A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes. Baring-Gould Sabine

As comely as my baby's cheek.

       There's not a comb of honey-bee,

       So full of sweets as babe to me.

       And it's O! etc.

       There's not a star that shines on high,

       Is brighter than my baby's eye.

       There's not a boat upon the sea,

       Can dance as baby does to me.

       And it's O! etc.

       No silk was ever spun so fine

       As is the hair of baby mine.

       My baby smells more sweet to me

       Than smells in spring the elder tree.

       And it's O! etc.

       A little fish swims in the well,

       So in my heart does baby dwell.

       A little flower blows on the tree,

       My baby is the flower to me.

       And it's O! etc.

       The Queen has sceptre, crown, and ball,

       You are my sceptre, crown, and all.

       For all her robes of royal silk,

       More fair your skin, as white as milk.

       And it's O! etc.

       Ten thousand parks where deer run,

       Ten thousand roses in the sun,

       Ten thuosand pearls beneath the sea,

       My baby more precious is to me.

       And it's O! sweet, sweet! and a lullaby!

      VIII. THE FOOLISH BOY

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      My father died, and I can't tell y' how,

       He left me six horses to follow the plough.

       With a whing, whing, waddle, O!

       With a string, strang, straddle, O!

       Blossy boys! Babble, O! under the Broom.

       I sold my six horses, and bought me a cow,

       I'm going to get money, but I can't tell how.

       With a whing, etc.

       I sold my cow, and I bought me a calf,

       By that my bargain I lost just half.

       With a whing, etc.

       I sold my calf, and I bought me a cat,

       And in the chimney corner the pretty thing sat.

       With a whing, etc.

       I sold my cat, and I bought me a mouse,

       Set fire to her tail, and she burnt down my house.

       I sold my mouse, and I bought me a wife,

       She cut my throat with an old rusty knife.

       With a whing, etc.

      IX. TOMMY-A-LYNN

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      Tommy-a-Lynn was a Dutchman born,

       His head was bald and his chin was shorn.

       He wore a cap made of a grey hare's skin,

       O a rare old man was Tommy-a-Lynn.

       All to my tooth, and a laugh a long-lee.

       Tommy's a Ranter and a Rover,

       Tommy's a bone of my Stover,

       Brew, screw, Rivet and tin,

       O a rare old man was Tommy-a-Lynn.

       Tommy-a-Lynn had no boots to put on,

       But two calves' skins and the hair was gone.

       They were split at the side and the water ran in,

       'I am damp to my feet,' said Tommy-a-Lynn.

       All to my tooth, etc.

       Tommy-a-Lynn has a-hunting gone,

       A bridle of mouse tails has he hung on.

       The bridle broke and the horse ran away,

       'I'm not over well bridled,' said Tommy to-day.

       All to my tooth, etc.

       Tommy-a-Lynn has a-riding gone,

       A saddle of urchins' skins has he put on.

       The urchins' prickles were sharp as a pin,

       'I've got a sore seat,' said Tommy-a-Lynn.

       All to my tooth, etc.

       Tom-a-Lynn's daughter, she sat on the stair,

       'O father, I fancy, I'm wondrous fair!'

       The stair it broke, and the maid fell in.

       'You're fair enough now,' said Tommy-a-Lynn.

       All to my tooth, etc.

       Tom-a-Lynn, his wife and his mother,

       They all fell into the fire together.

       'Ow-yow!' said the topmost, 'I've got a hot kin.'

       'It's hotter below,' said Tommy-a-Lynn.

       All to my tooth, etc.

      X. PRIMROSE HILL

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      As I was going up Primrose Hill,

       Primrose Hill was dirty,

       There I met a pretty miss,

       And she dropped me a curtsey.

       Little miss, pretty miss,

       Blessings light upon you.

       If I had half-a-crown a day,

       I'd spend it all upon you.

      XI. GREEN AND AIRY AROUND

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      There was an old woman lived under a hill,

       Green and airy around.

       There was an old woman lived under a hill,

       And she had good ale and beer to sell.

       With a clack, hurry-scurry, scurry whack!

       Green and airy around.

       She had an old man and he wore a wig,

       Grey and hairy around.

       A cat and a dog and a fat little pig.

       She had a daughter, her name it was Nan,

       Plump and bonny around.

       And Nan would laugh with woman or man.

       There came a trooper a-riding by,

       Red and hairy around.

       He called for drink because he was dry.

       His boots were leather, his coat was red,

       Bold and hair around.

       A spur at his heel, and a hat on his head.

       The trooper he was so bold and so big,

       Bold, big, and hairy around,

       Kissed Nan, drank beer, and ate up the pig,

       And never he paid one fig—one