ENGLISH FOLK-RHYMES

A COLLECTION OF TRADITIONAL VERSES
RELATING TO PLACES AND PERSONS, CUSTOMS,
SUPERSTITIONS, ETC.

BY

G. F. NORTHALL

LONDON

KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & CO., LTD.

PATERNOSTER HOUSE, CHARING CROSS ROAD

1892
Wi

700506

398.3

(The rights of translation and of reproduction

are

reserved.)

Nursery Rhymes, Riddles, Rhythmical but unrhymed Game Chants
and Formulas, Verses (such as "There was a lady all skin and bone,"
"Three children sliding on the ice," etc.), Accumulative Rhymes (such as
"The house that Jack built," "I have a song of One, O!" etc.), are not
included unless in illustration of doubtful points.

The examples of assonance given were doubtless intended for rhymes

by their authors.

The verses from Reliquia Antique and other collections of early lore,

if not pure folk rhymes, exhibit traditional matter in forms so slightly

changed that it would have been unwise to exclude them from the present

work.