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Contents
Posts
Can Anyone Help with a Song with the Line, “Like a Tree, We Would Grow”?
Monday, July 13th, 2009Alicia wrote:
Dear all,
I have had a friend at home that goes to a Canadian school in Cuba. He sings a song:
Like a tree
We would grow
We’re a family
Don´t you know
We were planted a long time ago
Like a tree we would try
Branches reaching
Towards the sky…Or something like that. He sang it very quickly and I couldn’t write the whole song. I’m searching on the internet for the song, but I can’t find it, and the children travel abroad…
Please, do you know the lyrics of this song?
Thank you very much for your help.
Sincerely.
Alicia Gómez.
If anyone can help with this song, please let us know in the comments below. Thanks!
Mama Lisa
Making Vibrant Easter Eggs, with Photos
Thursday, April 9th, 2009This year we didn’t have a lot of time for egg dying. So we used a PAAS egg dye kit. By the end we wanted to add a little extra pizzazz to the colors, so we put in about 5 drops of McCormack’s Neon food dyes to the different colors of PAAS dye. The colors came out very vibrant (as you can see in the photos below)…
If you have more time, I’d recommend trying to dye eggs naturally. It’s a lot of fun and it’s fulfilling to know you did it with natural food products. You can find out how to dye eggs naturally in the links below…
Enjoy!
Mama Lisa
UPDATE: Edee Lyons sent me these ideas for creative tools to use with eggs for special effects when dying: "Crayons, tape, wax and acrylic paint. That should make the chick inside smile with delight as it goes spinning and spinning in your hands…" Thanks Edee! If anyone else would like to share any ideas for interesting effects with eggs, feel free to comment below. -Mama Lisa
In April’s Sweet Month: A Nursery Rhyme
Sunday, April 5th, 2009Here’s a sweet little nursery rhyme about April, that can be found in The Only True Mother Goose Melodies (c. 1843)…
In April’s Sweet Month
Nursery RhymeIn April’s sweet month,
When the leaves ‘gin* to spring,
Little lambs skip like fairies
And birds build and sing.*begin
Enjoy the delights of Springtime!
Mama Lisa
April Fools Day
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009“The first day of April you may send a fool whither you will.”
There are two tricks that have been customarily done on April Fool’s Day around the world. One of the oldest tricks was to pin something to the back of the unsuspecting person. Sometimes it was a cardboard fish, sometimes a note saying “April Fool” and sometimes a sign saying “Kick Me!”.
The other popular trick was to send someone on a “fool’s errand”. The “victim” would be sent from one person to another, each person alleging that the “victim” was supposed to go to see another person.
Here are some rhymes for April Fool’s:
April Fool’s, go to school,
Tell your teacher she’s a fool!***
April Fool’s a-coming and
You’re the biggest fool a-running!***
April fool has come and gone and
You’re the biggest fool alone!***
Here are a couple of tricks very young kids can play for April Fools:
Say in school “Your shoelaces are untied!”
Say, “There’s a bug on your shirt!”
Say, “There’s food on your face!”Here’s a list of my posts about April Fool’s Day…
Beware not to be an April Fool!
“Where the Wild Things Are” Trailer
Monday, March 30th, 2009Check out the trailer for the upcoming movie adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are. (Coming out on October 16, 2009.) It looks awesome!
Thanks to Troy McDonald at PeekaBookaZoo for pointing this out!
Broken Rhymes
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009Kids love this stuff. Come to think of it, so do I!
BROKEN RHYMES.
Scold, cold, old.
Skate, Kate, ate.
Brink, rink, ink.
Trice, rice, ice.
Crash, rash, ash.
Sledge, ledge, edge.It’s from 1880… Harper’s Young People, March 9, 1880
.If you, your kids, grandkids or students think of any others, feel free to share them in the comments below!
Enjoy!
Mama Lisa
Fun Sweet “Sushi” to Make for Kids
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009
Yuta, Yoji and Miki made this awesome “sushi” for a school birthday party. It’s made out of homemade rice crispy treats, gummy fish and fruit roll-ups. How cute and cool!
