SCOTS RIDDLES RHYMES & GAMES

We've a wheen a Scots riddles, rhymes an games fur ye.

Tae read an hear them, grab yer moosie an chuse th page ye want oan the left.

This here wab o wurds wis collectit thegither bi Senga Munro an Ewan McVicar

We've a wheen a Scots riddles, rhymes an games fur ye.

Tae read an hear them, grab yer moosie an chuse th page ye want oan the left.

This here wab o wurds wis collectit thegither bi Senga Munro an Ewan McVicar

BAIRNS' RHYMES

There wis a wee, wee man gaed ower the hill.
The teller places two fingers at the back of the bairn’s head and walks them up and over the top of the head stopping at the forehead (broo).
He chappit on the door.
Knock on the forehead.
He keekit in.
Point to the eyes (een).
He liftit the sneck.
Lift up the nose (neb).
He dichtit his feet
Rub finger on the bottom lip.
An he walkit straicht in.
Put the finger in the mouth (moo).

In the following rhyme your fingers walk over the bairn's face.
Broo broo brinkie
Ee ee winkie
Nose nose nebby
Cheek cheek cherry
Mou mou merry
Chin chin chackie
Catch a flea!
Cathh a flea!

oh dear me to come here

Thir wis a wee moose
Hold the bairn’s hand (haund).
Wis lookin fur a hoose,
Use the index and middle fingers to go to the palm (luif).
An he went creepy, creepy, creepy, creepy,
Start to walk up the bairn’s arm (airm).
Kittle, kittle, kittle.
Reach the armpit (oxter).Tickle (kittle).

This is the man that brak the barn
This is the man that stealt the corn
This is the man that ran awa
This is the man that tell’t aa
An puir Pirly Winkie paid for aa
For counting toes

Baloo lillie beetie
Mammie’s at the creetie
For tae plick an tae pu
For tae gather lammie’s woo
For tae buy a bullie’s skin
Tae rock wir bonnie bairnie in

Wag a fit, wag a fit, whan wilt thou gang?
Lantern days when they grow lang
Harrows will hap and plougs will bang
And every auld wife tak the tether by the tap
And worry worry worry till her heid fa in her lap

Ba birdie in a bog
Doon amang a pickle fog
Ba birdie ran awa
An I socht him aa day
And I fand him oot at last
Hidin in a craw’s nest
An I took him by the powe
An I flang him owre the knowe
An tell’d him to rin hame
Cauld, wat an hungry wean

Dingle dingle gowd bow
Up the water in a low
Far up i Ettrick
There was a waddin
Twa and twa pikin a bane
But I gat ane, my leefu-lane
Deuk’s dub afore the door
There fell I
Aa the lave cried ‘Waly waly’
But I cried ‘Feigh, fye’

Poussikie poussikie wow
Where’ll we get banes to chow?
We’ll up the bog, and worry a hogg
And then we’ll get banes enow

COONTIN OOT RHYMES

Ma wee Jeenie hid a nice clean peenie.
Guess what colour it wis?
The child at whom the counting stops, suggests a colour.
The streetwise child will suggest a colour that only she is wearing.
“Purple”
P U R P L E and purple you must hae on.
The count continues until only one child remains who is “het”.

Eettle, ottle black bottle,
Eettle, ottle oot.
If yi want a piece on jam,
Jist yi walk strecht oot.
At the second “oot” the child leaves the line.
In this rhyme the use of the glottal stop is recommended, though not obligatory.

1 2 3 4
Mary at the cottage door
Eating cherries off a plate
Doon fell the summer seat
I’ve a kistie, I’ve a creel
I’ve a barrelie fu o meal
To ser' my bairnies till’t be done
Come teetle, come tottle, come twenty-one

1 2 3, ma mammy caught a flea
She peppered it and salted it and had it for her tea
She didn’t like it so she gave it to her son
He didn’t like it so he threw it up the lum

As I was in the kitchen
Doing a bit of stitching
Old Baldie Humle
Cam an stole ma thumle
I up wi a wee cherry stone
An struck him on the knuckle-bone
You are out, out goes one and out goes she

Eenertee, feenertee, fichertie, feg
Ell, dell, dolman’s egg
Irkie, birkie, starry rock
Ain tan two’s Jock
Black puddin, white troot
That shows you’re oot

