| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| Topsy-Turvy World |
| | | William Brighty Rands (1823–80) |
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| IF the butterfly courted the bee, | |
| And the owl the porcupine; | |
| If churches were built in the sea, | |
| And three times one was nine; | |
| If the pony rode his master, | 5 |
| If the buttercups ate the cows, | |
| If the cats had the dire disaster | |
| To be worried, sir, by the mouse; | |
| If mamma, sir, sold the baby | |
| To a gypsy for half a crown; | 10 |
| If a gentleman, sir, was a lady,— | |
| The world would be Upside-down! | |
| If any or all of these wonders | |
| Should ever come about, | |
| I should not consider them blunders, | 15 |
| For I should be Inside-out! | |
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Chorus
Ba-ba, black wool, | |
| Have you any sheep? | |
| Yes, sir, a packfull, | |
| Creep, mouse, creep! | 20 |
| Four-and-twenty little maids | |
| Hanging out the pie, | |
| Out jump’d the honey-pot, | |
| Guy Fawkes, Guy! | |
| Cross latch, cross latch, | 25 |
| Sit and spin the fire; | |
| When the pie was open’d, | |
| The bird was on the brier! | |
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