A Bumfit Flourish

Some while ago I quoted a shepherd's sing-song numeration

from the Sussex Downs. In her altogether charming little tale of her country experiences Miss Nancy Price, deserting the stage to become a shepherdess, finds a new virtue in a

similar tally in the north-west. She writes :

"I found that there were various methods of numbering sheep. I learnt an old one that had been used in the 13orrowdale Valley

1 score 2 „ 3 „

4 „ 5 14 6 II 7 PP 8 II 9 „ 10 ••

..

..

. • .. Yen .. Tyan .. Tethera

.. Nethera . , Pimp.

, , Sethera . . Lethera . . Hovers

.. Dovera .. Dick

11 score

12 „ 13 „ 14 „ 15 „ 16 „ 17 „ 18 „ 19 „ 20 „

• • . • • • • • I. • • • • • . • • •

Yan-a-dick Tyan-a-dick Tethem-a-dick Nethera-a-dick &unfit Yan-a-bumfit Tyan-a-bumfit Tethera-bumfit Nothera-bumfit Giggot.

Sufferers from insomnia will find this method of counting sheep much more efficacious than the one. used in the south, particularly if they try the `.bumfit ' #mphileatton."

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