Little Bob Robin
Where do you live?
Up in yonder wood sir
on a hazel twig
A little cock sparrow sat on green tree,
And he chirruped, he chirrupped, so merry was he.
A naughty boy came with his bow and arrow,
Says he, I will shoot this cock sparrow;
His body wil make me a nice little stew,
And his giblets will make me a little pie too.
Oh no, said the sparrowI won't make a stew
So he clapped his wings and away he flew.
RIDDLE
As I was walking in a field of wheat,
I picked up something good to eat;
Neither fish, flesh fowl, nor bone,
I kept it till it ran alone.
SOLUTION: An egg
Jeremiah, blow the fire,
Puff, puff, puff,
First you blow it gently.
Then you blow it rough.
ANOTHER RIDDLE
A shoemaker makes shoes without leather,
With all four elements put together,
Fire, water, earth, air,
And every customer takes two pair.
SOLUTION: A blacksmith (sic) Should be farrier!
ANOTHER RIDDLE
I went to the wood and I got it;
I sat me down and I sought it;
I kept it still against my will
And so by force home I brought it.
SOLUTION:A thorn in the foot. ( The original is said to pre-date Homer)
All the above from The Oxford book of Nursery rhymes: Iona and Peter Opie.
I saw Esau sawing wood,
And Esau saw I saw him;
Though Esau saw I saw him saw
Still Esau went on sawing
(Typical from Lore and Language of School Children Opie op cit)
ANON
Teacher, they tell me when thou wert alive,
Thou teaching thrift, thyself couldnst never thrive,
So like the whetstone many men are wont
To sharpen others when themselves are blunt.
( Not sure as a an ex-teacher whether I should help to perpetuate this!)