Jacky, come give me thy fiddle,

If ever thou mean to thrive:

Nay; I'll not give my fiddle

To any man alive.

If I should give my fiddle,

They'll think that I'm gone mad;

For many a joyful day

My fiddle and I have had.

Of all the gay birds that e'er I did see,

The owl is the fairest by far to me;

For all the day long she sits on a tree,

And when the night comes away flies she.

I love sixpence, pretty little sixpence,

I love sixpence better than my life;

I spent a penny of it, I spent another,

And took fourpence home to my wife.

Oh, my little fourpence, pretty little fourpence,

I love fourpence better than my life;

I spent a penny of it, I spent another,

And I took twopence home to my wife.

Oh, my little twopence, my pretty little twopence,

I love twopence better than my life;

I spent a penny of it, I spent another,

And I took nothing home to my wife.

Oh, my little nothing, my pretty little nothing,

What will nothing buy for my wife?

I have nothing, I spend nothing,

I love nothing better than my wife.

Merry are the bells, and merry would they ring,

Merry was myself, and merry could I sing;

With a merry ding-dong, happy, gay, and free,

And a merry sing-song, happy let us be!

Waddle goes your gait, and hollow are your hose,

Noddle goes your pate, and purple is your nose;

Merry is your sing-song, happy, gay, and free,

With a merry ding-dong, happy let us be!

Merry have we met, and merry have we been,

Merry let us part, and merry meet again;

With our merry sing-song, happy, gay, and free,

And a merry ding-dong, happy let us be!

My maid Mary

She minds her dairy,

While I go a hoing and mowing each morn,

Merrily run the reel

And the little spinning wheel

Whilst I am singing and mowing my corn.

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

One a penny, two a penny

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

If ye have no daughters,

Give them to your sons.

Wooley Foster has gone to sea,

With silver buckles at his knee,

When he comes back he'll marry me,—

Bonny Wooley Foster!

Wooley Foster has a cow,

Black and white about the mow,

Open the gates and let her through,

Wooley Foster's ain cow!

Wooley Foster has a hen,

Cockle button, cockle ben,

She lay eggs for gentlemen,

But none for Wooley Foster!

Buz, quoth the blue fly,

Hum, quoth the bee,

Buz and hum they cry,

And so do we:

In his ear, in his nose,

Thus, do you see?

He ate the dormouse,

Else it was he.

As I was going up the hill,

I met with Jack the piper,

And all the tunes that he could play

Was "Tie up your petticoats tighter."

I tied them once, I tied them twice,

I tied them three times over;

And all the songs that he could sing

Was "Carry me safe to Dover."

There were two birds sat on a stone,

Fa, la, la, la, lal, de;

One flew away, and then there was one,

Fa, la, la, la, lal, de;

The other flew after, and then there was none,

Fa, la, la, la, lal, de;

And so the poor stone was left all alone,

Fa, la, la, la, lal, de!

How does my lady's garden grow?

How does my lady's garden grow?

With cockle shells, and silver bells,

And pretty maids all of a row.

There was a jolly miller

Lived on the river Dee:

He worked and sung from morn till night,

No lark so blithe as he,

And this the burden of his song

For ever used to be—

I jump mejerrime jee!

I care for nobody—no! not I,

Since nobody cares for me.

As I was going along, long, long,

A singing a comical song, song, song,

The lane that I went was so long, long, long,

And the song that I sung was as long, long, long,

And so I went singing along.

Where are you going, my pretty maid?

I'm going a-milking, sir, she said.

May I go with you, my pretty maid?

You're kindly welcome, sir, she said.

What is your father, my pretty maid?

My father's a farmer, sir, she said.

Say, will you marry me, my pretty maid?

Yes, if you please, kind sir, she said.

Will you be constant, my pretty maid?

That I can't promise you, sir, she said.

Then I won't marry you, my pretty maid!

Nobody asked you, sir! she said.

Pancakes and fritters,

Say All Saints and St. Peters;

When will the ball come,

Say the bells of St. Alkmun;

At two they will throw,

Says Saint Werabo;

O! very well,

Says little Michel.

I have been to market, my lady, my lady;

Then you've not been to the fair, says pussy, says pussy;

I bought me a rabbit, my lady, my lady;

Then you did not buy a hare, says pussy, says pussy;

I roasted it, my lady, my lady;

Then you did not boil it, says pussy, says pussy;

I eat it, my lady, my lady;

And I'll eat you, says pussy, says pussy.

