A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes/The Herring's Head
VI. THE HERRING'S HEAD
1st SINGER. As I was a-walking all on the sea-sand
I picked up a herring all in my right hand,
It was big herrings,
It was little herrings,
All a brought in.
O and what did I make with my jolly herring?
2nd SINGER. 'Hark, hark! how dost thou lie!'
1st SINGER. 'And so do you as well as I.'
2nd SINGER. 'Why hast thou not told me so?'
1st SINGER. 'So did I, long time ago.'
BOTH TOGETHER. 'Well, well, and well-a-well,
And so thinks I unto mysel',
Thinks I to myself, 'tis a jolly herring.'
O what do you think I made out of my old herring's head?
I made a fine oven as ever baked bread.
There are great ovens,
There are little ovens,
And all that's therein.
O and what did I make with my jolly herring?
2nd and 1st SINGERS. 'Hark, hark! how dost,' etc.
O what do you think I made out of my old herring's fin?
I made as fine tops as you ever did spin.
There are great tops, etc.
2nd and 1st SINGERS. 'Hark, hark! how dost,' etc.
O what do you think I made out of my old herring's eyes?
I made fifty men's pasties, and five women's pies.
There are great pies, etc.
2nd and 1st SINGERS. 'Hark, hark! how dost,' etc.
O what do you think I made out of my old herring's back?
I made so fine a whip as you ever did crack.
There are great whips, etc.
2nd and 1st SINGERS. 'Hark, hark! how dost,' etc.
O what do you think I made out of my old herring's ribs?
I made fifty horse-stalls and fifty ox-cribs.
There are great cribs, etc.
2nd and 1st SINGERS. 'Hark, hark! how dost,' etc.
O what do you think I made out of my old herring's tail?
I made so fine a ship as ever did sail.
There are great ships, etc.
2nd and 1st SINGERS. 'Hark, hark! how dost,' etc.
O what do you think I made out of my old herring's breast?
I made sixty good oxen as yoke ever pressed.
There are great oxen, etc.
2nd and 1st SINGERS. 'Hark, hark! how dost,' etc.
O what do you think I made out of my old herring altogether?
I made so fine cobblers as ever sewed leather.
There are great cobblers, etc.
2nd SINGER. 'Hark, hark! how dost thou lie!'
1st SINGER. 'So do you as well as I.'
2nd SINGER. 'Why hast thou not told me so?'
1st SINGER. 'So did I, long time ago.'
BOTH TOGETHER. 'Herring and ling!
O herring and ling!
Of all the fish in the sea is Herring the King.'