The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes Part 13

TEN FINGERS

One, two, three, four, five, Once I caught a fish alive, Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, But I let him go again.

Why did you let him go?

Because he bit my finger so.

Which finger did he bite?

The little one upon the right.

THE CODLIN 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!

OF PIGS

A Long-Tailed pig and a short-tailed pig, Or a pig without e'er a tail, A sow pig, or a boar pig, Or a pig with a curly tail.

GOOD KING ARTHUR

When good King Arthur ruled this land He was a goodly king; He stole three pecks of barley-meal To make a bag-pudding.

A bag-pudding the king did make, And stuff'd it well with plums; And in it put great lumps of fat, As big as my two thumbs.

The king and queen did eat thereof, And n.o.ble men beside; And what they could not eat that night, The queen next morning fried.

SOLOMON GRUNDY

Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday, Christened on Tuesday, Married on Wednesday, Took ill on Thursday, Worse on Friday, Died on Sat.u.r.day, Buried on Sunday, This is the end Of Solomon Grundy.

THREE BLIND MICE

Three blind mice, three blind mice, They all ran after the farmer's wife, She cut off their tails with a carving knife; Did you ever see such a thing in your life As three blind mice?

CROSS-PATCH

Cross-Patch, draw the latch, Sit by the fire and spin; Take a cup, and drink it up, Then call your neighbours in.

YANKEE DOODLE

Yankee Doodle came to town, Mounted on a pony; He stuck a feather in his cap And called it Maccaroni.

Yankee Doodle came to town, Yankee Doodle dandy, He stuck a feather in his cap And called it sugar-candy.

TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are!

Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky.

When the blazing sun is gone, When he nothing s.h.i.+nes upon, Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveller in the dark Thanks you for your tiny spark: How could he see where to go, If you did not twinkle so?

In the dark blue sky you keep, Often through my curtains peep, For you never shut your eye Till the sun is in the sky.

How your bright and tiny spark Lights the traveller in the dark!

Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

BOYS _and_ GIRLS

Boys and girls come out to play, The moon doth s.h.i.+ne as bright as day;