Nursery Rhyme. CCXX. Riddles.

        [A Cinder-sifter.]

    A riddle, a riddle, as I suppose,
    A hundred eyes, and never a nose.

        [Coals.]

    Black we are, but much admired;
    Men seek for us till they are tired.
    We tire the horse, but comfort man
    Tell me this riddle if you can.

    Up stairs, down stairs, upon my lady's window,
    There I saw a cup of sack and a race of ginger;
    Apples at the fire, and nuts to crack,
    A little boy in the cream-pot up to his neck.

        [Snuff.]

    As I look'd out o' my chamber window
        I heard something fall;
    I sent my maid to pick it up,
        But she couldn't pick it all.

    Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy and Bess,
    They all went together to seek a bird's nest.
    They found a bird's nest with five eggs in,
    They all took one, and left four in.

        [Tobacco.]

    Make three-fourths of a cross,
        And a circle complete;
    And let two semicircles
        On a perpendicular meet;
    Next add a triangle
        That stands on two feet;
    Next two semicircles,
        And a circle complete.