Tinker Tailor

Melody - Countless variations of this rhyme go back to at least 1695

Tinker, tailor,
Soldier, sailor,
Rich man, poor man,
Beggar-man, thief.

Tinker, Tailor,
Soldier, Sailor,
Gentleman, Apothecary,
Plough-boy, Thief.

A laird, a lord,
A richman, a thief,
A tailor, a drummer,
A stealer o' beef.

Lady, lady on the sea-shore,
She has children one to four,
The eldest one is twenty-four,
Then she shall marry a
Tinker, tailor . . . .

Kaiser, König,
Edelmann,
Bürger, Bauer,
Bettelmann.
  Soldier brave,
Sailor true,
Skilled physician,
Oxford blue.

Gouty nobleman,
Squire so hale,
Dashing airman,
Curate pale.

Army, Navy,
Medicine, Law,
Church, Nobility,
Nothing at all.

Kaufmann, Laufmann,
Docter, Majur,
Scheper, Schinner,
Besenbinner.

Ädelmann, Bädelmann,
Doctor, Pastor,
Buur, Backer,
Kramer, Major.

Edelman, Bedelman,
Dokter, Pastoor,
Roadshur, Nelaatshur,
Notaris, Majoor.


Children's fortune-telling rhyme used when counting cherry stones, buttons, daisy petals, also sometimes when skipping.


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