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!"
Tom, Tom, was a pi per's son,
He learn'd to play when he was young;
But the only tune that he could play,
Was "Over the hills and far away."
Tom with his pipe made such a noise,
That he pleased both the girls and boys;
They'd dance and skip while he did play,
"Over the hills and far away."
Tom with his pipe did play with such skill,
That those who heard him could never keep still;
As soon as he play'd they began for to dance,
Even pigs on their hind-legs would after him prance.
He met Old Dame Trot with a basket of Eggs—
He used his pipe and she used her legs;
She danc'd about till her eggs were all broke,
She began for to fret, but he laugh'd at the joke.
And as Dolly was milking her cow one day,
Tom took out his pipe and began for to play;
So Doll and the cow they danc'd a lilt,
Till the pail fell down and the milk was all spilt.
Tom saw a cross fellow was beating an ass,
Heavy laden with pots, pans, dishes, and glass;
He took out his pipe and he play'd them a tune,
And the poor donkey's load was lighten'd full soon.
There was an old woman, as I've heard tell,
She went to market her eggs for to sell;
She went to market all on a market day,
And she fell asleep on the King's highway.
There came by a pedlar, whose name was Stout,
He cut her petticoats all round about;
He cut her petticoats up to the knees,
Which made the old woman to shiver and freeze.
When the little old woman first did wake,
She began to shiver and she began to shake;
She began to wonder, and she began to cry,
"Lauk a mercy on me, this can't be I!
But if it be I, as I hope it be,
I've a little dog at home, and he'll know me;
If it be I, he'll wag his little tail,
And if it be not I, he'll loudly bark and wail."
Home went the little woman all in the dark,
Up got the little dog, and he began to bark;
He began to bark, so she began to cry,
"Lauk a mercy on me, this is none of I!"
High diddle ding,
Did you hear the bells ring?
The Parliament soldiers are gone to the King!
Some they did laugh, some they did cry,
To see the Parliament soldiers pass by.
Three wise men of Gotham
Went to sea in a bowl;
If the bowl had been stronger
My story had been longer.
Little Boy Blue, come, blow me your horn;
The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn.
Where's the little boy that looks after the sheep?
He's under the haycock, fast asleep.