The man who had naught
There was a man and he had naught,
And robbers came to rob him;
He crept up to the chimney pot,
And then they thought they had him.
But he got down on t’other side,
And then they could not find him;
He ran fourteen miles in fifteen days,
And never looked behind him.
The man of Tobago
There was an old man of Tobago
Who lived on rice, gruel, and sago,
Till much to his bliss,
His physician said this:
“To a leg, sir, of mutton, you may go.”
The man of Derby
A little old man of Derby,
How do you think he served me?
He took away my bread and cheese,
And that is how he served me.
The man of Bombay
There was a fat man of Bombay,
Who was smoking one sunshiny day;
When a bird called a snipe
Flew away with his pipe,
Which vexed the fat man of Bombay.
The man in the wilderness
The man in the wilderness
Asked me
How many strawberries
Grew in the sea.
I answered him
As I thought good,
As many as red herrings
Grew in the wood.
The man in the moon
The man in the moon came tumbling down,
And asked the way to Norwich;
He went by the south, and burnt his mouth
With eating cold pease porridge.
The man in our town
There was a man in our town,
And he was wondrous wise,
He jumped into a bramble bush,
And scratched out both his eyes;
But when he saw his eyes were out,
With all his might and main,
He jumped into another bush,
And scratched ‘em in again.
A man and a maid
There was a little man,
Who wooed a little maid,
And he said, “Little maid, will you wed, wed, wed?
I have little more to say,
So will you, yea or nay,
For least said is soonest mended-ded, ded, ded.”
The little maid replied,
“Should I be your little bride,
Pray what must we have for to eat, eat, eat?
Will the flame that you’re so rich in
Light a fire in the kitchen?
Or the little god of love turn the spit, spit, spit?”
Make believe
What can I buy me with a penny?
There’s a lot of drums and Noah’s arks,
And clothes for dolls which hav’nt any,
And squeaking cats, and a dog that barks.
What shall I buy me with a penny?
There’s a money-box and a Key to lock it,
And tops a few, and soldiers many,
I wish I’d a penny in my pocket.
Maiden in the moor lay
Maiden in the moor lay,
In the moor lay,
Seven-night full, seven night full,
Maiden in the moor lay,
In the moor lay,
Seven nights full and a day.
Good was her meat.
What was her meat?
The cowslip and the—
The cowslip and the—
Good was her meat.
What was her meat?
The cowslip and the violet
Good was her drink.
What was her drink?
The cold water of the—
The cold water of the—
Good was her drink.
What was her drink?
The cold water of the well spring.
Good was her bower.
What was her bower?
The red rose and the—
The red rose and the—
Good was her bower.
What was her bower?
The red rose and the lily flower
Magpie
One for sorrow.
Two for joy.
Three for a girl.
Four for a boy.
Five for silver.
Six for gold.
Seven for a secret never to be told.
Eight’s a wish.
Nine’s a kiss.
Ten is a bird you must not miss,
MAGPIE.
M. N. O.
M. N. O. Our Pussy’s in the snow!
When she comes back the way
she’s gone
She’ll have such queer white
stockings on.
O Jeremy, Jeremy, Jo, Jo, Jo!
A. B. C. Our Pussy’s up the tree!
And now begins with sneeze and cough
To lick her long white stockings off.
No more she’ll go into the snow.
Not she, not she, not she!