Nursery Rhymes and Songs

One for sorrow

“One for Sorrow” Lyrics

Modern version

One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret,
Never to be told,
Eight for a wish,
Nine for a kiss
Ten for a bird
You must not miss.

“One for Sorrow” Original lyrics

One for sorrow,
Two for mirth,
Three for a wedding,
And four for death

"The Duke of York"

Oh, the grand old Duke of York,

He had ten thousand men,

He marched them up to the top of

Everyone stands up

The hill and he marched

Them down again.  
Everyone sits down

And when they were up they were up.

Everyone stands up

And when they were down they were down.

Everyone sits down

And when they were only half way up,

They were neither up nor down.

Everyone half-way up

(repeat)

"Hey, diddle, diddle,"

Hey, diddle, diddle,

The cat and the fiddle,

The cow jumped over the moon;

The little dog laughed

To see such sport,

And the dish ran away with the spoon. 

 "Hickory, dickory, dock," 

Hickory, dickory, dock, 

The mouse ran up the clock; 

The clock struck one, 

And down he run,

Hickory, dickory, dock.

   

"Hot-cross buns!"

Hot-cross buns!

Hot-cross buns!

One a penny, two a penny,

Hot-cross buns!

If you have no daughters,

Give them to your sons;

One a penny, two a penny,

Hot-cross buns!

 Source: The Dorling Kindersley Book of Nursery Rhymes (2000) 

"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"

  Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are!

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

When the blazing sun is gone,

When he nothing shines upon,

Then you show your little light,

Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveler in the dark

Thanks you for your tiny spark,

How could he see where to go,

If you did not twinkle so?

In the dark blue sky you keep,

Often through my curtains peep

For you never shut your eye,

Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark

Lights the traveler in the dark,

Though I know not what you are,

Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

Source: The Golden Book of Poetry (1947) 

  "Jack and Jill" 

    Jack and Jill
Went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water,
Jack fell down
And broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling after.
Up Jack got
And home did trot
As fast as he could caper,
Went to bed
To mend his head
With vinegar and brown paper.

Poem

"Pat-A-Cake" 

  Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker's man

Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Prick it and pat it and mark it with a "b"
And put it in the oven for Billy and me

Make it with chocolate, make it with cream
Make it the prettiest you've ever seen
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker's man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Please

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker's man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Mix it and stir it and bake it just right
Good from the first 'til the very last bite

Write his name wit lots of care
And make pretty flowers here and there
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker's man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Prick it and price it and mark it with a "b"
And put it in the oven for Billy and me
And put it in the oven for Billy and me
And put it in the oven for Billy and me

"Miss Muffet"

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,

Eating her curds and whey.

There came a big spider,
Who  sat down beside her.
And frightened Miss Muffet  away!

Rhymes

"Humpty Dumpty"

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall,
All the king's horses and all the king's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

He fell of the wall - from the highest high - so high!
He had a great fall - from the highest high - high!
All the king's horses and all the king's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

Humpty Dumpty sat on the ground,
Humpty Dumpty looked all around,
Gone were the chimneys and gone were the roofs,
All he could see was horses and hooves.

He fell of the wall - from the highest high - so high!
He had a great fall - from the highest high - high!
All the king's horses and all the king's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

Nursery Songs


"Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross"
Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross,
To see a fi ne lady on a white horse,
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,
She shall have music wherever she goes.

Jingle! Jangle! Jingle!
Jingle! Jangle! Jingle!

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross,
To see a fine lady on a white horse,
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,
She shall have music wherever she goes.