Читать книгу A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes - Baring-Gould Sabine - Страница 5

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O when I was an infant young,

To London I did go,

Among the French and Spaniards there

My gallantry to show.

And when I came to the Eastern shore,

I let my head hang down,

I tripped along o'er banks and hills

But never touched the ground.

Fal-de-liddle-li-do

Fal-de-liddle-iddle-dee.

So when I reached the Eastern shore,

I met a giant high,

His little feet filled up the street,

His head it touched the sky.

He looked down, and with a frown

He bid me pass his way.

He looked up, and bid me sup

A posset made of whey.

He challenged me to dance and sing,

To whistle or to pipe.

I played every instrument

And whipped the giant quite.

He challenged me to jump a brook,

He challenged me to run;

I beat the pride out of his hide,

And killed him when I'd done.

The people all admiring stood,

To see me, not afraid.

They gave to me a salver bright,

A hundred ton it weighed.

I made myself a little box,

'Twas but three acres square,

I filled it up unto the top

With my bright silver ware.

When I did go from London town,

I rode upon an ox,

In by my thigh, in pocket I

Did put my little box.

And when I reached the Western shore,

They kicked me out of door,

They would not trust me for a pint,

Because I looked so poor.

I bought myself a flock of sheep,

I thought they all were wethers.

And some of them they gave me lambs

And some gave only feathers.

Methinks they were the bravest sheep

To give such good increase,

I cut their wool when the moon was full,

And I had two lambs apiece.

I bought a little poodle dog,

A pretty dog was he,

Where'er I went, 'twas his intent

To run and follow me.

His tail was but ten yards long,

His ears but five feet wide,

And round the world in half a day

Upon him I might ride.

I bought myself a coal-black hen,

Of her I took much care,

I set her on a mussel shell

And out she hatched a hare.

The hare she grew at such a pace,

She soon was ten hands high.

Come—if you know a better joke,

I'm very sure you lie.

Fal-de-liddle-li-do

Fal-de-liddle-iddle-dee.