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…"
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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.