Eentie teentie, tippenny bun
The cat geed oot tae get some fun
She got some fun, she played drum
Eentie teentie, tippenny bun

Eenzty teenty figgery fell
Ell dell dominell
Arky parky taurry rope
Ann tan toosey joke
Jock went out tae sell his eggs
Who did he meet but bandy legs
Bandy legs and tippy toes
That’s the way the ladies go
You are out

Gem, gem, ba, ba
Twenty lasses in a raw
No a lad amang them aa
Gem, gem, ba, ba

I’ve as many bawbees as I can spend ava
And gin ye need a shillin, man, it’s I could gie ye twa

Me and the minister’s wife coost oot
Guess ye what it was aa aboot
Black puddin, dish-cloot
Eerie orie, you are oot

Oozie oozie arns, you’re withoot the harns
Up and doon aa the toon, glowerin at the starns
Eeksie peeksie, turn aboot
One two, you are oot

Crackin Scots Riddles

To find each answer hold your left hand mouse button down, and run it over the line just under the riddle

Come a riddle, come a riddle, come a rote, tote, tote,
A wee, wee man in a red, red coat.
A stave in his haund, an a bane in his throat.
Come a riddle, come a riddle, come a rote, tote, tote. A cherry

Wee Nanny Etticote,
In a white petticoat,
Wi a red nose.
The longer she staunds,
The shorter she grows.
A candle

As I gaed tae Falkland tae hae a feast,
I met wi an ugsome beast.
Ten tails, a hunner nails,
An no a fit bit ane.
A ship

Hey. Gee up, ma cuddy,
Ma cuddy’s ower the dyke,
An gin ye titch ma cuddy,
Ma cuddy’ll gie ye a bite.
Kin ye jalouse whit it is?
A jaggy nettle

The villain cam when aa wis sleepin
An wha can tell it wi’oot weepin?
Toothache

It comes wi a caur
An it goes wi a caur
The caur has nae use for it
But canny gang wi’oot it
Noise

Liza’s got a big ane in front, an so does Cousin Luce
Matilda’s got a wee one but it’s big enouch fur use
Boys hae none but girls hae one though none were born wi’oot
But tae fund it oan an animal ye at the tail maun hunt
Letter L

The Queen o Sheba built a ship
An on the deck her dauchter sat
An for her name ah canny tell
An yet ah’ve said it three times masel
Her name is Ann

A man sat wi a broon hen
He tickled her neck an scratched her wame
An ay she cackled tae him then
Fiddle

A fine black shawl fu o silver holes
A starry sky

Ah went up Cairnie Road
Then doon Cairne Road
An ah cairried Cairnie Road on ma back
Ladder

Ah lookit aboon ma mither’s hoose
Ah saw a bunch o wands
An nobody could count them aa
Not even teacher’s hauds
Mother’s head of hair

It can go in the sea an no be droont
It can go in the kist an leap richt oot
It can go in the fire an no be brunt
It can hide behind yer pinkie
Sun

Ah went up the ben an ah fund it
Ah sat me doon an ah lost it
If ah’d fund it, ah would hae left it
But ah couldny, so ah had tak tak it along
A thorn in a hand or bare foot

It’s no outside, it’s no inside
An the hoose is cauld wi’oot it
A door

Humble bumble
Flees doon the street
In his red short-coat
An his auld grey breeks
Bee

Fower an twenty Heilanmen
Were playin at the baa
By cam a fitless man
An took it frae them aa
Wind

Bonnie Kittie Brannie, she sits at the waa
Gie her muckle, gie her little, she’ll sup it aa
Gie her stanes, she’ll eat them, gie her water and she’ll dee
Can you tell this bonny little riddeum tae me?
Fire

The robbers cam, they carried a hoose
They flung it ower oor heids
They pulled it up and carried it hame
An then we aa were deid
Fish caught in a net

A’ve a wee hoose o’ strae
That Ah didna gaither
It’s warm an it’s cool,
In aa sorts o’ waither.
A’ve thousands o’sisters,
But no a richt brither,
An ma feyther deed
When he mairied ma mither.
A wark nicht an day
Wi mickle tae shaw
An when aa’s weel won
It’s aa stolen awa.
Tho A’m maist weel contentit
Ma temper is frail,
Sae haud weel ahint me,
Ma stang’s in ma tail.
A bee

