The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes Part 22

She went to the baker to buy her some bread, And when she came home her old husband was dead; She went to the clerk to toll the bell, And when she came back her old husband was well.

TELL-TALE-t.i.t

Tell-tale-t.i.t, Your tongue shall be slit, And all the dogs in our town Shall have a little bit.

ELIZABETH, ELSPETH, BETSY, AND BESS

Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy, and Bess, They all went together to seek a bird's nest.

They found a bird's nest with five eggs in, They all took one and left four in.

SING A SONG OF SIXPENCE

Sing a song of sixpence, Pockets full of rye; Four and twenty blackbirds Baked in a pie.

When the pie was opened The birds began to sing; Was not that a dainty dish To set before the king?

The king was in his counting-house Counting out his money; The queen was in the parlour, Eating bread and honey;

The maid was in the garden Hanging out the clothes, Down came a blackbird, And snapped off her nose.

THREE CHILDREN SLIDING

Three children sliding on the ice Upon a summer's day, As it fell out, they all fell in, The rest they ran away.

O! had these children been at school, Or sliding on dry ground, Ten thousand pounds to one penny They had not then been drown'd.

Ye parents who have children dear, And eke ye that have none, If you would have them safe abroad, Pray keep them safe at home.

RIDE AWAY, RIDE AWAY

Ride away, ride away, Johnny shall ride And he shall have p.u.s.s.y-cat tied to one side; And he shall have little dog tied to the other; And Johnny shall ride to see his grandmother.

MOTHER GOOSE

Old Mother Goose, when She wanted to wander, Would ride through the air On a very fine gander.

Mother Goose had a house, 'T was built in a wood, Where an owl at the door For sentinel stood.

She had a son Jack, A plain-looking lad, He was not very good, Nor yet very bad.

She sent him to market, A live goose he bought; "Here, Mother," says he, "It will not go for nought."

Jack's goose and her gander Grew very fond; They'd both eat together, Or swim in one pond.

Jack found one morning, As I have been told, His goose had laid him An egg of pure gold.

Jack ran to his mother, The news for to tell, She called him a good boy, And said it was well.

Jack sold his gold egg To a rogue of a Jew, Who cheated him out of The half of his due.

Then Jack went a-courting A lady so gay, As fair as the lily, As sweet as the May.

The Jew and the Squire Came behind his back, And began to belabour The sides of poor Jack.

Then old Mother Goose That instant came in, And turned her son Jack Into famed Harlequin.

She then with her wand Touched the lady so fine, And turned her at once Into sweet Columbine.

The gold egg into The sea was thrown then,-- When Jack jumped in, And got the egg back again.

The Jew got the goose, Which he vowed he would kill, Resolving at once His pockets to fill.

Jack's mother came in, And caught the goose soon, And mounting its back, Flew up to the moon.

DEAR, DEAR!

Dear, dear! what can the matter be?

Two old women got up in an apple-tree; One came down, And the other stayed till Satur-day.