Page:The Alphabet of Old Friends-1874.djvu/6

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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.

Father, father, I’ve come to confess.

O, yes, dear daughter, what have you done?

Gang and hear the owl yell,

Sit and see the swallow flee,

See the foal before its mither’s e’e,

’Twill be a thriving year wi’ thee.

Hush-a-bye, baby, on the tree-top;

When the wind blows the cradle will rock;

When the wind ceases the cradle will fall.

And down will come baby and cradle and all.

I had a little husband

No bigger than my thumb;

I put him in a pint pot.

And there I bade him drum.

I bought a little horse

That galloped up and down;

I bridled him, and saddled him,

And sent him out of town.

I gave him a pair of garters.

To tie up his little hose.

And a little silk handkerchief.

To wipe his little nose.

Jack Sprat would eat no fat,

His wife would eat no lean;

Was not that a pretty trick

To make the platter clean?