My father he died, but I can't tell you how. He left me six horses to drive in my plow. I sold my six horses, and I bought me a cow; I'd fain have made a fortune, but did not know how. I sold my cow, and I bought me a calf; I'd fain have made a fortune, but lost the best half. I sold my calf, and I bought me a cat; A pretty thing she was, in my chimney corner sat. I sold my cat, and bought me a mouse; He carried fire in his tail, and burnt down my house. I SAW a ship a-sailing, And, oh! it was all laden With pretty things for thee! There were comfits in the cabin, The sails were made of silk, And the masts were made of gold. The four-and-twenty sailors That stood between the decks Were four-and-twenty white mice, The captain was a duck, With a packet on his back; And when the ship began to move, The captain said, "Quack! quack!" WHEN I was a bachelor I lived by myself; And all the bread and cheese I got I put upon the shelf. The rats and the mice They made such a strife, I was forced to go to London To buy me a wife. The streets were so bad, And the lanes were so narrow, I was forced to bring my wife home In a wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow broke, And my wife had a fall, Down came wheelbarrow, Little wife and all. I HAD a little husband, I bought a little horse, That galloped up and down; I gave him little garters, To garter up his hose, And a little pocket handkerchief, To wipe his little nose. I LOVE sixpence, pretty little sixpence, I love sixpence better than my life; I spent a penny of it, I spent another, And took fourpence home to my wife. Oh, my little fourpence, pretty little fourpence, I love fourpence better than my life; Oh, my little twopence, my pretty little twopence, I love twopence better than my life; Oh, my little nothing, my pretty little nothing, What will nothing buy for my wife? I have nothing, I spend nothing, I love nothing better than my wife. |