The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes Part 23

THE LION AND THE UNICORN

The lion and the unicorn were fighting for the crown; The lion beat the unicorn all round about the town.

Some gave them white bread, and some gave them brown; Some gave them plum-cake, and sent them out of town.

THE LITTLE MOUSE

I have seen you, little mouse, Running all about the house, Through the hole, your little eye In the wainscot peeping sly, Hoping soon some crumbs to steal, To make quite a hearty meal.

Look before you venture out, See if p.u.s.s.y is about, If she's gone, you'll quickly run To the larder for some fun, Round about the dishes creep, Taking into each a peep, To choose the daintiest that's there, Spoiling things you do not care.

THE NUT-TREE

I had a little nut-tree, nothing would it bear But a silver nutmeg and a golden pear; The King of Spain's daughter came to see me, And all was because of my little nut-tree.

I skipped over water, I danced over sea, And all the birds in the air couldn't catch me.

POLLY FLINDERS

Little Polly Flinders Sat among the cinders, Warming her ten little toes!

Her mother came and caught her, And whipped her little daughter, For spoiling her nice new clothes.

BRIAN O'LIN

Brian O'Lin had no breeches to wear, So he bought him a sheep-skin and made him a pair, With the skinny side out, and the woolly side in, "Ah, ha, that is warm!" said Brian O'Lin.

Brian O'Lin and his wife and wife's mother, They all went over a bridge together; The bridge was broken and they all fell in, "Mischief take all!" quoth Brian O'Lin.

MARGERY DAW

See-saw, Margery Daw, Jacky shall have a new master.

He shall have but a penny a day, Because he can't work any faster.

NONSENSE

We are all in the dumps, For diamonds are trumps, The kittens are gone to St. Paul's, The babies are bit, The moon's in a fit, And the houses are built without walls.

ANOTHER FALLING OUT

My little old man and I fell out; I'll tell you what 't was all about: I had money and he had none, And that's the way the noise begun.

LITTLE BOY BLUE

Little Boy Blue, come, blow up your horn; The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn.

Where's the little boy that looks after the sheep?

Under the haystack, fast asleep.

LITTLE TOM TUCKER

Little Tom Tucker sings for his supper.

What shall he eat? White bread and b.u.t.ter.

How will he cut it without e'er a knife?

How will he be married without e'er a wife?

OLD WOMAN, OLD WOMAN

"Old woman, old woman, shall we go a-shearing?"

"Speak a little louder, sir, I'm very thick of hearing."