Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes Part 7

A big, dead snake is lying there, It has no ears and it has no hair; I breathe on it some magic air, And it lives and is running everywhere.

RIDE A c.o.c.k HORSE

Up you go, Down you see, Granny's come To pour the tea; The tea is sweet, The wine is too; There are eighteen camels With clothes for you, The clothes are heavy, And the dragon-fly Has spurted water On your ankle-tie.

Sister, sister, Stop your fuss, To-morrow the cart Will come for us; What cart, you ask, The cart, of course, With large, red wheels, And a big, white horse; And in it a beautiful girl, I note, With a squirrel cloak and an otter coat, Her betel-nut bag is a needle-worked charm, And the stem of her pipe is as long as your arm.

THE LITTLE SISTER

My little golden sister Rides a golden horse slow, And we'll use a golden whip If the horse doesn't go.

A little gold fish In a gold bowl, we see, And a gold colored bird On a gold blossomed tree.

A gold plated G.o.d In a gold temple stands, With a gold plated baby In her gold plated hands.

A RIDDLE

A c.o.c.k's comb flower he wears on his head.

For his clothes he needs neither thimble nor thread; Though you be a great man, I'd have you know, Ten thousand doors would open if he should crow.

THE BRIDE

The moon s.h.i.+nes bright, The moon s.h.i.+nes fair, The girl wants wedding gifts to wear in her hair; A few blocks of powder, Some incense tips, And two hundred rouge-pads to paint cheeks and lips.

POUNDING RICE

Pound, pound, Pound the rice, The pestle goes up and down so nice, Open the pot, The fire is hot, And if you don't eat I'll feed you rice.

OUR BABY

Mrs. Chang, Mrs. Lee, Mama has a small baby; Stands up firm, Sits up straight, Won't eat milk, But lives on cake.

BEAN SPROUTS

Good bean sprouts, The water dropping out; Where's the wife that dares to drive her husband's father out?

He'd take up a stick, And hit her a lick, And she could only shake her sleeve and run off quick.

THE LITTLE GIRL

The little girl Sits on the stool, And sews the shoe And beats the sole.

VISITORS

The wolf has come, The tiger has come, The old priest follows, Beating a drum.

SHOE-MAKER

He st.i.tches the heel, And he st.i.tches the sole, Two measures of millet he gets for the whole; They steam it, or fry it, When hungry they feel, And he eats with his mother a very good meal.

TWO WONDERS

All come and see!

All come and see!

A black hen laid a white egg for me!