Page:Clifton Johnson - What They Say in New England.pdf/191

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Rhymes and Jingles  189

used to be, it will crow and be very happy.

Here is a variation of the same theme:—

Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker’s man,
Pat it and pat it as fast as you can,
Pat it and prick it, and mark it with B,
And toss it in the oven for baby and me.

This is acted out in the same way, and the letter B is marked with a finger on the child’s palm. B, of course, stands for baby.

Jog the baby up and down on your knees, and say,—

Trot, trot to Boston,
To buy a loaf of bread.
Trot, trot home again,
The old trot’s dead.

Trot the baby on your knee, and say,—

Seesaw, Jack in the hedge,
Which is the way to London Bridge ?

When you have the baby in your arms and are rocking it to sleep, say,—

Bye baby bunting,

Papa’s gone a-hunting;