Not only should sleepless babies beware of cradles tumbling out of trees, but Napoleon himself might come to get them too!
(Collected by Iona and Peter Opie in The Oxford Nursery Rhyme Book, originally published 1955)
Baby, baby, naughty baby,
Hush, you squalling thing, I say.
Peace this moment, peace, or maybe
Bonaparte will pass this way.
Baby, baby, he's a giant,
Tall and black as Rouen steeple
And he breakfasts, dines, rely on't,
Every day on naughty people.
Baby, baby, if he hears you,
As he gallops past the house,
Limb from limb at once he'll tear you,
Just as pussy tears a mouse.
And he'll beat you, beat you, beat you,
And he'll beat you all to pap,
And he'll eat you, eat you, eat you,
Every morsel, snap, snap, snap.
(Collected by Iona and Peter Opie in The Oxford Nursery Rhyme Book, originally published 1955)
sierra_le_oli- Kimberley Verburg
Comments
I had this from my mother, who said that the only reason her mother didn't use it on her was that she didn't believe in frightening children into good behaviour.
In fairness, since my grandmother's grandmother lived in South Wales, at that time it really was a valid threat, See the story of the Welshwomen.