The one question everyone’s asking is: How did they get the rice crispy treats to be soooo pure white? Any ideas? If so, please let us know in the comments below! (I also wonder where you get the faux lacquer boxes?)
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
The #1 Song on This Date in History
Friday, March 13th, 2009
At ThisDayInMusic.com you can find out the #1 song on different dates in time… when you were born, when someone you know was born, on an anniversary, etc. You can check for the top songs on different dates in the US, UK and Australia.
The #1 song today, March 13th 2009, is Right Round by Flo Rida.
If you’d like to know the top ten hits for the day you’re reading this post, check out Billboard’s Hot 100.
Walter de la Mare Poem “SOME ONE”
Thursday, March 5th, 2009Nancy wrote to me looking for: “the complete poem by Walter de la Mare which starts with: ‘Someone came a-knocking on my wee small door….’”
Here is Walter de la Mare’s poem called SOME ONE:
SOME ONE
Some one came knocking
At my wee, small door;
Some one came knocking,
I’m sure – sure – sure;
I listened, I opened,
I looked to left and right,
But naught there was a-stirring
In the still dark night;
Only the busy beetle
Tap-tapping in the wall,
Only from the forest
The screech-owl’s call,
Only the cricket whistling
While the dewdrops fall,
So I know not who came knocking,
At all, at all, at all.You can find this poem online in PEACOCK PIE A Book of Rhymes by Walter de la Mare.
Here’s another poem from the book you might like…
SILVER
Slowly, silently, now the moon
Walks the night in her silver shoon:
This way, and that, she peers and sees
Silver fruit upon silver trees;
One by one the casements catch
Her beams beneath the silvery thatch;
Couched in his kennel, like a log,
With paws of silver sleeps the dog
From their shadowy cote the white breasts peep
Of doves in a silver-feathered sleep;
A harvest mouse goes scampering by,
With silver claws and silver eye;
And moveless fish in the water gleam
By silver reeds in a silver stream.Hope you enjoy them!
Mama Lisa
2 French Tongue Twisters with a YouTube Video with Translations
Wednesday, March 4th, 2009These tongue twisters were recited by François Martini, who gives the instructions: “À dire très vite” (To say very quickly). Below the video, you’ll find the tongue twisters written in French with their English translations…
“Un chasseur sachant chasser sait chasser sans son chien.”
(A hunter knowing how to hunt knows how to hunt without his dog.)“Rat vit rôt, rôt tenta rat, rat mit patte à rôt, rôt brûla patte à rat, rat secoua patte et quitta rôt.”
(Rat saw a roast, roast tempted rat, rat put leg to roast, roast burnt rat’s leg, rat shook leg and left roast.)Thanks to Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français for help with the rat translation and to François Martini for his recitation!
Mama Lisa Now Has a Facebook Group
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009We’d love it if you’d join the Mama Lisa Facebook Group. You can post anything you’d like about your culture. You can post your own musical recordings or YouTube videos… Links to culture and musical sites… Photos of your country… Questions about songs or cultural issues… Anything related to World Culture and Music…
Click on the icon below to access the group. If you have a Facebook account already, you just need to click on “Join the Group” to join. If you’re not a member, you simply have to sign up for free to become a member and then you can join the Mama Lisa Group…
Looking forward to seeing you in Facebook!
Mama Lisa
Can Anyone Help with a Hindi Song about a Pussy Cat? It’s from an English Album – Also looking for the album!
Friday, February 20th, 2009Kathy emailed me asking for help finding a 30 year old album…
Hi Lisa,
My daughter had an album of children’s songs, which came out about 30 years ago. The album has long since disappeared but we really enjoyed one song on it. It starts off in English…
Pussy cat, pussycat with eyes so bright,
You sleep all day and you go out in the night,
There’s another line I can’t remember, and then..