My father left me three acres of land,

Sing ivy, sing ivy;

My father left me three acres of land,

Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I ploughed it with a ram's horn,

Sing ivy, sing ivy;

And sowed it all over with one pepper corn,

Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I harrowed it with a bramble bush,

Sing ivy, sing ivy;

And reaped it with my little penknife,

Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I got the mice to carry it to the barn,

Sing ivy, &c.

And thrashed it with a goose's quill,

Sing holly, &c.

I got the cat to carry it to the mill,

Sing ivy, &c.

The miller he swore he would have her paw,

And the cat she swore she would scratch his face,

Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

Three blind mice, see how they run!

They all ran after the farmer's wife,

Who cut off their tails with the carving-knife,

Did you ever see such fools in your life?

Three blind mice.

There was a frog liv'd in a well,

Kitty alone, Kitty alone;

There was a frog liv'd in a well,

Kitty alone, and I!

There was a frog liv'd in a well,

And a farce* mouse in a mill,   [*merry

Cock me cary, Kitty alone,

Kitty alone, and I.

This frog he would a wooing ride,

Kitty alone, &c.

This frog he would a wooing ride,

And on a snail he got astride,

Cock me cary, &c.

He rode till he came to my Lady Mouse hall,

Kitty alone, &c.

He rode till he came to my Lady Mouse hall,

And there he did both knock and call,

Cock me cary, &c.

Quoth he, Miss Mouse, I'm come to thee,

Kitty alone, &c.

Quoth he, Miss Mouse, I'm come to thee,

To see if thou canst fancy me,

Cock me cary, &c.

Quoth she, answer I'll give you none,

Kitty alone, &c.

Quoth she, answer I'll give you none,

Until my uncle Rat come home,

Cock me cary, &c.

And when her uncle Rat came home,

Kitty alone, &c.

And when her uncle Rat came home,

Who's been here since I've been gone?

Cock me cary, &c.

Sir, there's been a worthy gentleman,

Kitty alone, &c.

Sir, there's been a worthy gentleman,

That's been here since you've been gone,

Cock me cary, &c.

The frog he came whistling through the brook,

Kitty alone, &c.

The frog he came whistling through the brook,

And there he met with a dainty duck,

Cock me cary, &c.

This duck she swallow'd him up with a pluck,

Kitty alone, Kitty alone;

This duck she swallow'd him up with a pluck,

So there's an end of my history book.

Cock me cary, Kitty alone,

Kitty alone and I.

There was a man in our toone, in our toone, in our toone,

There was a man in our toone, and his name was Billy Pod;

And he played upon an old razor, an old razor, an old razor,

And he played upon an old razor, with my fiddle fiddle fe fum fo.

And his hat it was made of the good roast beef, the good roast beef, the good roast beef,

And his hat it was made of the good roast beef, and his name was Billy Pod;

And he played upon an old razor, &c.

And his coat it was made of the good fat tripe, the good fat tripe, the good fat tripe,

And his coat it was made of the good fat tripe, and his name was Billy Pod;

And he played upon an old razor, &c.

And his breeks were made of the bawbie baps, the bawbie baps, the bawbie baps,

And his breeks were made of the bawbie baps, and his name was Billy Pod;

And he played upon an old razor, &c.

And there was a man in tither toone, in tither toone, in tither toone,

And there was a man in tither toone, and his name was Edrin Drum;

And he played upon an old laadle, an old laadle, an old laadle,

And he played upon an old laadle, with my fiddle fiddle fe fum fo.

And he eat up all the good roast beef, the good roast beef, &c. &c.

And he eat up all the good fat tripe, the good fat tripe, &c. &c.

And he eat up all the bawbie baps, &c. and his name was Edrin Drum.

John Cook had a little grey mare; he, haw, hum!

Her back stood up, and her bones they were bare; he, haw, hum!

John Cook was riding up Shuter's bank; he, haw, hum!

And there his nag did kick and prank; he, haw, hum!

John Cook was riding up Shuter's hill; he, haw, hum!

His mare fell down, and she made her will; he, haw, hum!

The bridle and saddle were laid on the shelf; he, haw, hum!

If you want any more you may sing it yourself; he, haw, hum!

