Young Canada's Nursery Rhymes

 
The sails were made of silk,
The masts were made of gold.
 
 
What's the news of the day, good neighbour, I pray?
They say the balloon is gone up to the moon.
 
 
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!
 
 
A sunshiny shower
Won't last half an hour.
 
 
Leg over leg, as the dog went to Dover;
When he came to a style, jump he went over.
 
 
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper;
A peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper,
Where's the peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked?
 
 
Hush a by, Baby
On the tree top,
When the wind blows the cradle will rock:
When the bough bends the cradle will fall.
Down will come Baby cradle and all.
 
 
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke,
And John.
Guard the bed that I lie on
Four corners to my bed,
Four angels round my head,
One to watch, and one to pray,
And two to bear my soul away.
 
 
Three wise men of Gotham
Went to sea in a bowl.
And if the bowl had been stronger,
My song would have been longer.
 
 
Doctor Foster went to Gloster,
In a shower of rain,
He stepped in a puddle, up to the middle,
And never went there again.
 
 
There was an old woman tossed up in a basket,
Ninety times as high as the moon;
And where she was going, I couldn't but ask it,
For in her hand she carried a broom.
Old woman, old woman, old woman, quoth I,
O whither, O whither, O whither, so high?
To sweep the cobwebs off the sky!
Shall I go with you? Aye, by and by.
 
 
Once I saw a little bird
Come hop, hop, hop;
So I cried "Little bird,
Will you stop, stop, stop?"
And was going to the window
To say "How do you do?"
But he shook his little tail,
And far away he flew.
 
 
Is John Smith within? Yes, that he is.
Can he set a shoe? Ay, marry, two;
Here a nail, there a nail, tick, tack too.
 
 
See, see. What shall I see?
A horse's head where his tail should be.
 
 
(A Cherry)
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.
 
 
Bless you, bless you, bonny bee:
Say, When will your wedding be?
If it be to-morrow day,
Take your wings and fly away.
 
 
I like little Pussy, her coat is so warm,
And if I don't hurt her she'll do me no harm;
So I'll not pull her tail, nor drive her away,
But Pussy and I very gently will play.
 
 
Go to bed first, a golden purse.
Go to bed second, a golden pheasant;
Go to bed third, a golden bird.
 
 
Goosey, Goosey, gander, whither shall I wander?
Upstairs, and downstairs, and in my lady's chamber.
There I met an old man, who would not say his prayers,
I took him by the left leg, and threw him down stairs.
 
 
The cock doth crow to let you know,
If you be wise, 't is time to rise.
 
 
Eat, birds, eat, and make no waste,
I lie here and make no haste;
If my master chance to come,
You must fly, and I must run.
 
 
Where are you going to, my pretty maid?
I am going a milking, sir, she said.
May I go with you, my pretty maid?
You're kindly welcome, sir, she said.
 
 
Shoe the wild horse, and shoe the grey mare,
If the horse wont be shod, let him go bare.
 
 
Bye, baby bunting,
Father's gone a hunting,
Mother's gone a milking,
Sister's gone a silking,
Brother's gone to buy a skin
To wrap the baby bunting in.
 
 
Daffy-down-Dilly has come up to town,
In a yellow petticoat and a green gown.