As I was going to Derby upon a market day,
I met the finest ram, sir, that ever fed on hay,
On hay, on hay, on hay,
I met the finest ram, sir, that ever fed on hay.
This ram was fat behind, sir; this ram was fat before;
This ram was ten yards round, sir; indeed he was not more.
No more, no more, no more;
This ram was ten yards round, sir; indeed he was no more.
The horns grew on his head, sir, they were so wondrous high,
As I've been plainly told, sir, they reached up to the sky.
The sky, the sky, the sky,
As I've been plainly told, sir, they reached up to the sky.
The tail grew on his back, sir, was six yards and an ell,
And it was sent to Derby to toll the market bell,
The bell, the bell, the bell,
And it was sent to Derby to toll the market bell.
Hogs in the garden, catch 'em, Towser;
Cows in the corn-field, run boys, run,
Cats in the cream-pot, run girls, run girls;
Fire on the mountains, run boys, run.
The Cuckoo is a bonny bird,
She sings as she flies,
She brings us good tidings,
And tells us no lies.
She sucks little bird's eggs
To make her voice clear,
And never cries Cuckoo!
Till Spring of the year.
Lavender blue, and Rosemary green,
When I am king, you shall be queen,
Call up my maids at four of the clock,
Some to the wheel, and some to the rock,
Some to make hay, and some to shell corn,
And you and I shall keep the bed warm.
The lion and the Unicorn
Were fighting for the crown—
The lion beat the unicorn
All about the town.
Some gave them white bread,
And some gave them brown,
Some gave them plum-cake,
And sent them out of town.
Little Johnny Pringle had a little Pig.
It was very little, so was not very big.
As it was playing beneath the shed,
In half a minute poor Piggy was dead.
So Johnny Pringle he sat down and cried,
And Betty Pringle she laid down and died.
There is the history of one, two and three,
Johnny Pringle, Betty Pringle, and Piggy Wiggie.