, To pa.s.s over with less jeopardy.

-The dew. From the same MS.

There is a bird of great renown, Useful in city and in town; None work like unto him can do; He's yellow, black, red, and green, A very pretty bird I mean; Yet he's both fierce and fell: I count him wise that can this tell.

-A bee. From the same MS.

As I went over Hottery Tottery, I looked into Harbora Lilly; I spied a cutterell Playing with her cambril.

I cryed, Ho, neighbour, ho!

Lend me your cue and your goe, To shoot at yonder cutterell Playing with her cambril, And you shall have the curle of her loe.

-A man calling to his neighbour for a gun to shoot a deer, and he should have her humbles. MS. ibid.

As I went through my houter touter, Houter touter, verly; I see one Mr. Higamgige Come over the hill of Parley.

But if I had my carly verly, Carly verly verly; I would have bine met with Mr. Higamgige Come over the hill of Parley.

-A man going over a hill, and a fly lighting on his head. MS. ibid.

THE FOUR SISTERS.

I have four sisters beyond the sea, Para-mara, dictum, domine.

And they did send four presents to me, Partum, quartum, paradise, tempum, Para-mara, dictum, domine!

The first it was a bird without e'er a bone; Para-mara, dictum, &c.

The second was a cherry without e'er a stone; Partum, quartum, &c.

The third it was a blanket without e'er a thread, Para-mara, dictum, &c.

The fourth it was a book which no man could read, Partum, quartum, &c.

How can there be a bird without e'er a bone?

Para-mara, dictum, &c.

How can there be a cherry without e'er a stone?

Partum, quartum, &c.