Chapter I: Saw a Ship A-Sailing

I saw a ship a-sailing, A-sailing on the sea; And, oh! it was all laden With pretty things for thee!

There were comfits in the cabin, And apples in the hold; The sails were made of silk, And the masts were made of gold.

The four-and-twenty sailors That stood between the decks, Were four-and-twenty white mice With chains about their necks.

The captain was a duck, With a packet on his back; And when the ship began to move, The captain said, "Quack! Quack!"

A WALNUT

As soft as silk, as white as milk, As bitter as gall, a strong wall, And a green coat covers me all.

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.

ONE, HE LOVES

One, he loves; two, he loves; Three, he loves, they say; Four, he loves with all his heart; Five, he casts away. Six, he loves; seven, she loves; Eight, they both love. Nine, he comes; ten, he tarries; Eleven, he courts; twelve, he marries.

BAT, BAT

Bat, bat,
Come under my hat,
And I'll give you a slice of bacon;
And when I bake
I'll give you a cake
If I am not mistaken.

HARK! HARK!

Hark, hark! the dogs do bark!
Beggars are coming to town:
Some in jags, and some in rags,
And some in velvet gown.

THE HART

The hart he loves the high wood,
The hare she loves the hill;
The Knight he loves his bright sword,
The Lady--loves her will.

MY LOVE

Saw ye aught of my love a-coming from the market?
A peck of meal upon her back,
A babby in her basket;
Saw ye aught of my love a-coming from the market?

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.

POOR OLD ROBINSON CRUSOE!

Poor old Robinson Crusoe!
Poor old Robinson Crusoe!
They made him a coat
Of an old Nanny goat.
I wonder why they should do so!
With a ring-a-ting-tang,
And a ring-a-ting-tang,
Poor old Robinson Crusoe!

A SIEVE

A riddle, a riddle, as I suppose, A hundred eyes and never a nose!

MY MAID MARY

My maid Mary she minds the dairy,
While I go a-hoeing and mowing each morn;
Gaily run the reel and the little spinning wheel,
While I am singing and mowing my corn.

A DIFFICULT RHYME

What is the rhyme for porringer? The king he had a daughter fair, And gave the Prince of Orange her.

PRETTY JOHN WATTS

Pretty John Watts,
We are troubled with rats.
Will you drive them out of the house?
We have mice, too, in plenty,
That feast in the pantry,
But let them stay
And nibble away,
What harm in a little brown mouse?

GOOD ADVICE

Come when you're called,
Do what you're bid,
Shut the door after you,
And never be chid.