Wan tae gan in,
Three tae cam oot,
Whan A’m in
It’s oot,
Whan A’m oot
It’s in.
A jersey

Aye at his meat was monie-feet
Or he cud eat nae mair;
Syne wuppit in a windin sheet
Likes he was for the lair.
Death thocht an unco thocht nae doot
Whan, in the simmer sin
The canty corp cam warslin oot
Mair braw nor he gaed in.
A worm

I tak the board wi cotter or lord
And monie a time Ah’m fou;
Yet never a tait hae I tae eat
Though muckle gangs in tae ma mou.
A spoon

I cam to a toon,
A biggit roond aboot,
Whaur monie heis’d in
And monie gaed oot
And nane o’ the bodies
But carried a pack
Aye toom as they gaed
Aye fou coming back.
A bee-hive

It has an ee but canna see:
It stands richt tipper-taed:
It can mak a man get up and rin;
Yet we chain it wi a threed.
A needle

Spindle-shanks gaes ower the flair
Wi’ his ae leg in the air:
Shaks his pow outside the door
Whan his hair is fou o’ stoor.
A broom

A’m broun as a Berry,
White as the Snaw,
A’m hard an A’m Hairy,
An as roun as a Baa;
A havenae a Body,
Anerly a heid,
Wi twa blin Een
An ane wi a Seed
Stappin your Hunger
Slockenin your Drouth,
Ye’ll no eat me Hale
A’m ower big for your Mooth
A coconut
By poet William Soutar, from Bairnsangs

Riddle-Me –Ree (for 31st October)

I hae nae need o shune
Or clathes
But kinnaweys
I’m like the man i’ the mune.

I hae nocht in ma heid
But- ae thing, an smaa.
(If I telt ye, ye’d ken aa.)
I’m no deid,
An I’m no leevin-richt.
Aweel, I’m leevin the nicht.

Yestreen I wasna born
An I’ll be deid the morn.
The tap o my heid’s ma hat;
I hae twa een like a cat
Ma mou is like a shark.
Ye wadnae ken me i’ the dark.
A neep lantern
By poet William Soutar, from Bairnsangs

Stoatin Scots Games

Hey, Gee up ma cuddy
Hey, Gee up, ma cuddy,
Ma cuddy’s ower the dyke,
An gin ye titch ma cuddy,
Ma cuddy’ll gie ye a bite.
Kin ye jalouse whit it is?
Use the words of the riddle above. Form a circle. Go round to the right, singing or chanting the riddle. At the end shout “O”, turn round and continue in the opposite direction, speeding up until you are out of breath or can’t say it any quicker.

Burniebee
Burniebee, burniebee,
Tell me whan ma waddin will be.
Flee tae the East,
Flee tae the West,
Flee tae the ane ye loo the best.
The children form a circle with one child in the centre.
The children circle clockwise for lines one and two.
During line three the “burniebee” runs round the inside of the circle clockwise then anticlockwise in the fourth line.
When the chant stops the child she is standing next is the new “burniebee”
The game continues.

The Gallant Ship
Three times roond gaed oor gallant, gallant ship,
An three times roond gaed she;
Three times roond gaed oor gallant, gallant ship,
An she sank to the bottom o the sea.
The children stand in a circle and join hands. They chant the rhyme as they go round.
When they come to the fourth line they sink slowly to the ground.

Whar Ye Gawn , Ma Bonny Wee Lass?
Heard in this version from Stanley Robertson
Whar ye gawn, ma bonnie wee lass?
Whar ye gawn, ma dearie?
Whar ye gawn, ma bonnie wee lass?
A message fur ma mammy.
Chorus: Durum ma doo ma doo ma day
Durum ma doo ma doo ma dearie,
A message fur ma mammy.

Whit are ye caa'd, ma bonnie wee lass?
Whit are ye caa'd, ma dearie?
Whit are ye caa'd, ma bonnie wee lass?
They cry me Bonnie Annie.
Chorus…………. They cry me Bonnie Jeannie.

Hoo auld are ye, ma bonnie wee lass?
Hoo auld are ye, ma dearie?
Hoo auld are ye, ma bonnie wee lass?
I’ll be saxteen gin Sunday.
Chorus………I’ll be saxteen gin Sunday.

