Sing-Song: When the Cows Come Home the Milk Is Coming

When the cows come home the milk is coming,
Honey’s made while the bees are humming;
Duck and drake on the rushy lake,
And the deer live safe in the breezy brake;
And timid, funny, brisk little bunny,
Winks his nose and sits all sunny.

Roses blushing red and white

Roses blushing red and white,
For delight;
Honeysuckle wreaths above,
For love;
Dim sweet-scented heliotrope,
For hope;
Shining lilies tall and straight,
For royal state;
Dusky pansies, let them be
For memory;
With violets of fragrant breath,
For death.

“Ding a ding,”

“Ding a ding,”
The sweet bells sing,
And say:
“Come, all be gay”
For a wedding day.

“Dong a dong,”

“Dong a dong,”
The bells sigh long,
And call:
“Weep one, weep all”
For a funeral.

A ring upon her finger

A ring upon her finger,
Walks the bride,
With the bridegroom tall and handsome
At her side.

A veil upon her forehead

A veil upon her forehead,
Walks the bride,
With the bridegroom proud and merry
At her side.

Fling flowers beneath the footsteps

Fling flowers beneath the footsteps
Of the bride;
Fling flowers before the bridegroom
At her side.

“Ferry me across the water

“Ferry me across the water,
Do, boatman, do.”
“If you’ve a penny in your purse
I’ll ferry you.”

“I have a penny in my purse

“I have a penny in my purse,
And my eyes are blue;
So ferry me across the water,
Do, boatman, do.”

“Step into my ferry-boat

“Step into my ferry-boat,
Be they black or blue,
And for the penny in your purse
I’ll ferry you.”