National Rhymes of the Nursery Part 22

A curious discourse about an Apple-pie, that pa.s.sed between the Twenty-five Letters at Dinner-time.

Says A, Give me a good large slice.

Says B, A little Bit, but nice.

Says C, Cut me a piece of Crust.

Says D, It is as Dry as Dust.

Says E, I'll Eat now, fast who will.

Says F, I vow I'll have my Fill.

Says G, Give it to me Good and Great.

Says H, A little bit I Hate.

Says I, I love the Juice the best.

And K the very same confessed.

Says L, There's nothing more I Love.

Says M, It makes your teeth to Move.

N Noticed what the others said.

O Others' plates with grief surveyed.

P Praised the cook up to the life.

Q Quarrelled 'cause he'd a bad knife.

Says R, It Runs short, I'm afraid.

S Silent sat, and nothing said.

T thought that Talking might lose time.

U Understood it at meals a crime.

W Wished there had been a quince in.

Says X, Those cooks there's no convincing.

Says Y, I'll eat, let others wish.

Z sat as mute as any fish.

While ampersand, he licked the dish.

_The man in the moon_

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

_There were three jovial Welshmen_

There were three jovial Welshmen, As I have heard them say, And they would go a-hunting Upon St. David's day.

All the day they hunted, And nothing could they find; But a s.h.i.+p a-sailing, A-sailing with the wind.

One said it was a s.h.i.+p.

The other he said "Nay;"

The third said it was a house, With the chimney blown away.

And all the night they hunted, And nothing could they find, But the moon a-gliding, A-gliding with the wind.

One said it was the moon, The other he said "Nay;"

The third said it was a cheese, And half o' it cut away.

_The Hart he loves the high wood_

The Hart he loves the high wood, The Hare she loves the hill, The Knight he loves his bright sword, The Lady--loves her will.

_I had a little moppet_

I had a little moppet, I kept it in my pocket, And fed it with corn and hay, There came a proud beggar Who swore he would have her, And stole little moppet away.

_Wee Willie Winkie_

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town, Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown, Rapping at the window, crying through the lock, "Are the children in their beds, for now it's eight o'clock?"

_There was a little woman_

There was a little woman, as I've been told, Who was not very young, nor yet very old, Now this little woman her living got, By selling codlins, hot, hot, hot!

_Around the green gravel_

Around the green gravel the gra.s.s grows green, And all the pretty maids are plain to be seen; Wash them with milk, and clothe them with silk, And write their names with a pen and ink.

_b.u.t.tons a farthing a pair_

b.u.t.tons a farthing a pair, Come, who will buy them of me?

They're round and sound and pretty, And fit for the girls of the city.

Come, who will buy them of me, b.u.t.tons a farthing a pair?

_As little Jenny Wren_

As little Jenny Wren Was sitting by the shed, She waggled with her tail, And nodded with her head.

She waggled with her tail, And nodded with her head, As little Jenny Wren Was sitting by the shed.

_Three blind mice_

Three blind mice, see how they run!

They all ran after the farmer's wife, Who cut off their tails with the carving-knife, Did you ever see such a thing in your life?

As three blind mice.

_The north wind doth blow_

The north wind doth blow, And we shall have snow, And what will poor Robin do then?

Poor thing!