450 NURSERY RHVMES.

 

DCCLXXXI.

AN old woman was sweeping her house, and she found a
little crooked sixpence. “What,” said she, “shall I do with this
little sixpence? I will go to market and buy a little pig.” As
she was coming home she came to a stile: the piggy would not
go over the stile.

She went a little farther, and she met a dog. So she said to
the dog, “Dog! bite pig; piggy won’t go over the stile, and I
shan’t get home to-night.” But the dog would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a stick. So she said,
“Stick! stick! beat dog; dog won't bite.pig; piggy won’t get
over the stile, and I shan’t get home to-night.” -But the stick
would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a fire. So she said, “ Fire}
fire! burn stick; stick won't beat dog; dog won't bite pig,” (and so
forth, always repeating the foregoing words.) But the fire would not.

She went a little farther, and she met some water. So she >
said, “Water! water! quench fire; fire won’t burn stick,” &c.
But the water would not.

She went a little farther, and she met an ox. So she said,
“Ox! ox! drink water; water won’t quench fire,” &c. But
the ox would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a butcher. So she said,
“Butcher! butcher! kill ox; ox won’t drink water,’ &c. But
the butcher would not.

She went a little farther, and she met a rope. So she said,
“Rope! rope! hang butcher; butcher won’t kill ox,” &c. But
the rope would not.