How shall we build it up again?

Dance o'er my Lady Lee; How shall we build it up again?

With a gay lady.

Build it up with silver and gold, Dance o'er my Lady Lee; Build it up with silver and gold, With a gay lady.

Silver and gold will be stole away, Dance o'er my Lady Lee; Silver and gold will be stole away, With a gay lady.

Build it up with iron and steel, Dance o'er my Lady Lee; Build it up with iron and steel, With a gay lady.

Iron and steel will bend and bow, Dance o'er my Lady Lee; Iron and steel will bend and bow, With a gay lady.

Build it up with wood and clay, Dance o'er my Lady Lee; Build it up with wood and clay, With a gay lady.

Wood and clay will wash away, Dance o'er my Lady Lee; Wood and clay will wash away, With a gay lady.

Build it up with stone so strong, Dance o'er my Lady Lee; Huzza! 'twill last for ages long, With a gay lady.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

I love sixpence, pretty little sixpence, I love sixpence better than my life; I spent a penny of it, I spent another, And took fourpence home to my wife.

Oh, my little fourpence, pretty little fourpence, I love fourpence better than my life; I spent a penny of it, I spent another, And I took twopence home to my wife.

Oh, my little twopence, my pretty little twopence, I love twopence better than my life; I spent a penny of it, I spent another, And I took nothing home to my wife.

Oh, my little nothing, my pretty little nothing, What will nothing buy for my wife?

I have nothing, I spend nothing, I love nothing better than my wife.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

The north wind doth blow, And we shall have snow, And what will poor Robin do then?

Poor thing!

He'll sit in a barn, And to keep himself warm, Will hide his head under his wing.

Poor thing!

[Ill.u.s.tration: HE'LL SIT IN A BARN.]

A CARRION crow sat on an oak, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, Watching a tailor shape his cloak; Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

Wife, bring me my old bent bow, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, That I may shoot yon carrion crow; Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

The tailor he shot and missed his mark, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, And shot his own sow quite through the heart; Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

Wife, bring brandy in a spoon, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do, For our old sow is in a swoon; Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow, Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Merry are the Bells & merry do they ring"]

MERRY are the bells, and merry would they ring; Merry was myself, and merry could I sing; With a merry ding-dong, happy, gay, and free, And a merry sing-song, happy let us be!

Waddle goes your gait, and hollow are your hose; Noddle goes your pate, and purple is your nose; Merry is your sing-song, happy, gay, and free, With a merry ding-dong, happy let us be!

Merry have we met, and merry have we been; Merry let us part, and merry meet again; With our merry sing-song, happy, gay, and free, And a merry ding-dong, happy let us be!

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

HOT-CROSS Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

One a penny, two a penny, Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

Hot-cross Buns!

If ye have no daughters, Give them to your sons.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

THREE blind mice, see how they run!

They all ran after the farmer's wife, Who cut off their tails with the carving-knife; Did you ever see such fools in your life?

Three blind mice.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

YOU shall have an apple, You shall have a plum, You shall have a rattle-basket, When your dad comes home.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

THERE was a frog liv'd in a well, Kitty alone, Kitty alone; There was a frog liv'd in a well, Kitty alone, and I!

There was a frog liv'd in a well, And a farce[2] mouse in a mill; c.o.c.k me cary, Kitty alone, Kitty alone and I.

This frog he would a-wooing ride, Kitty alone, &c.; This frog he would a-wooing ride, And on a snail he got astride, c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

He rode till he came to my Lady Mouse hall, Kitty alone, &c; He rode till he came to my Lady Mouse hall, And there he did both knock and call; c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

[Ill.u.s.tration: And there he did both knock and call]

Quoth he, "Miss Mouse, I'm come to thee,"

Kitty alone, &c.; Quoth he, "Miss Mouse, I'm come to thee, To see if thou canst fancy me;"

c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

Quoth she, "Answer I'll give you none,"

Kitty alone, &c.; Quoth she, "Answer I'll give you none, Until my uncle Rat come home;"

c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

And when her uncle Rat came home, Kitty alone, &c.; And when her uncle Rat came home, "Who's been here since I've been gone?"

c.o.c.k me cary, &c.

"Sir, there's been a worthy gentleman,"

Kitty alone, &c.; "Sir, there's been a worthy gentleman, That's been here since you've been gone;"