…that a doggie doesn’t catch you up a tree!The singer then sings in Hindi (I think). It’s very lively – my daughter sang it all the time. Have you any idea where we can find it? Thanks,
Kathy
If anyone can help with the song or album, please let us know in the comments below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
Can Anyone Help with a Scary French Lullaby?
Thursday, January 29th, 2009Etiennette was looking for help with a French lullaby:
I was wondering if anyone knew the complete lyrics to a lullaby my mother would sing to me and then to my children. I only remember a few, it’s a bit scary. Maybe that’s why I don’t remember too much. Here it goes…
Entendez-vous dans la pleine,
Un bruit venent jusqu’a nous
On dirait un bruit de chenes, (blank, blank)
C’est le lustucru qui passe (dah dah dah)
Allez-vous-en méchant homme – - – -
car ils font un petit songes,
Non vous n’aurai pas mes deux petit gars,
Lo-la lo-la tirala lo la.Etiennette Tosches
If anyone can help, please comment below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
I’s the B’y – A Song from Newfoundland, Canada
Sunday, November 9th, 2008Here’s a catchy new song I just learned called I’s the B’y, meaning I’m the Boy. I found two cool YouTube videos so you could hear it. The lyrics are below with some notes about their meanings…
I’s the B’y
I’s the b’y that builds the boat
And I’s the b’y that sails her,
I’s the b’y that catches the fish,
And brings them home to Liza.Chorus
Hip yer partner*, Sally Tibbo,
Hip yer partner, Sally Brown,
Fogo, Twillingate, Moreton’s Harbour,**
All around the circle!Sods and rinds to cover your flake,***
Cake**** and tea for supper,
Codfish in the spring o’ the year
Fried in maggoty butter.Chorus
I don’t want your maggoty fish,
That’s no good for winter,
I could buy as good as that,
Down in Bonavista.Chorus
I took Liza to a dance,
As fast as she could travel,
And every step that she did take
Was up to her knees in gravel.Chorus
Susan White, she’s out of sight,
Her petticoat wants a border,
Old Sam Oliver in the dark,
He kissed her in the corner.Chorus
I’s the b’y that builds the boat
And I’s the b’y that sails her,
I’s the b’y that catches the fish,
And brings them home to Liza.*”Hip yer partner” means to bump your hip into your partner’s hip when dancing.
**These are all locations in Newfoundland (see map below).
***Sod was used to cover the holes and roofs of huts that were made to smoke fish.
Rinds are bark – they were used to cover the fish on the flakes to keep the fish from getting burnt in the hot sun.
A flake is a stand made of wooden poles used for drying out fish.
****Cake here refers to a hard, dry biscuit eaten on ships.
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: How High Can You Do?
Thursday, November 6th, 2008
In my last blog post, I gave a couple of variations of One, Two, Buckle My Shoe that go up to the number twenty. It’s rare that this rhyme goes past that. When it does, it seems to be to play it as a ball bouncing game… how high can you go bouncing the ball?
This whole search for different variations of the One, Two, Buckle My Shoe rhyme, was all inspired by an email I received from Fran. She wrote…
Lisa, We used to do this rhyme up to 40 when we were kids. Have you ever heard the second part? I am trying to find the parts I can’t remember. Thanks, Fran
As I mentioned in my last post, most people know One, Two, Buckle My Shoe up to 10. Some people know it up to 20. Most people don’t know it past that. I myself had a hard time finding versions beyond 20. After some research, the highest I was able to find was 30. Given Fran’s email, there seems to be a version of this rhyme that goes up to forty. Do you know any versions that go that high?
Below are the different versions I found that go higher than twenty…
First are two versions that go up to twenty-four. They’re from Southern California Jump-Rope Rhymes: A Study in Variants by Ray B. Browne (Western Folklore, Jan. 1955). The first one was “Given as a ball bouncing game”…
One, two,
Buckle my shoe.
Three, Four,
Open the door.
Five, Six,
Pick up sticks.
Seven, Eight,
Lay them straight.
Nine, Ten,
A big fat Hen.Eleven, twelve,
Mind your self (or, roast ‘er well).
