John Smith, Fallow Fine
This is very similar to the English rhyme Robert Barnes, Fellow Fine.
According to Notes on The Folk-Lore of the North-East of Scotland by Walter Gregor (1881): "The following rhyme was repeated to the child by the nurse while she took off the child's boot and imitated the blacksmith in nailing the shoes on the horse's foot…"
John Smith, Fallow Fine
John Smith, Fellow Fine
Nursery Rhyme
Nursery Rhyme
(Scots)
(English)
John Smith, fallow fine,
Can you shoe this horse o' mine?
Aye, indeed, and that I can,
As well as ony man!
There's a nail upon the tae,
To make the powny speel the brae;
There's a nail and there's a brod
-a horse weel shod.
John Smith, fellow fine,
Can you shoe this horse of mine?
Yes, indeed, and that I can,
As well as any man!
There's a nail upon the toe,
To make the pony climb the slope;
There's a nail and there's a broad-headed nail
-a horse well shoed.
Notes
Here is another version from Notes on The Folk-Lore of the North-East of Scotland by Walter Gregor (1881):
"John Smith, a fellow fine,
Cam t' shee a horse o' mine.
Pit a bit upo' the tae,
T' gar the horsie clim' the brae;
Pit a bit upo' the brod,
T' gar the horsie clim' the road;
Pit a bit upo' the heel,
T' gar the horsie trot weel."
English:
"John Smith, a fellow fine,
Came to shoe a horse of mine.
Put a bit upon the toe,
To get the horsy to climb the hill;
Put a bit upon the nail*,
To get the horsey to climb the road;
Put a bit upon the heel,
To get the horsey to trot well."
*Literally a broad-headed nail.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translated into modern English by Lisa Yannucci.