Wull ye tak a man, ma bonnie wee lass?
Wull ye tak a man, ma dearie?
Wull ye tak a man, ma bonnie wee lass?
I’ll hae tae ask ma mammy.
Chorus……… I’ll hae tae ask ma mammy.

Wull ye mairry me, ma bonnie wee lass?
Wull ye mairry me, ma dearie?
Wull ye mairry me, ma bonnie wee lass?
I’ll mairry ye gin Sunday.
Chorus……… I’ll mairry ye gin Sunday.

Boys and girls face each other as in a country dance set.
The boys advance and retire in each of the first the lines.
The girls advance and retire in the last line.
In the first chorus the boy turns the girl with right hand.
Second Left hand.
Third Both hands.
Fourth Doh see doh.
Fifth Everyone promenades round the room led by the first couple.

A Gypsy Came A-Riding

A gypsy came a-riding
A-riding, a-riding
A gypsy came a-riding
Ipsy dipsy doo dah

What you riding here for?

Came here to marry

Who’re you gonny marry?

I’m gonny marry four-eyes

Who the heck is four-eyes?

Her first name is Caroline

How you gonny get her?

Climb through the keyhole

Stuff it up with bubble gum

Climb through the windows

Lock all the windows

Climb down the chimney

Put a big fire there

(Spoken) Then I’ll blow your house down

(Spoken) Well, you can have her
A challenge game between two sides.

Babbity Bowster
Wha learned you to dance, Babbity Bowster, Babbity Bowster
Wha learned you to dance, Babbity Bowster brawly?

My minnie learned me to dance, Babbity Bowster, Babbity Bowster
My minnie learned me to dance, Babbity Bowster brawly

Wha ga’e you the keys to keep, Babbity Bowster, Babbity Bowster
Wha ga’e you the keys to keep, Babbity Bowster brawly?

Ma minnie ga’e me the keys to keep, Babbity Bowster, Babbity Bowster
Ma minnie ga’e me the keys to keep, Babbity Bowster brawly
A dance game, two sides linking hands who advance towards each other and retreat.

How Many Miles To Babylon?
How many miles to Babylon?
Three score and ten
Will we be there by candlelight?
Yes, and back again
Open your gates and let us through
Not without a beck and a boo
There’s a beck and there’s a boo
Open your gates and let us through
A procession game, two players hold hands to make a barring gate, the others must make a gesture of respect and a bow to pass through.

I Sent A Letter
Sea shells cockle shells
Eevory ivory over
I wrote a letter to my love
And on the way I dropped it
I dropped it once I dropped it twice
I dropped it three times over
Over over over
In and out the clover
Players sit in a circle, one processes slowly round behind them, on the word ‘clover’ touches someone and runs round the circle pursued by the touched person to gain the now empty place, and the chaser must now press behind. If caught the processor must try again.

The Merry Metanzie
Here I gae round the jingie ring
The jingie ring, the jingie ring
Here I gae round the jingie ring
And through my merry-metanzie

Honey is sweet, and so is he, so is he, so is he
Honey is sweet, and so is he, about the merry-ma-tanzie

Apples are sour and so is he

He’s married wi a gay gold ring

A gay gold ring’s a cankerous thing

Now they’re married, I wish them joy

Father and mother they must obey

Loving each other like sister and brother

We pray this couple may kiss together
A courtship game.

There Came Three Jews
There came three Jews from the land of Spain
To call upon my sister Jane
My sister Jane is far too young
I cannnot bear her chattering tongue

Go away Corkscrew!

My name is not Corkscrew
I stamp my foot and away I go

Come back, come back, your coat’s so green
And choose the fairest one you seen

The fairest one that I can see
Is bonnie wee Jean, will ye come to me?
No!

Ye dirty wee rat, ye’ll no come oot
No come oot, no come oot
Ye dirty wee rat, ye’ll no come oot
To help me wi aa ma washing

The same applies to you, sir
E-I-O sir

Now I’ve got the Prince of Wales
To help me with my washing
Three girls dance towards and back from one, and they exchange banter.

WHo'll Come In Tae Ma Wee Ring?
Who’ll come in tae ma wee ring, tae ma wee ring, tae ma wee ring
Who’ll come in tae ma wee ring, tae make it a wee bit bigger?