Thirteen, fourteen, maids are sporting.
Fifteen, sixteen, maids are kissing.
Seventeen, eighteen, maids are waiting.
Nineteen, twenty, maids are plenty.
Twenty-one, twenty-two,
If you love me as I love you
My knife can cut our love in two.
Twenty-three, twenty-four,
Mary at the kitchen door
Eating apples by the score.
One, two, three, four.[Original Source: Nebraska: Sue Hall, "That Spring Perennial-Rope Jumping!" Recreation, XXXIV (March, 1941), 713-716. (verbal changes only, 11. 1-2)]
Here’s a variation Brown gave on the second verse:
Eleven, twelve, in the well.
Thirteen, fourteen, boys are courting.
Fifteen, sixteen, maids in the kitchen.
Seventeen, eighteen, maids in waiting.
Nineteen, twenty, my plate is empty
(and sometimes ends,…
Twenty-four, Mary’s at the cottage door
Eating grapes upon a plate,
Five, six, seven, eight.)[Original Source: Paul G. Brewster, "Rope-Skipping, Counting-out, and other Rhymes of Children," SFQ, III (1939), 173-185. (verbal changes only, 11. 1-2)]
Western Folklore by California Folklore Society (1954) has the ending simply as:
Twenty-one, twenty-two,
If you love me as I love you
My knife can cut our love in two.The book 10,000 reasons for everything; How to win; Why you lost; Folklore supporting our best superstitions (1998), by William Carroll, has the ending as:
Twenty-one, twenty-two,
That will do.Beverly Flanigan, from the American Dialect Society, posted this: “I only know the 4-and-20 rhyme as the ending of ‘One, two, buckle my shoe’ which we chanted while trying to bounce a ball non-stop without grasping it or losing it (I can still do it!)”…
One, two, buckle my shoe
Three, four, shut the door
Five, six, pick up sticks
Seven, eight, lay them straight
Nine, ten, a big fat hen
Eleven, twelve, dig and delve
Thirteen, fourteen, maids a-courting
Fifteen, sixteen, maids a-kissing
Seventeen, eighteen, maids a-waiting
Nineteen, twenty, the larder is empty
Twenty-one, twenty-two, my old shoe,
Dressed in blue, died last night at half-past two,
Twenty-three, twenty-four, last night at half-past four,
Twenty-four burglars came up to my door;
I opened the door and let them in;
I knocked them down with a rolling pin!Finally, here’s an incomplete version of the rhyme that goes up to thirty. It’s from The Counting-out Rhymes of Children by Henry Carrington Bolton (1888). Bolton wrote that it was “Used in Wrentham Mass as early as 1780″…
One, two, buckle my shoe
Three, four, open the door
Five six, pick up sticks
Seven, eight, lay them straight
Nine, ten, kill a fat hen
Eleven, twelve, bake it well
Thirteen, fourteen, go a courtin’
Fifteen, sixteen, go to milkin’
Seventeen, eighteen, do the bakin’
Nineteen, twenty, the mill is empty
Twenty-one, charge the gun
Twenty-two, the partridge flew
Twenty-three, she lit on a tree
Twenty-four, she lit down lower
Twenty-five*,
Twenty-six*,
Twenty-seven*,
Twenty-eight*,
Twenty-nine the game is mine,
Thirty make a kerchy.*Asterisks denote portions forgotten by the aged contributor.
If anyone knows of any other versions of One, Two, Buckle My Shoe that go higher than twenty, please let us know about it in the comments below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
Illustration from “National Rhymes of the Nursery” (circa 1895), illustrated by Gordon Browne (with a little graphical editing by Lisa Yannucci).
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Wednesday, November 5th, 2008
Most people know One, Two, Buckle My Shoe up to the number 10. Here’s a well-known version…
One Two,
Buckle my shoe.
Three, Four,
Open the door.
Five, Six,
Pick up sticks.
Seven, Eight,
Lay them straight.
