Nursery Rhyme. CCCLXXIII. Paradoxes.

    There was a little Guinea-pig,
    Who, being little, was not big;
    He always walked upon his feet,
    And never fasted when he eat.

    When from a place he ran away,
    He never at that place did stay;
    And while he ran, as I am told,
    He ne'er stood still for young or old.

    He often squeak'd and sometimes vi'lent,
    And when he squeak'd he ne'er was silent;
    Though ne'er instructed by a cat,
    He knew a mouse was not a rat.

    One day, as I am certified,
    He took a whim and fairly died;
    And, as I'm told by men of sense,
    He never has been living since.

Unknown

The identity of this poet is not known. Their works, which are often of significant historical or cultural value, have been attributed to 'Unknown'. This designation is commonly used when the creator of works, ranging from ancient texts to more modern writings, remains anonymous or uncredited. Despite the lack of personal details, the impact and importance of these works endure, offering insight into the eras and cultures from which they originated.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCCXVII. Games.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. CCCCLXXXVIII. Love And Matrimony.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. CCCCL. Love And Matrimony.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. DCXXX. Relics.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.

Nursery Rhyme. CCCLXXVIII. Paradoxes.

    Barney Bodkin broke his nose,
    Without feet we can't have toes;
    Crazy folks are always mad,
    Want of money makes us sad.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCCLXV. Paradoxes.

    Up stairs, down stairs, upon my lady's window,
    There I saw a cup of sack and a race of ginger;
    Apples at the fire, and nuts to crack,
    A little boy in the cream-pot up to his neck.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCCLXXVI. Paradoxes.

    There was a man and he was mad,
    And he jump'd into a pea-swad;[A]
    The pea-swad was over-full,
    So he jump'd into a roaring bull;
    The roaring bull was over-fat,
    So he jump'd into a gentleman's hat;
    The gentleman's hat was over-fine,
    So he jump'd into a bottle of wine;
    The bottle of wine was over-dear,
    So he jump'd into a bottle of beer;
    The bottle of beer was over-thick,
    So he jump'd into a club-stick;
    The club-stick was over-narrow,
    So he jump'd into a wheel-barrow;
    The wheel-barrow began to crack,
    So he jump'd on to a hay-stack;
    The hay-stack began to blaze,
    So he did nothing but cough and sneeze!

        [Footnote A: The pod or shell of a pea.]

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCCLXX. Paradoxes.

        [The conclusion of the following resembles a verse in the nursery history of Mother Hubbard.]

    There was an old woman, and what do you think?
    She lived upon nothing but victuals and drink:
    Victuals and drink were the chief of her diet;
    This tiresome old woman could never be quiet.

    She went to the baker, to buy her some bread,
    And when she came home her old husband was dead;
    She went to the clerk to toll the bell,
    And when she came back her old husband was well.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCCLXIV. Paradoxes.

    There was a man of Newington,
        And he was wond'rous wise,
    He jump'd into a quickset hedge,
        And scratch'd out both his eyes:
    But when he saw his eyes were out,
        With all his might and main,
    He jump'd into another hedge,
        And scratch'd 'em in again.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCCLXIX. Paradoxes.

        [The following occurs in a MS. of the seventeenth century, in the Sloane Collection, the reference to which I have mislaid.]

    The man in the wilderness asked me,
    How many strawberries grew in the sea?
    I answered him, as I thought good,
    As many as red herrings grew in the wood.

Unknown