Nonsense Madrigals: I. Two Dreams and Little Bat

"Seven sweet singing birds up in a tree
Seven swift sailing-ships white up on the sea
Seven bright weather-cocks shining in the sun
Seven slim race horses ready for a run
Seven gold butterflies flitting overhead
Seven red roses blowing in a garden bed
Seven white lilies with honey bees inside them
Seven round rainbows with clouds to divide them Seven pretty little girls with sugar on their lips
Seven witty little boys whom everybody tips
Seven nice fathers, nice mothers, to call little maids joys Seven nights running I dreamt it all plain
With bread and jam for supper
I could dream it all again

Twinkle, twinkle, little bat
How I wonder what you're at!
Up above the world you fly
Like a tea-tray in the sky

Nine grenadiers with bayonets in their guns
Nine guns with nine bayonets
Nine bakers baskets with hot-cross buns
Nine brown elephants standing in a row
Nine new velocipedes good ones to go
Nine knickerbocker suits with buttons all complete Nine pair of skates with straps for the feet
Nine clever conjurers eating hot coals
Nine sturdy mountaineers leaping on their poles Nine little drummer-boys beating on their drums Nine fat aldermen sitting on their thumbs
Nine new knocks to our front door
Nine new neighbours that I never saw before Nine times running, I dreamt it all plain
With bread and cheese for supper
I could dream it all again"