Nine, Ten
Do it again.Some people know One, Two, Buckle My Shoe up to 20. Below is the version from Walter Crane’s The Buckle My Shoe Picture Book (1910). I’ve posted his illustrations after the rhyme…
One Two,
Buckle my shoe.
Three, Four,
Open the door.
Five, Six,
Pick up sticks.
Seven, Eight,
Lay them straight.
Nine, Ten,
A good fat Hen.Eleven, Twelve,
Ring the Bell.
Thirteen, Fourteen,
Maids are courting.
Fifteen, Sixteen,
Maids in the Kitchen.
Seventeen, Eighteen,
Maids in waiting.
Nineteen, Twenty,
My plate is empty.
Here’s another version that goes up to 20, from A Gift for All Seasons, edited by Lawrence Lovechild (1847)…
One, two, buckle my shoe ;
Three, four, open the door ;
Five, six, pick up sticks ;
Seven, eight, lay them straight ;
Nine, ten, a good fat hen ;
Eleven, twelve, I hope you ‘re well ;
Thirteen, fourteen, draw the curtain ;
Fifteen, sixteen, the maid ’s in the kitchen ;
Seventeen, eighteen, she ’s in waiting ;
Nineteen, twenty, my plate is empty ;
Please, mamma, to give me some dinner.The Counting-out Rhymes of Children by Henry Carrington Bolton gave this variation of the second part of this rhyme…
9, 10, a good fat hen,
11, 12, roast her well,
13, 14, boys a courtin’,
15, 16, girls a fixin’,
17, 18, maids a bakin’,
19, 20, weddings plenty.Check out more versions of One, Two, Buckle My Shoe on my nursery rhyme site.
Please feel free to post any versions of this rhyme that you know in the comments below.
Mama Lisa
Coming next on the blog: Versions of One, Two, Buckle My Shoe that go past the number 20!
A Couple of Halloween Songs
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008Heather sent me these Halloween songs and the following note:
Hi,
When I was little my Mom taught my sisters and me several Halloween songs. You have one on your website called “Five Little Pumpkins” and “Trick or Treat” that we know. Here is some others I thought you might like to add:
The Halloween Song
H, A, double L, O
W, double E, N
Spells HalloweenJack-o’-lantern
Jack-o’-lantern, Jack-o’-lantern
You are such a funny sight.
As you sit there, at the window
Glowing on at the night.You were once a yellow pumpkin
Growing on a sturdy vine.
Now you are a jack-o’-lantern
Glowing on at the night.I am not sure what the titles are, but I have been searching for these songs on the internet and can’t find either of them. But I sing them to my daughter all the time. We are especially fond of Halloween and we like your website.
Thanks!
Heather
The second song sounds like it’s to the tune of Frère Jacques.
Thanks for sharing those wonderful Halloween songs with us Heather! If anyone else would like to post a song for the holiday, feel free to add it in the comments below.
Happy Halloween!
Mama Lisa
P.S. Thanks to Lila for the Halloween drawing! If anyone else would like to share their kid’s drawing with us, please email me. -Lisa
Trying to find a Christmas Hymn with the line, “Beneath the olive shadows”
Monday, October 27th, 2008Peter wrote:
We sang this in Catholic School in NYC during the 40’s and 50’s. It started with the lyrics:
Beneath the olive shadows,
Our lady sat and spun,
A soft and tiny garment,
For her dear and precious One etc.Thanks for your help,
Peter Morrone
If anyone can help Peter with the lyrics to the Christmas Hymn, please comment below.
Thanks in advance!
Mama Lisa
Halloween Rhymes for Divination (or How to Predict Your Future Love!)
Friday, October 24th, 2008I recently read “Games for Hallow-e’en” by Mary F. Blain (1912). In her book, Blain tells how to throw a Halloween Party. Though you must keep in mind that it’s from the perspective of almost a century ago. I like her description of Halloween:
Hallow-e’en or Hallow-Even is the last night of October, being the eve or vigil of All-Hallow’s or All Saint’s Day, and no holiday in all the year is so informal or so marked by fun both for grown-ups as well as children as this one. On this night there should be nothing but laughter, fun and mystery. It is the night when Fairies dance, Ghosts, Witches, Devils and mischief-making Elves wander around. It is the night when all sorts of charms and spells are invoked for prying into the future by all young folks and sometimes by folks who are not young.
