The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes Part 26

Seventeen, eighteen, Maids a-waiting;

Nineteen, twenty, My plate's empty.

LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST

Little Robin Redbreast sat upon a tree; Up went p.u.s.s.y cat and down went he.

Down came p.u.s.s.y cat, and away Robin ran; Says little Robin Redbreast: "Catch me if you can."

DIDDLE DIDDLE DUMPLING

Diddle diddle dumpling, my son John, Went to bed with his breeches on, One stocking off, and one stocking on; Diddle diddle dumpling, my son John.

MARY, MARY

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow?

Silver bells, and c.o.c.kle sh.e.l.ls, And pretty maids all of a row.

JACK JINGLE

Jack Jingle went 'prentice To make a horse-shoe, He wasted the iron Till it would not do.

His master came in, And began for to rail; Says Jack, "the shoe's spoiled, But 't will still make a nail."

He tried at the nail, But, chancing to miss, Says, "If it won't make a nail, It shall yet make a hiss."

Then into the water Threw the hot iron, smack!

"Hiss!" quoth the iron; "I thought so," says Jack.

BETTY WINKLE'S PIG

Little Betty Winkle she had a little pig.

It was a little pig, not very big; When he was alive he lived in Clover, But now he's dead, and that's all over.

Johnny Winkle he Sat down and cried; Betty Winkle she Lay down and died; So there was an end of one, two, and three, Johnny Winkle he, Betty Winkle she, And Piggy Wiggie!

THREE BRETHREN OUT OF SPAIN

"We are three brethren out of Spain, Come to court your daughter Jane."

"My daughter Jane she is too young; She has no skill in a flattering tongue."

"Be she young, or be she old, It's for her gold she must be sold; So fare you well, my lady gay, We'll call again another day."

"Turn back, turn back, thou scornful knight, And rub thy spurs till they be bright."

"Of my spurs take you no thought, For in this land they were not bought.

So fare you well, my lady gay, We'll call again another day."

"Turn back, turn back, thou scornful knight, And take the fairest in your sight."

"The fairest maid that I can see Is pretty Nancy; come to me."

WHAT CARE I?

What care I how black I be?

Twenty pounds shall marry me.

If twenty won't, forty shall, For I'm my mother's bouncing girl.

THE THREE KITTENS

Three little kittens lost their mittens, And they began to cry, "Oh, Mother dear, We very much fear That we have lost our mittens!"

"Lost your mittens!

You naughty kittens!

Then you shall have no pie.

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow!

No, you shall have no pie.

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow!"

The three little kittens found their mittens, And they began to cry, "Oh, Mother dear, See here, see here, See, we have found our mittens!"