August 27. Story of the Day: God Made Man.

This is a little rhyme about God's creation that I found in English Folk-Rhymes by G. F. Northall.

This is Roud 11065.

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

GOD MADE MAN

God made man, man made money;
God made bees, the bees made honey:

God made a little man to plough and to sow,
God made a boy to keep away the crow;

God made a woman to brew and bake;
God made a little maid to eat a plum cake.

(plum cake)

Northall. The Devil in the Turnpike Road

From English Folk-Rhymes by G. F. Northall.

THE DEVIL IN THE TURNPIKE ROAD

(devil statue)

Have you seen the devil,
With his wood and iron shovel,
Digging up potatoes
in the turnpike road?

Have you seen his wife,
With a broad-bladed knife,
Scraping the potatoes
In the turnpile road?

Have you seen his daughter,
With a pail of dirty water
Washing the potatoes
In the turnpike road?

Have you seen his son,
With a double-barrel'd gun,
Shooting birds for dinner
In the turnpike road?


NOTES

This rhyme probably owe its origin to the familiar belief that the devil on occasions undertakes labour for mortals, and gets through an enormous amount of work.

Northall. Marriage

From Northall's English Folk-Rhymes. Compare also the Fingernail rhyme.

This is ATU 2012 Days of the Week.

MARRIAGE

Monday for wealth,
Tuesday for health,
Wednesday best day of all;
Thursday for losses,
Friday for crosses,
And Saturday no luck at all.

(The Wedding Dance)