I got a little manikin, I set him on my thoomiken; I saddled him, I bridled him, I sent him to the tooniken: I coffed a pair o' garters to tie his little hosiken; I coffed a pocket-napkin to dight his little nosiken; I sent him to the garden to fetch a pund o' sage And found him in the kitchen-neuk kissing little Madge. While dandling the child on her knee the mother or nurse may sing:-- I had a little pony, Its name was Dapple Grey: I lent it to a lady, To ride a mile away. She whipped it, she lashed it, She ca'd it owre the brae; I winna lend my pony mair, Though a' the ladies pray. In the same manner the above may be followed by-- Chick! my naigie, Chick! my naigie, How many miles to Aberdaigy? Eight and eight, and other eight; Try to win there by candlelight. Or:-- Cam' ye by the kirk? Cam' ye by the steeple? Saw ye our gudeman, Riding on a ladle? Foul fa' the bodie, Winna buy a saddle, Wearing a' his breeks, Riding on a ladle! Or again:-- The cattie rade to Passelet, To Passelet, to Passelet, The cattie rade to Passelet, Upon a harrow-tine, O. 'Twas on a weetie Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: 'Twas on a weetie Wednesday, I missed it aye sin syne, O. Lighting a stick, and making it wave to and fro, so as to form a semi-circle of red fire before the child's eyes, the nurse will sing or croon:-- Dingle, dingle dousy, The cat's at the well, The dog's awa' to Musselbro' To buy the bairn a bell. Greet, greet bairnie, And ye'se get a bell; If ye dinna greet faster, I'll keep it to mysel'. Or again, dandling the child, the entertainment may be what some Perthshire children know well:-- Riding on a horsie, never standing still, Doun by St. Martins, and owre by Newmill, In by Guildtown and round by Cargill, Richt up Burstbane, and owre by Gallowhill, Yont by the Harelaw, and doun to Wolfhill, And that's the way to ride a horse and never stand still. Or the universal favourite may ensue:-- Ride a Cock-Horse to Banbury Cross, To see an old woman ride on a white horse; Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, She shall have music wherever she goes. Or:-- Hey diddle diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon; The little dog laughed, To see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon. In a reposeful attitude, such rhymes as follow may be employed:-- Jack and Jill Went up the hill To fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down And broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after. Shoo shuggie, owre the glen, Mammie's pet, and daddie's hen. Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool? Yes, sir, yes, sir, three bags full; One for the master, one for the dame, One for the little boy that lives in the lane.