Nursery Rhyme. CCCXVI. Games.

        [Another game, played exclusively by boys. Two, who are fixed upon for the purpose, leave the group, and privately arrange that the pass-word shall be some implement of a particular trade. The trade is announced in the dialogue, and then the    fun is, that the unfortunate wight who guesses the "tool" is    beaten with the caps of his fellows till he reaches a fixed goal, after which he goes out in turn.]

    "Two broken tradesmen,
        Newly come over,
    The one from France and Scotland,
        The other from Dover."
    "What's your trade?"

        [Carpenters, nailors, smiths, tinkers, or any other is answered, and on guessing the instrument "plane him, hammer him, rasp him, or solder him," is called out respectively during the period of punishment.]

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

Friendship

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. DLVIII. Natural History.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. CXCIX. Riddles.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Thrift

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. CCLXXVII. Games.

        [Rhymes used by children to decide who is to begin a game.]

    One-ery, two-ery,
        Ziccary zan;
    Hollow bone, crack a bone,
        Ninery, ten:
    Spittery spot,
        It must be done;
    Twiddleum twaddleum,
        Twenty-one.

    Hink spink, the puddings stink,
        The fat begins to fry,
    Nobody at home, but jumping Joan,
        Father, mother, and I.
    Stick, stock, stone dead,
        Blind man can't see,
    Every knave will have a slave,
        You or I must be he.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCCXXXIV. Games.

        [A game on the slate.]

    Eggs, butter, bread,
    Stick, stock, stone dead!
    Stick him up, stick him down,
    Stick him in the old man's crown!

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCCXXXIX. Games.

        [An exercise during which the fingers of the child are enumerated.]

    Thumbikin, Thumbikin, broke the barn,
    Pinnikin, Pinnikin, stole the corn.
    Long back'd Gray
    Carried it away.
    Old Mid-man sat and saw,
    But Peesy-weesy paid for a'.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCLXXXVI. Games.

        [This game begins thus: Take this - What's this? - A gaping, wide-mouthed, waddling frog, & c.]

    Twelve huntsmen with horns and hounds,
    Hunting over other men's grounds!
    Eleven ships sailing o'er the main,
    Some bound for France and some for Spain:
    I wish them all safe home again:
    Ten comets in the sky,
    Some low and some high;
    Nine peacocks in the air,
    I wonder how they all came there,
    I do not know and I do not care;
    Eight joiners in joiner's hall,
    Working with the tools and all;
    Seven lobsters in a dish,
    As fresh as any heart could wish;
    Six beetles against the wall,
    Close by an old woman's apple stall;
    Five puppies of our dog Ball,
    Who daily for their breakfast...

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCCXXV. Games.

    One old Oxford ox opening oysters;
    Two tee-totums totally tired of trying to trot to Tadbury;
    Three tall tigers tippling tenpenny tea;
    Four fat friars fanning fainting flies;
    Five frippy Frenchmen foolishly fishing for flies;
    Six sportsmen shooting snipes;
    Seven Severn salmons swallowing shrimps;
    Eight Englishmen eagerly examining Europe;
    Nine nimble noblemen nibbling nonpareils;
    Ten tinkers tinkling upon ten tin tinderboxes with ten tenpenny tacks;
    Eleven elephants elegantly equipt;
    Twelve typographical topographers typically translating types.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCLXXXII. Games.

        [One child holds a wand to the face of another, repeating these lines, and making grimaces, to cause the latter to laugh, and so to the others; those who laugh paying a forfeit.]

    Buff says Buff to all his men,
    And I say Buff to you again;
    Buff neither laughs nor smiles,
    But carries his face
    With a very good grace,
    And passes the stick to the very next place!

Unknown