Part 14 (1/2)

One said it was a s.h.i.+p; The other he said nay; The third said it was a house, With the chimney blown away.

And all the night they hunted, And nothing could they find But the moon a-gliding, A-gliding with the wind.

One said it was the moon; The other he said nay; The third said it was a cheese, And half o't cut away.

And all the day they hunted, And nothing could they find But a hedgehog in a bramble-bush, And that they left behind.

The first said it was a hedgehog; The second he said nay; The third it was a pin-cus.h.i.+on, And the pins stuck in wrong way.

And all the night they hunted, And nothing could they find But a hare in a turnip field, And that they left behind.

The first said it was a hare; The second he said nay; The third said it was a calf, And the cow had run away.

And all the day they hunted, And nothing could they find But an owl in a holly-tree, And that they left behind.

One said it was an owl; The other he said nay; The third said 'twas an old man, And his beard growing grey.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

JACK, be nimble, And, Jack, be quick; And, Jack, jump over The candlestick.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

QUEEN ANNE, Queen Anne, you sit in the sun, As fair as a lily, as white as a wand.

I send you three letters, and pray read one; You must read one, if you can't read all; So pray, Miss or Master, throw up the ball.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

[_Children hunting bats._]

BAT, bat (_clap hands_), Come under my hat, And I'll give you a slice of bacon; And when I bake, I'll give you a cake, If I am not mistaken.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Decoration]

[_At the conclusion, the captive is privately asked if he will have oranges or lemons (the two leaders of the arch having previously agreed which designation shall belong to each), and he goes behind the one he may chance to name. When all are thus divided into two parties, they conclude the game by trying to pull each other beyond a certain line._]

GAY go up and gay go down, To ring the bells of London town.

Bull's eyes and targets, Say the bells of St. Marg'ret's.

Brickbats and tiles, Say the bells of St. Giles'.

Halfpence and farthings, Say the bells of St. Martin's.

Oranges and lemons, Say the bells of St. Clement's.

Pancakes and fritters, Say the bells of St. Peter's.

Two sticks and an apple, Say the bells at Whitechapel.