The Nursery Rhymes of England Part 30

CCCx.x.x.

See-saw sacradown, Which is the way to London town?

One foot up, and the other down, And that is the way to London town.

CCCx.x.xI.

Here stands a post, Who put it there?

A better man than you; Touch it if you dare!

CCCx.x.xII.

[A stands with a row of girls (her daughters) behind her; B, a suitor, advances.]

B. Trip trap over the gra.s.s: If you please will you let one of your [eldest] daughters come, Come and dance with me?

I will give you pots and pans, I will give you bra.s.s, I will give you anything for a pretty la.s.s.

A. says, "No."

B. I will give you gold and silver, I will give you pearl, I will give you anything for a pretty girl.

A. Take one, take one, the fairest you may see.

B. The fairest one that I can see Is pretty Nancy,--come to me.

[B carries one off, and says:]

You shall have a duck, my dear, And you shall have a drake, And you shall have a young man apprentice for your sake.

[Children say:]

If this young man should happen to die, And leave this poor woman a widow, The bells shall all ring, and the birds shall all sing, And we'll all clap hands together.

[So it is repeated until the whole are taken.]

CCCx.x.xIII.

[The "Three Knights of Spain" is a game played in nearly the same manner as the preceding. The _dramatis personae_ form themselves in two parties, one representing a courtly dame and her daughters, the other the suitors of the daughters.

The last party, moving backwards and forwards, with their arms entwined, approach and recede from the mother party, which is stationary, singing to a very sweet air. See Chambers'

'Popular Rhymes,' p. 66.]

_Suitors._

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

_Mother._

My daughter Jane she is too young, And has not learned her mother tongue.

_Suitors._

Be she young, or be she old, For her beauty she must be sold.

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

_Mother._

_Turn back, turn back, thou scornful knight, And rub thy spurs till they be bright._

_Suitors._

Of my spurs take you no thought, For in this town they were not bought, So fare you well, my lady gay, We'll call again another day.

_Mother._

_Turn back, turn back, thou scornful knight, And take the fairest in your sight._

_Suitor._

The fairest maid that I can see, Is pretty Nancy,--come to me.

Here comes your daughter safe and sound, Every pocket with a thousand pound; Every finger with a gay gold ring; Please to take your daughter in.

CCCx.x.xIV.

[A game on the slate.]

Eggs, b.u.t.ter, bread, Stick, stock, stone dead!

Stick him up, stick him down, Stick him in the old man's crown!

CCCx.x.xV.

[In the following childish amus.e.m.e.nt, one extends his arm, and the other in ill.u.s.tration of the narrative, strikes him gently with the side of his hand at the shoulder and wrist; and then at the word "middle," with considerable force, on the flexor muscles at the elbow-joint.]

My father was a Frenchman, He bought for me a fiddle, He cut me here, he cut me here, He cut me right in the middle.

CCCx.x.xVI.

[Patting the foot on the five toes.]

Shoe the colt, shoe!

Shoe the wild mare; Put a sack on her back, See if she'll bear.

If she'll bear, We'll give her some grains; If she won't bear, We'll dash out her brains!

[Ill.u.s.tration]