Nursery Rhyme. CCLXXVIII. Games.

        [A game of the Fox. In a children's game, where all the little actors are seated in a circle, the following stanza is used as question and answer.]

    Who goes round my house this night?
        None but cruel Tom!
    Who steals all the sheep at night?
        None but this poor one.

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. CCLIX. Gaffers And Gammers.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. XCV. Proverbs.

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Cats

Unknown , Simple Poetry

Nursery Rhyme. CCCXCIII. Lullabies.

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. CCCLVII. Games.

        [A game of the fox.]

            Fox a fox, a brummalary,
            How many miles to Lummaflary? Lummabary.

    A.    Eight and eight, and a hundred and eight.
            How shall I get home to night?

    A.    Spin your legs, and run fast.

Unknown

Nursery Rhyme. CCCXXI. Games.

        [Two of the strongest children are selected, A and B; A stands within a ring of the children, B being outside.]

    A. Who is going round my sheepfold?
    B. Only poor old Jacky Lingo.
    A. Don't steal any of my black sheep.
    B. No, no more I will, only by one,
    Up, says Jacky Lingo. ( Strikes one.)

        [The child struck leaves the ring, and takes hold of B behind; B in the same manner takes the other children, one by one, gradually increasing his tail on each repetition of the verses, until he has got the whole; A then tries to get them    back; B runs away with them; they try to shelter themselves behind B; A drags them off, one by one, setting them against a wall, until he has recovered all. A regular tearing game, as children say.]

Unknown

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. CCCXVIII. Games.

        [A song set to five fingers.]

    1. This pig went to market;
    2. This pig staid at home;
    3. This pig had a bit of meat;
    4. And this pig had none;
    5. This pig said, Wee, wee, wee! I can't find my way home.

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. CCCXLII. Games.

    1. This pig went to the barn.
    2. This eat all the corn.
    3. This said he would tell.
    4. This said he wasn't well.
    5. This went week, week, week, over the door sill.

Unknown