Page:A book of nursery songs and rhymes (1895).pdf/18

INTRODUCTION children in the moon, according to Scandinavian mythology.

Some nursery rhymes have a definite object aimed at,—that of practising a child's memory, or of teaching it the letters of the alphabet, or the numbers of a clock face, or the ordinary numerals.

In Jewish books of prayer for the Paschal Festival, two nursery rhymes are almost always inserted, wherewith the tedium of the service may be lightened to the children. One of these is very similar to our English, 'Sing a song of One, O!' It begins thus:—

Who is one, and who can declare it? I will teach you it; One is God in Heaven and on earth. What is two, and who can declare it? I will teach you it; Two are the tables of the Covenant, One is God in Heaven, etc. What is three, and who can declare it? I will teach you it; Three are the Patriarchs, Two are the tables, etc., One is God, etc.

and so on to twelve.

The other nursery song is like our 'Stick, stick, beat dog.' It begins:—