There lived formerly in the County of Cumberland a nobleman who had three sons, two of whom were comely and clever youths,
Of Buying of Sheep
There were two men of Gotham, and one of them was going to market to Nottingham to buy sheep, and the other came from the market, and they both met together upon Nottingham bridge.
A wild young fellow was the heir of Lambton, the fine estate and hall by the side of the swift-flowing Wear.
There was once a little boy, and his mother sent him to buy a sheep's head and pluck; afraid he should forget it, the lad kept saying all the way along:
Well, there was once a gentleman who had fine lands and houses, and he very much wanted to have a son to be heir to them.
The fox and his wife they had a great strife,
They never ate mustard in all their whole life;
They ate their meat without fork or knife
And loved to be picking a bone, e-ho!
A woman had one fair daughter, who loved play better than work, wandering in the meadows and lanes better than the spinning-wheel and distaff.
Once upon a time, when all big folks were wee ones and all lies were true, there was a wee, wee Mannie that had a big, big Coo. And out he went to milk her of a morning, and said—
Centuries of years ago, when almost all this part of the country was wilderness, there was a little boy, who lived in a poor bit of property and his father gave him a little bull-calf, and with it he gave him everything he wanted for it.
There lived a Puddock in a well,
And a merry Mousie in a mill.
MR. G. Ha! Steward, how are you, my old boy? How do things go on at home?
Once on a time and twice on a time, and all times together as ever I heard tell of, there was a tiny lassie who would weep all day to have the stars in the sky to play with;
Young Tamlane was son of Earl Murray, and Burd Janet was daughter of Dunbar, Earl of March.
One winter's evening the sexton's wife was sitting by the fireside with her big black cat, Old Tom, on the other side, both half asleep and waiting for the master to come home.
There was once a king and a queen, as many a one has been; few have we seen, and as few may we see. But the queen died,
In the reign of King John there lived an Abbot of Canterbury who kept up grand state in his Abbey.
Once upon a time there was an old king who had three sons; and the old king fell very sick one time and there was nothing at all could make him well but some golden apples from a far country.
Once in these parts, and not so long gone neither, there was a fool that wanted to buy a pottle o' brains, for he was ever getting into scrapes through his foolishness, and being laughed at by every one.
Now ponder well, you parents dear,
These words which I shall write;
A doleful story you shall hear,
In time brought forth to light.
A man was one day working. It was very hot, and he was digging. By-and-by he stopped to rest and wipe his face; and he was very angry to think he had to work so hard only because of Adam's sin.