A carrion crow sat on an oak,

Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do,

Watching a tailor shape his cloak;

Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,

Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

Wife, bring me my old bent bow,

Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do,

That I may shoot yon carrion crow;

Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,

Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

The tailor he shot and missed his mark,

Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do;

And shot his own sow quite through the heart;

Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,

Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

Wife, bring brandy in a spoon;

Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do,

For our old sow is in a swoon,

Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,

Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

Hic hoc, the carrion crow,

For I have shot something too low:

I have quite missed my mark,

And shot the poor sow to the heart;

Wife, bring treacle in a spoon,

Or else the poor sow's heart will down.

Awa' birds, away!

Take a little, and leave a little,

And do not come again;

For if you do,

I will shoot you through,

And there is an end of you.

If I'd as much money as I could spend,

I never would cry old chairs to mend;

Old chairs to mend, old chairs to mend;

I never would cry old chairs to mend.

If I'd as much money as I could tell,

I never would cry old clothes to sell;

Old clothes to sell, old clothes to sell;

I never would cry old clothes to sell.

Whistle, daughter, whistle, whistle daughter dear;

I cannot whistle, mammy, I cannot whistle clear.

Whistle, daughter, whistle, whistle for a pound;

I cannot whistle, mammy, I cannot make a sound.

I'll sing you a song,

Though not very long,

Yet I think it as pretty as any,

Put your hand in your purse,

You'll never be worse,

And give the poor singer a penny.

Dame, get up and bake your pies,

Bake your pies, bake your pies;

Dame, get up and bake your pies,

On Christmas-day in the morning.

Dame, what makes your maidens lie,

Maidens lie, maidens lie;

Dame, what makes your maidens lie,

On Christmas-day in the morning?

Dame, what makes your ducks to die,

Ducks to die, ducks to die;

Dame, what makes your ducks to die,

On Christmas-day in the morning?

Their wings are cut and they cannot fly,

Cannot fly, cannot fly;

Their wings are cut and they cannot fly,

On Christmas-day in the morning.

HERE was a girl in our towne,

Silk an' satin was her gowne,

Silk an' satin, gold an' velvet,

Guess her name, three times I've tell'd it.

I went to the wood and got it,

I sat me down and looked at it;

The more I looked at it the less I liked it,

And I brought it home because I couldn't help it.

Hick-a-more, Hack-a-more,

On the king's kitchen-door;

All the king's horses,

And all the king's men,

Couldn't drive Hick-a-more, Hack-a-more,

Off the king's kitchen-door!

When I was taken from the fair body,

They then cut off my head,

And thus my shape was altered;

It's I that make peace between king and king,

And many a true lover glad:

All this I do and ten times more,

And more I could do still,

But nothing can I do,

Without my guider's will.

As I look'd out o' my chamber window

I heard something fall;

I sent my maid to pick it up,

But she couldn't pick it all.

I went into my grandmother's garden,

And there I found a farthing.

I went into my next door neighbour's,

There I bought a pipkin and a popkin—

A slipkin and a slopkin,

A nailboard, a sailboard,

And all for a farthing.

As I was going o'er London Bridge,

I met a cart full of fingers and thumbs!

Made in London,

Sold at York,

Stops a bottle

And is a cork.

Ten and ten and twice eleven,

Take out six and put in seven;

Go to the green and fetch eighteen,

And drop one a coming.

As soft as silk, as white as milk,

As bitter as gall, a thick wall,

And a green coat covers me all.

As I was going o'er Tipple Tine,

I met a flock of bonny swine;

Some green-lapp'd,

Some green-back'd;

They were the very bonniest swine

That e'er went over Tipple Tine.

Humpty Dumpty lay in a beck,*

With all his sinews round his neck;

Forty doctors and forty wrights

Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty to rights!

Arthur O'Bower has broken his band,

He comes roaring up the land;—

The King of Scots, with all his power,

Cannot turn Arthur of the Bower!

Make three-fourths of a cross,

And a circle complete;

And let two semicircles

On a perpendicular meet;

Next add a triangle

That stands on two feet;

Next two semicircles,

And a circle complete.

There was a king met a king

In a narrow lane,

Says this king to that king,

"Where have you been?"

"Oh! I've been a hunting

With my dog and my doe."

"Pray lend him to me,

That I may do so."

"There's the dog take the dog."

"What's the dog's name?"

"I've told you already."

"Pray tell me again."

Flour of England, fruit of Spain,

Met together in a shower of rain;

Put in a bag tied round with a string,

If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a ring.

Every lady in this land

Has twenty nails upon each hand,

Five and twenty hands and feet,

All this is true without deceit.