At the end of Blaine’s description, she mentioned “the night when all sorts of charms and spells are invoked for prying into the future”. She was talking about how people felt that Halloween was an especially good time for divination – predicting the future. Kids especially played games where they could predict their future spouses’ names or occupations. This seems like a fun idea for kids, so I pulled out of Blaine’s book the games that specifically relate to predicting future loves and/or those that have rhymes or chants involved. Here they are, quoted directly from the book:
LOVER’S TEST
A maid and youth each places a chestnut to roast on fire, side by
side. If one hisses and steams, it indicates a fretful temper in owner
of chestnut; if both chestnuts equally misbehave it augurs strife. If
one or both pop away, it means separation; but if both burn to ashes
tranquilly side by side, a long life of undisturbed happiness will be
lot of owners.These portentous omens are fitly defined in the following lines:
“These glowing nuts are emblems true
Of what in human life we view;
The ill-matched couple fret and fume,
And thus in strife themselves consume;
Or from each other wildly start,
And with a noise forever part.
But see the happy, happy pair,
Of genuine love and truth sincere;
With mutual fondness while they burn,
Still to each other kindly turn;
And as the vital sparks decay,
Together gently sink away;
Till life’s fierce trials being past,
Their mingled ashes rest at last.”PERPLEXING HUNT
In this game the seeker for a prize is guided from place to place by
doggerels (verses) as the following, and is started on his hunt with this rhyme:“Perhaps you’ll find it in the air;
If not, look underneath your chair.”Beneath his chair he finds the following:
“No, you will not find it here;
Search the clock and have no fear.”Under the clock he finds:
“You will have to try once more;
Look behind the parlor door.”Tied to the door-knob he discovers:
“If it’s not out in the stable
Seek beneath the kitchen table.”Under the kitchen table he finds another
note, which reads:“If your quest remains uncertain,
You will find it ‘neath a curtain.”And here his quest is rewarded by finding the prize.
APPLE SEEDS
Apple seeds act as charms on Hallowe’en. Stick one on each eyelid and
name one “Home” and the other “Travel.” If seed named travel stays on
longer, you will go on a journey before year expires. If “Home” clings
better, you will remain home. Again, take all the apple seeds, place
them on back of outspread left hand and with loosely clenched right
hand strike palm of left. This will cause some, if not all, of seeds
to fall. Those left on hand show number of letters you will receive
the coming fortnight. Should all seeds drop, you must wait patiently
for your mail.Put twelve apple seeds carefully one side while you cut twelve slips
of blank paper exactly alike, and on one side of each write name of
friend. Turn them all over with blanks uppermost and mix them so that
you will not know which is which; then, holding seeds in your left
hand; repeat:“One I love,
Two I love,
Three I love I say;
Four I love with all my heart
Five I cast away.
Six he loves,
Seven she loves,
Eight they both love;
Nine he comes,
Ten he tarries,
Eleven he courts and
Twelve he marries.”Stop at each line to place a seed on a paper, and turn slip over to
discover name of one you love or cast away. Continue matching apple
seeds with papers as you count, until all twelve seeds and twelve
papers are used.KISMET
Take half as many apples as guests, tie two long strings, one red and
one yellow, to each apple.Place them in one large or several small baskets or receptacles on a
table. The girls choose the red and the boys the yellow strings and at
a signal they carefully pull the strings and follow them up until each
finds his or her mate holding the string of the opposite color,
attached to the same apple. The apples are then to be divided between
each couple and the seeds in each half, counted as follows:One–I love thee.
Two–he (she) loves me.
Three–Wedded we will be.
Four–he (she) loves me dearly.
Five–he (she) loves me nearly.
Six–a friend forever.
Seven–we must sever.
Eight–we met too late.
