DORSET CHILDREN'S DOGGEREL RHYMES. 119 



Then this prose dialogue follows : 



Children, I call you. (Ans.) Yes, mother, I hear you. 



(Ans.) Down to Granny's. 



(Ans.) A piece of plum -pudding. 



(Ans.) In top cupboard. 



(Ans.) In bottom cupboard. 



(Ans.) Cat have eat it. 



(Ans.) In wood. 



(Ans.) Fire burnt it. 



(Ans.) Water douted it. 



(Ans.) Ox drunk it. 



(Ans.) Butcher killed it. 



Where have you been ? 

 What did she give you ? 

 Where's my share ? 

 'Tisn't there. 

 "Tisn't there. 

 Where's the cat ? 

 Where's the wood ? 

 Where's the fire ? 

 Where's the water ? 

 Where's the ox ? 



Where's the butcher ? (Ans.) Up behind Church door 



cracking up nuts ; we'll eat the kernels, you can eat the shells. 



The dialogue varies slightly in words and length in different 

 parishes. Instead of " plum pudding " we get " bread and 

 jam," " a piece of bread as big as my head, and a piece of 

 cheese as big as my knees ; " "a rusty farthing " with which 

 " a farthing cake " is bought," &c. Sometimes a " mouse " 

 eats the plum pudding instead of the " cat ; " and a " horse " 

 is killed instead of an "ox." Notice in the " answers " 

 the typical Dorset omission of the definite article. The 

 opening verse, I think, originally belonged to another game 

 known as " Granny Gray." 



