National Rhymes of the Nursery Part 24

She went a little farther, and she met a stick. So she said--

"Stick, stick, beat dog!

Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I shan't get home to-night."

But the stick would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a fire. So she said--

"Fire, fire, burn stick!

Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I shan't get home to-night."

But the fire would not.

She went a little farther, and she met some water. So she said--

"Water, water, quench fire!

Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I shan't get home to-night."

But the water would not.

She went a little farther, and she met an ox. So she said--

"Ox, ox, drink water!

Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I shan't get home to-night."

But the ox would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a butcher. So she said--

"Butcher, butcher, kill ox!

Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I shan't get home to-night."

But the butcher would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a rope. So she said--

"Rope, rope, hang butcher!

Butcher won't kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I shan't get home to-night."

But the rope would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a rat. So she said--

"Rat, rat, gnaw rope!

Rope won't hang butcher; Butcher won't kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I shan't get home to-night."

But the rat would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a cat. So she said--

"Cat, cat, kill rat!

Rat won't gnaw rope; Rope won't hang butcher; Butcher won't kill ox; Ox won't drink water; Water won't quench fire; Fire won't burn stick; Stick won't beat dog; Dog won't bite pig; Pig won't get over the stile; And I shan't get home to-night."

The cat said, "If you will give me a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat."

So the old woman gave the cat the milk, and when she had lapped up the milk--

The cat began to kill the rat; The rat began to gnaw the rope; The rope began to hang the butcher; The butcher began to kill the ox; The ox began to drink the water; The water began to quench the fire; The fire began to burn the stick; The stick began to beat the dog; The dog began to bite the pig; The pig jumped over the stile; And so the old woman got home that night.

_t.i.t, tat, toe_

t.i.t, tat, toe, My first go, Three jolly butcher boys All of a row; Stick one up, Stick one down, Stick one in the old man's crown.

_Monday alone_

Monday alone, Tuesday together, Wednesday we walk When it's fine weather.

Thursday we kiss, Friday we cry, Sat.u.r.day's hours Seem almost to fly.

But of all days in the week We will call Sunday, the rest day, The best day of all.

_As I was going o'er Westminster Bridge_

As I was going o'er Westminster Bridge, I met with a Westminster scholar; He pulled off his cap, _an' drew_ off his glove, And wished me a very good-morrow, What is his name?

[Ill.u.s.tration: AS I WALKED BY MYSELF]

As I walked by myself, I talked to myself, And the self-same self said to me,

Look out for thyself, Take care of thyself, For n.o.body cares for thee.

I answered myself, And said to myself In the self-same repartee,

Look to thyself, Or not look to thyself, The self-same thing will be.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THERE WAS A LITTLE MAN AND HE WOO'D A LITTLE MAID]

There was a little man, And he wooed 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."

The little maid replied, Some say a little sighed, "But what shall we have for to eat, eat, eat?

Will the love that you're so rich in Make a fire in the kitchen?

Or the little G.o.d of Love turn the spit, spit, spit?"

_p.u.s.s.y sits beside the fire_