Nine–why hesitate.
Ten–he (she) is my chosen mate.AROUND THE WALNUT TREE
Of all Hallow-e’en spells and charms associated with nuts, the
following is one of the oldest: If a young man or woman goes at
midnight on Hallow-e’en to a walnut tree and walks around three times,
crying out each time, “Let him (her) that is to be my true love bring
me some walnuts,” future wife or husband will be seen in tree
gathering nuts.GAME OF FATE
Guests take part, seated in a circle. Three Fates are chosen, one of
whom whispers to each person in turn name of his (her) future
sweetheart. Second Fate follows, whispering to each where he (she)
will next meet his (her) sweetheart; as, “You will meet on a load of
hay,” or, “at a picnic,” or, “at church,” or, “on the river,” etc. The
third Fate reveals the future; as, “You will marry him (her) next
Christmas,” or, “You will be separated many years by a quarrel, but
will finally marry,” or, “Neither of you will ever marry,” etc. Each
guest must remember what is said by the Fates; then each in turn
repeats aloud what has been told him (her). For example, “My future
sweetheart’s name is Obednego; I shall meet him next Wednesday on the
Moonlight Excursion, and we shall be married in a week.”WHERE DWELLS MY LOVER?
Steal out unobserved at midnight; plucking a small lock of hair from
your head, cast it to breeze. Whatever direction it is blown is
believed to be location of future matrimonial partner.“I pluck this lock of hair off my head
To tell whence comes the one I shall wed.
Fly, silken hair, fly all the world around
Until you reach the spot where my true love is found.”ROSE TEST
Take two roses with long stems. Name one for yourself and one for your
lover. Go to your room without speaking to any one; kneel beside bed;
twine stems of roses together, and repeat following lines, gazing
intently on lover’s rose:“Twine, twine, and intertwine,
Let my love be wholly thine.
If his heart be kind and true,
Deeper grow his rose’s hue.”If your swain is faithful, color of rose will grow darker.
THE MIRROR
Walk backward several feet out of doors in moonlight with mirror in
your hand, or within doors with candle in one hand and mirror in
the other, repeating following rhyme, and face of your future
companion will appear in glass:“Round and round, O stars so fair!
Ye travel and search out everywhere;
I pray you, sweet stars, now show to me
This night who my future husband (wife) shall be.”NOTE FROM MAMA LISA – I’M NOT RECOMMENDING THAT CHILDREN PLAY THIS NEXT GAME! IT’S JUST INTERESTING TO READ ABOUT FROM AN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE…
JUMPING LIGHTED CANDLE
Place a lighted candle in middle of floor, not too securely placed;
each one jumps over it. Whoever succeeds in clearing candle is
guaranteed a happy year, free of trouble or anxiety. He who knocks
candle over will have a twelve-month of woe.[Another Note from Mama Lisa: This sounds like what's being described in the rhyme Jack Be Nimble.]
APPLE-SEED TEST
Cut an apple open and pick out seeds from core. If only two seeds are
found, they portend early marriage; three, legacy; four, great wealth;
five, a sea voyage; six, great fame as orator or singer; seven,
possession of any gift most desired.If you’re interested, you can read the whole book that these rhymes are from. It’s online at: Games for Hallow-e’en.
Enjoy predicting your future on Halloween! It’s all in good fun!
Mama Lisa
Riddles for Kids
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008These riddles come from a Halloween Party book from 1912. The idea behind them was to tell riddles to kids towards the end of the party when they’re all tired. I took out all of the ones that were outdated. I tried to update some of the language of the other riddles to make them more modern. Hope you enjoy them with kids you know!
RIDDLES
Why are sleepy people like wheels? Answer: Because they are tired.
Why does a duck go into the water?–Answer: For divers reasons.
Spell “blind pig” in two letters? P G; a pig without an I.
Which bird can lift the heaviest weights?–The crane.
Why is a wise man like a pin?–He has a head and comes to a point.