I’ll come in tae your wee ring, tae your wee ring, tae your wee ring
I’ll come in tae your wee ring, and make it a wee bit bigger

Choose, choose, wha ye’ll tak, wha ye’ll tak, wha ye’ll tak
Choose, choose, wha ye’ll tak, a lassie or a wee laddie?

I wouldnae hae a lassie-o, a lassie-o, a lassie-o
I wouldnae hae a lassie-o, I’d raether hae a wee laddie

Bee baw babbity, babbity, babbity
Bee baw babbity, a lassie or a wee laddie, laddie, laddie
A ring game, beginning with one person in the middle who points to choose a companion. The chosen one then chooses another and so on.

JIGGIN RHYMES

Rainy rainy rattlestanes
Dinny rain oan me
Rain on Johnny Groat’s hoose
Far ower the sea
Chanted when the rain is heavy

Lady Lady Landers
Lady Lady Landers
Tak yer coats aboot yer heid
An flee awa tae Flanders
When you throw a ladybird up in the air

Hi gee-up ma cuddie
Ma cuddie is ower the dyke
An if ye touch ma cuddie
Ma cuddie will gie ye a bite

Monday’s bairn is fair o face
Tuesday’s bairn is fu o grace
Wednesday’s bairn is a bairn o wae
Thurday’s bairn has far tae gae
Friday’s bairn is lovin, forgivin
Saturday’s bairn warks hard fur a livin
But the bairn that is born on the Sabbath Day
Is lively an bonny wi plenty tae say

Pussiker, pussiker, myawie, myawie
Far will ye get mait in the snyawie?
I’ll gae doon tae the boggies, and worry the hoggies
And I’ll get beenies to gnyawie, gnyawie

Roon, roon rosie, Cappie, Cappie shell
The dog's away tae Campbeltown tae buy a new bell
If ye'll no tak it I'll tak it mysel
Roon, roon rosie, Cappie, Cappie shell

Wee chuckie birdie, toll lol lol
Laid an egg on the window sole
The window sole began to crack
An wee chuckie birdie roared and grat

Clash-pyotie clash-pyotie, sits on the tree
Dings doon aipples, one two three
One to the master, and one to the man
And one to the laddie that ca’s the caravan
But nane to the clash-pyot, what will we gie
Gie to the clash-pyot that sits on the tree?
A barrowfu o muck, and a barrowfu o hay
And we’ll cairry the clash-pyotie doon to the Bay

Pussy pussy paten, where hae ye been?
I hae been in London seeing the Queen
What got ye there? Sour milk and cream
Where’s my share? In the black dog’s tail
Where’s the black dog? In the wood
Where’s the wood? The fire burned it
Where’s the fire? The sea drowned it
Where’s the sea? The bull drunk it
Where’s the bull? The butcher killed it
Where’s the butcher?
Ten miles below my granny’s door, eating two salt herrin and two raw potatoes

I’ll gie ye a preen to stick in your thoom
To cairry a lady to London toon
London toon’s a braw braw place
Aa covered ower wi gold and lace
Hotch her up, hotch her doon
Hotch her into London toon

Me and my Grannie and a great lot mair
Kicket up a gran stoushie gaun hame frae the fair
By cam the watchman and cried ‘Wha’s there?’
‘Me and my Grannie and a great lot mair’

Leerie leerie, licht the lamps
Lang legs and crookit shanks
Tak a stick and brak his back
And send him to the market

Matthew Mark Luke John
Haud the horse till I loup on
Haud it fast, and haud it sure
Till I get owre the misty muir

Saky Saky Pirn-taes
The snaw’s fa’en doun
And ilka lass wi kilted claes
Is rinnin thro the toun
Past the Cross and past the Kirk
And doun the Netherbow
Saky Saky Pirn-taes
I’m waitin on my jo

Mary at the cottage door
Eating cherries off a plate
Doon fell the summer seat
I’ve a kistie, I’ve a creel
I’ve a barrelie fu o meal
To ser my bairnies till’t be done
Come teetle, come tottle, come twenty-one

APOLOGY

Sorry that most of the below does not have any paragraph breaks - it was copied from a defunct website, and is here for archive purposes.