Mythology & Folklore

My true love lives far from me

by Anonymous (English nursery rhymes) traditional; recorded 17th–19th century

From The Nursery Rhymes of England, collected by J. O. Halliwell (London: Warne; first ed. 1842; this printing 1886)

Mythology & Folklore

My true love lives far from me,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixie, Dominie.
Many a rich present he sends to me,
Petrum, Partrum, Paradise, Temporie,
Perrie, Merrie, Dixie, Dominie.

He sent me a goose, without a bone;
He sent me a cherry, without a stone.
Petrum, &c.

He sent me a Bible, no man could read;
He sent me a blanket, without a thread.
Petrum, &c.

How could there be a goose without a bone?
How could there be a cherry without a stone?
Petrum, &c.

How could there be a Bible no man could read?
How could there be a blanket without a thread?
Petrum, &c.

When the goose is in the egg-shell, there is no bone;
When the cherry is in the blossom, there is no stone.
Petrum, &c.

When ye Bible is in ye press no man it can read;
When ye wool is on ye sheep's back, there is no thread.
Petrum, &c.

✦ ✦ ✦

Halliwell's class: Paradoxes.

MLA

Anonymous (English nursery rhymes). “My true love lives far from me.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-nursery-rhymes/371/.

Chicago

Anonymous (English nursery rhymes). “My true love lives far from me.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-nursery-rhymes/371/.

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