Why may carpenters reasonably believe there is no such thing as
stone?–Because they never saw it.What is that which is put on the table and cut, but never eaten?–A
pack of cards.Why does a sculptor die horribly?–Because he makes faces and busts.
What lives upon its own substance and dies when it has devoured
itself?–A candle.What thing is it that is lower with a head than without one?–A
pillow.If all the seas were dried up, what would everybody say?–We haven’t a
notion (an ocean).Why is a fishmonger never generous?–Because his business makes him
sell fish (selfish).What is that from which you may take away the whole and yet there will
be some remaining?–The word wholesome.Why is a vine like a soldier?–Because it is listed and has ten drills
(ten-drils) and shoots.Why is an opera-singer like a confectioner?–Because she deals in ice-
creams (high screams).What belongs to you, but is used more by your friends than by
you?–Your name.Why is a spider a good correspondent?–Because he drops a line at
every post.When is the clock on the stairs dangerous?–When it runs down.
Why is the letter “k” like a pig’s tail?–Because it comes at the end
of pork.What is the keynote to good manners?–B natural.
When has a man four hands?–When he doubles his fists.
What trees has fire no effect upon?–Ashtrees; because when they are
burned, they are ashes still.What is the difference between a teacher and an engine-driver?–
One minds the train and the other trains the mind.A man had twenty sick (six) sheep, and one died; how many were left?–
19.What is that which everybody has seen but will never see again?–
Yesterday.Which is the best day for making a pancake?–Friday.
Which is the smallest bridge in the world?–The bridge of your nose.
What four letters would frighten a thief?–O I C U.
What is that which goes from London to York without moving?–The road.
When may a chair be said to dislike you?–When it can’t bear you.
Why is B like a hot fire?–Because it makes oil Boil.
Why was the first day of Adam’s life the longest?–Because it had no
Eve.Why is a washerwoman like a navigator?–Because she spreads her
sheets, crosses the line, and goes from pole to pole.Why is an author the queerest animal in the world?–Because his tale
comes out of his head.Why is it that a tailor won’t attend to business?–Because he is
always cutting out.When are we all artists?–When we draw a long face.
When is a tradesman always above his business?–When he lives over his
shop.What ships hardly ever sail out of sight?–Hardships.
When is an artist a dangerous person?–When his designs are bad.
What motive led to the invention of railroads?–The locomotive.
Why are deaf people like Dutch cheeses?–Because you can’t make them
here.Who was the first whistler?–The wind.
What tune did he whistle?–Over the hills and far away. (This line is from Tom Tom the Piper’s Son.)Why need a traveler never starve in the desert?–Because of the sand
which is (sandwiches) there.Why is a little man like a good book?–Because he is often looked
over.Why is a pig in a parlor like a house on fire?–Because the sooner it
is put out the better.Spell “enemy” in three letters?–F O E.
Which is the only way that a leopard can change his spots?–By going
from one spot to another.Why did Eve never fear the measles?–Because she’d Adam.
When is a tall man a little short?–When he hasn’t got quite enough
cash.What houses are the easiest to break into?–The houses of bald people;
because their locks are few.Why is a watch the most difficult thing to steal?–Because it must be
taken off its guard.What plant stands for No. 4?–IV.
How can a gardener become thrifty?–By making the most of his thyme,
and by always putting some celery (salary) in the bank.Why is it probable that beer was made in the Ark?–Because the
kangaroo went in with hops, and the bear was always bruin.“What was the biggest thing you saw at the World’s Fair?” asked a wife
of her husband.–”My hotel bill!” said he.Why is C like a schoolmistress?–Because it forms lasses into classes.
What is that which never asks any questions and yet requires many
answers?–The street-door (the front door).Which is the longest word in the English language?–Smiles; because
there is a mile between the first and last letters.Which is the oldest tree in England?–The Elder Tree.
What is that which happens twice in a moment and not once in a
thousand years?–The letter M.If you’re interested, you can read the whole book that these riddles are from. It’s online at: Games for Hallow-e’en.
________
Copyright ©2009 by Lisa Yannucci. All rights reserved.
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