|
Silk an' satin was her gowne, Silk an' satin, gold an' velvet Guess her name, three times I've tell'd it.
|
/ p.74 /
|
And he that made it did it bring ; But he 'twas made for did not know Whether 'twas a thing or no.
|
|
I met mister Rusticap ; Pins and needles on his back, A going to Thorney fair.
|
|
|
|
TWO legs sat upon three legs, With one leg in his lap ; In comes four legs, And runs away with one leg. Up jumps two legs, Catches up three legs, Throws it after four legs, And makes him bring back one leg.
|
/ p.75 /
|
Employed while others sleep ; What few would like to give away, Nor any wish to keep.
|
|
A hundred eyes, and never a nose.
|
|
And all the king's horses can't pull it up.
|
|
Who should I meet but Dick Red-cap ! A stick in his hand, a stone in his throat, If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a groat.
|
/ p.76 /
|
ELIZABETH, Elspeth, Betsy and Bess, They all went together to seek a bird's nest, They found a bird's nest with five eggs in, They all took one, and left four in.
|
|
AS
I was going to St. Ives, I met a man with seven wives, Every wife had seven sacks, Every sack had seven cats, Every cat had seven kits : Kits, cats, sacks, and wives, How many were there going to St. Ives ?
|
|
The king could not read it, no more could the queen ; They sent for a wise man out of the East, Who said it had horns, but was not a beast !
|
|
SEE, see ! what shall I see ? A horse's head where his tail should be.
|
/ p.77 /
|
Humpty dumpty had a great fall ; Three score men and three score more Cannot place Humpty Dumpty as he was before.
|
|
|
|
PURPLE, yellow, red, and green, The king cannot reach it nor the queen ; Nor can old Noll, whose power's so great : Tell me this riddle while I count eight.
|
|
PEASE- porridge hot, pease-porridge cold, Pease-porridge in the pot, nine days old. Spell me that in four letters.
|
|
AS I was going o'er Westminster bridge, I met with a Westminster scholar ; He pulled off his cap an' drew off his glove, And wished me a very good morrow. What is his name ?
|
/ p.78 /
|
THERE
were three sisters in a hall, There came a knight amongst them all ; Good morrow, aunt, to the one, Good morrow, aunt, to the other, Good morrow, gentlewoman, to the third, If you were my aunt, As the other two be, I would say good morrow, Then, aunts, all three.
|
|
CONGEAL'D water and Cain's brother, That was my lover's name, and no other.
|
|
Now they tramp, now they champ, now they stand still.
|
|
BLACK we are, but much admired ; Men seek for us till they are tired. We tire the horse, but comfort man : Tell me this riddle if you can.
|
/ p.79 /
|
THERE was a man who had no eyes, He went abroad to view the skies : He saw a tree with apples on it, He took no apples off, yet left no apples on it.
|
|
THE moon nine days old, The next sign to cancer, Pat rat without a tail, And now, sir, for your answer.
|
|
LITTLE Nancy Etticoat, In a white petticoat, And a red nose ; The longer she stands, The shorter she grows.
|
|
LONG legs, crooked thighs, Little head and no eyes.
|
/ p.80 /
|
WHAT
shoe-maker makes shoes without leather, With all the four elements put together ? Fire and water, earth and air, Ev'ry customer has two pair.
|
|
HIGGLEDY piggledy Here we lie, Pick'd and pluck'd, And put in a pie. My first is snapping, snarling, growling, My second's industrious, romping, and prowling. Higgledy piggledy Here we lie, Pick'd and pluck'd, And put in a pie.
|
|
THOMAS A TATTAMUS took two Ts, To tie two tups to two tall trees, To frighten the terrible Thomas a Tattamus ! Tell me how many Ts there are in all THAT.
|
|
KING
Charles walked and talked Half an hour after his head was cut off !
|
/ p.81 /
|
I HAVE
a little sister, they call her peep, peep, She wades the waters deep, deep, deep, She climbs the mountains high, high, high, Poor little creature she has but one eye.
|
|
TWELVE
pears hanging high, Twelve knights riding by ; Each knight took a pear, And yet left eleven there !
|
|
OLD
mother Twitchett had but one eye, And a long tail which she let fly ; And every time she went over a gap, She left a bit of her tail in a trap.
|
|
IN
marble walls as white as milk, Lined with a skin as soft as silk ; Within a fountain crystal clear, A golden apple doth appear. No doors there are to this strong-hold. Yet things break in and steal the gold.
|
/ p.82 /
|
THERE was a king met a king In a narrow lane, Says this king to that king, "Where have you been ?"
"Oh ! I've been a hunting
"There's the dog take the dog."
|
|
FLOUR of England, fruit of Spain, Met together in a shower of rain ; Put in a bag tied round with a string, If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a ring.
|
|
EVERY lady in this land Has twenty nails upon each hand, Five and twenty hands and feet, All this is true without deceit.
|