MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
  How does your garden grow? 
Silver bells and cockle-shells,
  And pretty maids all of a row.

BESSY BELL AND MARY GRAY

Bessy Bell and Mary Gray,
  They were two bonny lasses;
They built their house upon the lea,
  And covered it with rushes.

Bessy kept the garden gate,
  And Mary kept the pantry;
Bessy always had to wait,
  While Mary lived in plenty.

NEEDLES AND PINS

Needles and pins, needles and pins,
When a man marries his trouble begins.

PUSSY-CAT AND THE DUMPLINGS

Pussy-cat ate the dumplings, the dumplings,
    Pussy-cat ate the dumplings. 
Mamma stood by, and cried, “Oh, fie! 
    Why did you eat the dumplings?”

DANCE, THUMBKIN DANCE

Dance, Thumbkin, dance;
      (keep the thumb in motion
Dance, ye merrymen, everyone.
      (all the fingers in motion
For Thumbkin, he can dance alone,
      (the thumb alone moving
Thumbkin, he can dance alone.
      (the thumb alone moving
Dance, Foreman, dance,
      (the first finger moving
Dance, ye merrymen, everyone.
      (all moving
But Foreman, he can dance alone,
      (the first finger moving
Foreman, he can dance alone.
      (the first finger moving
Dance, Longman, dance,
      (the second finger moving
Dance, ye merrymen, everyone.
      (all moving
For Longman, he can dance alone,
      (the second finger moving
Longman, he can dance alone.
      (the second finger moving
Dance, Ringman, dance,
      (the third finger moving
Dance, ye merrymen, dance.
      (all moving
But Ringman cannot dance alone,
      (the third finger moving
Ringman, he cannot dance alone.
      (the third finger moving
Dance, Littleman, dance,
      (the fourth finger moving
Dance, ye merrymen, dance.
      (all moving
But Littleman, he can dance alone,
      (the fourth finger moving
Littleman, he can dance alone.
      (the fourth finger moving

MARY’S CANARY

Mary had a pretty bird,
  Feathers bright and yellow,
Slender legs—­upon my word
  He was a pretty fellow!

The sweetest note he always sung,
  Which much delighted Mary. 
She often, where the cage was hung,
  Sat hearing her canary.

THE LITTLE BIRD