A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes/Forty Dukes

by Sabine Baring-Gould

For other versions of this work, see Three Dukes.

X. FORTY DUKES

 

'Forty dukes a-riding, my ducy, dulcy officer,
Forty dukes a-riding, my ducy, dulcy day.
What do you wish for, my ducy, dulcy officer?
What do you wish for, my ducy, dulcy day?'
'I wish to catch the naughty girls, naughty girls, naughty girls,
I wish to catch the naughty girls, my ducy dulcy day.'

'We are none of us naughty, sir, my ducy, dulcy officer,
We are none of us naughty, sir, my ducy, dulcy day.'
'How do you show your goodness, girls, goodness, girls, goodness, girls,'
How do you show your goodness, girls, my ducy, dulcy day?'

'We all do as we're bidden, sir, my ducy, dulcy officer,
We all do as we're bidden, sir, my ducy, dulcy day.'
'Then I bid you stop your game, stop your game, stop your game,
Then I bid you stop your game, my ducy, dulcy day.'

'No , we will not stop for you, stop for you, stop for you,
No, we will not stop for you, my ducy, dulcy day.'

'So, naughty girls, you won't obey, won't obey, won't obey,
So, naughty girls, you won't obey, my ducy, dulcy day?
Then I'll make you stop your play, stop your play, stop your play,
Then I'll make you stop your play, my ducy, dulcy day.

'I'll catch you one and catch you all, catch you big and catch you small,
I'll catch you one and catch you all, my ducy, dulcy day.'

[This game is played with one child blindfolded in a ring of others.]