There was an old man of Three
Bridges,
Whose mind was distracted
by midges,
He sate on a wheel, eating
underdone veal,
Which relieved that old man
of Three Bridges.
[Illustration]
There was an old man of Hong
Kong,
Who never did anything wrong;
He lay on his back, with his
head in a sack,
That innocuous old man of
Hong Kong.
[Illustration]
There was a young person in
green,
Who seldom was fit to be seen;
She wore a long shawl, over
bonnet and all,
Which enveloped that person
in green.
[Illustration]
There was an old person of
Fife,
Who was greatly disgusted
with life;
They sang him a ballad, and
fed him on salad,
Which cured that old person
of Fife.
[Illustration]
There was an old man who screamed
out
Whenever they knocked him
about:
So they took off his boots,
and fed him with fruits,
And continued to knock him
about.
[Illustration]
There was a young lady in
white,
Who looked out at the depths
of the night;
But the birds of the air,
filled her heart with despair,
And oppressed that young lady
in white.
[Illustration]
There was an old person of
Slough,
Who danced at the end of a
bough;
But they said, “If you
sneeze, you might damage the trees,
You imprudent old person of
Slough.”
[Illustration]
There was an old person of
Down,
Whose face was adorned with
a frown;
When he opened the door, for
one minute or more,
He alarmed all the people
of Down.
[Illustration]
There was a young person in
red,
Who carefully covered her
head,
With a bonnet of leather,
and three lines of feather,
Besides some long ribands
of red.
[Illustration]
There was an old person of
Hove,
Who frequented the depths
of a grove;
Where he studied his books,
with the wrens and the rooks,
That tranquil old person of
Hove.
[Illustration]
There was a young person in
pink,
Who called out for something
to drink;
But they said, “O my
daughter, there’s nothing but water!”
Which vexed that young person
in pink.
[Illustration]
There was an old lady of France,
Who taught little ducklings
to dance;
When she said, “Tick-a-tack!”
they only said, “Quack!”
Which grieved that old lady
of France.
[Illustration]
There was an old person of
Putney,
Whose food was roast spiders
and chutney,
Which he took with his tea,
within sight of the sea,
That romantic old person of
Putney.
[Illustration]