Twelve pears hanging high,

Twelve knights riding by;

Each knight took a pear,

And yet left eleven there!

I have a little sister, they call her peep, peep;

She wades the waters deep, deep, deep;

She climbs the mountains high, high, high;

Poor little creature she has but one eye.

Old mother Twitchett had but one eye,

And a long tail which she let fly;

And every time she went over a gap,

She left a bit of her tail in a trap.

In marble walls as white as milk,

Lined with a skin as soft as silk;

Within a fountain crystal clear,

A golden apple doth appear.

No doors there are to this strong-hold.

Yet things break in and steal the gold.

What shoe-maker makes shoes without leather,

With all the four elements put together?

Fire and water, earth and air;

Ev'ry customer has two pair.

Higgledy piggledy

Here we lie,

Pick'd and pluck'd,

And put in a pie.

My first is snapping, snarling, growling,

My second's industrious, romping, and prowling.

Higgledy piggledy

Here we lie,

Pick'd and pluck'd,

And put in a pie.

Thomas a Tattamus took two Ts,

To tie two tups to two tall trees,

To frighten the terrible Thomas a Tattamus!

Tell me how many Ts there are in all THAT.

There was a man who had no eyes,

He went abroad to view the skies;

He saw a tree with apples on it,

He took no apples off, yet left no apples on it.

The moon nine days old,

The next sign to cancer;

Pat rat without a tail;—

And now, sir, for your answer,

Little Nancy Etticoat,

In a white petticoat,

And a red nose;

The longer she stands,

The shorter she grows.

Long legs, crooked thighs,

Little head and no eyes.

There were three sisters in a hall,

There came a knight amongst them all;

Good morrow, aunt, to the one,

Good morrow, aunt, to the other,

Good morrow, gentlewoman, to the third,

If you were my aunt,

As the other two be,

I would say good morrow,

Then, aunts, all three.

Congeal'd water and Cain's brother,

That was my lover's name, and no other.

Thirty white horses upon a red hill,

Now they tramp, now they champ, now they stand still.

Black we are, but much admired;

Men seek for us till they are tired.

We tire the horse, but comfort man

Tell me this riddle if you can.

Higher than a house, higher than a tree;

Oh, whatever can that be?

Humpty dumpty sate on a wall,

Humpty dumpty had a great fall;

Three score men and three score more

Cannot place Humpty Dumpty as he was before.

Purple, yellow, red, and green,

The king cannot reach it nor the queen;

Nor can old Noll, whose power's so great:

Tell me this riddle while I count eight.

Pease-porridge hot, pease-porridge cold,

Pease-porridge in the pot, nine days old.

Spell me that without a P,

And a clever scholar you will be.

As I was going o'er Westminster bridge,

I met with a Westminster scholar;

He pulled off his cap an' drew off his glove,

And wished me a very good morrow.

What is his name?

Black within, and red without;

Four corners round about.

There was a man rode through our town,

Gray Grizzle was his name;

His saddle-bow was gilt with gold,

Three times I've named his name.

As I went over Lincoln bridge

I met mister Rusticap;

Pins and needles on his back,

A going to Thorney fair.

Two legs sat upon three legs,

With one leg in his lap;

In comes four legs,

And runs away with one leg.

Up jumps two legs,

Catches up three legs,

Throws it after four legs,

And makes him bring back one leg.

Formed long ago, yet made to-day,

Employed while others sleep;

What few would like to give away,

Nor any wish to keep.

A riddle, a riddle, as I suppose,

A hundred eyes, and never a nose.

As round as an apple, as deep as a cup,

And all the king's horses can't pull it up.

As I went through the garden gap,

Who should I meet but Dick Red-cap!

A stick in his hand, a stone in his throat,

If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a groat.

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.

As I was going to St. Ives,

I met a man with seven wives,

Every wife had seven sacks,

Every sack had seven cats,

Every cat had seven kits:

Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,

How many were there going to St. Ives?

Highty, tighty, paradighty clothed in green,

The king could not read it, no more could the queen;

They sent for a wise man out of the East,

Who said it had horns, but was not a beast!

See, see! what shall I see?

A horse's head where his tail should be.

As I was going o'er London Bridge,

And peep'd through a nick,

I saw four and twenty ladies

Riding on a stick!

Lives in winter,

Dies in summer,

And grows with its root upwards!

When I went up sandy hill,

I met a sandy boy;

I cut his throat, I sucked his blood,

And left his skin a hanging-o.