NURSERY RHYMES.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.']
Sin,—I have been for several evenings delighted by children's voices singing children's songs. One favourite song, in which even the baby of three joins with vigour, is :-
" I had four brothers over the sea, And they each sent a present unto me The first sent a cherry without any stones, The second sent a chicken without any bones, The third sent a blanket without any threads, The fourth sent a book that no man could read. When the cherry's in the blossom it has no stones, When the chicken's in the egg it has no bones, When the blanket's in the fleece it has no threads, When the book's in the press no man can it read."
After each odd line (first, third, &c.) comes the chorus,— " Perrimerri dictum, Domino ; after each even line the words are,— Partum quartum peredecentum Perrimerri dictum, Domine."
The book tells me this is a very ancient nursery ditty. Can any of your readers tell me what (if any) is the meaning of the chorus? The children, you may perhaps be surprised to hear, do not care in the least to know, any more than they do to understand the delightful sing-song :—
" Hitogo ni futa-go mi-watashi yo Itsu yoni mnsashi nan no yakushi Kokono-ya ja,—to yo."
Previous page
