There Was An Old Woman
There was an old woman
who lived in a shoe,
She had so many children
she didn't know what to do;
She gave them some broth
without any bread;
She whipped them all soundly
and put them to bed.

（埃勒里·奎因《从前有个老女人》）



"从前有个老女人"这个词组粗看上去相当无稽，但似乎它在英国历史当中是有据可查的。源头可能有两个。一位是国王乔治二世的妻子卡罗琳皇后，她生了八个孩子。而第二个版本则指向首位推行男士戴白色卷曲假发风潮的乔治国王本人，他因此被认为是这位老女人！孩子们指向议会成员，而床，则是指议会大厦——甚至今天，在议会中被分派到任务以保证其他人乖乖听话的议会成员亦由"whip"这个词来形容。

Hickory, Dickory, Dock
Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock,
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory, dickory, dock.s

（阿加莎·克里斯蒂《国际学生宿舍谋杀案》）



这是一连串毫无意义的音节，只是为了模拟钟表的声音，以暗合诗歌要表达的意义。Hickory, dickory dock是在给孩子们最基本的时间概念。这个词组有时写成"Hickory, dickory doc"，造成混乱的原因可能就是词组本身的完全无意义。这首童谣最早的出版时间是1744年。如果仔细探究童谣中词语的意义，可能会发现，它其实来源于美国。



Hickory这个词起源于北美印第安人语言中的一个词语"pawcohiccora"，这是一种由山胡桃果（hickory nut）压榨而成的奶状与油状的混合液体。弗吉尼亚山胡桃树原来叫"Pohickory"，1653年被缩写为"hickory"。



Dock也是一类植物的名字，同时它还有一个拉丁名字"Rumex crispus"。这个植物家族中某几个种类以拥有长而强韧的树根而闻名，另外亦有可以在药用领域作为收缩剂使用的种类。今天若我们被荨麻刺伤，可能还是会用Dock叶子来疗伤。（ppg注：查了一下，Dock大致是酸模植物，或者叫羊蹄，具体是什么不清楚。）



One two buckle my shoe

One two buckle my shoe
Three, four, knock at the door
Five, six, pick up sticks
Seven, eight, lay them straight
Nine, ten, a big fat hen
Eleven, twelve, dig and delve
Thirteen, fourteen, maids a-courting
Fifteen, sixteen, maids in the kitchen
Seventeen, eighteen, maids in waiting
Nineteen, twenty, my plate's empty

（阿加莎·克里斯蒂《牙医谋杀案》）



Sing a song of sixpence

Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye,
Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened the birds began to sing,
Oh wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the king?
The king was in his counting house counting out his money,
The queen was in the parlour eating bread and honey
The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes,
When down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose!

（阿加莎·克里斯蒂《黑麦奇案》《二十四只黑画眉》《唱一首六便士的歌》）



There was a crooked man

There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile.
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse.
And they all lived together in a little crooked house

（阿加莎·克里斯蒂《畸形屋》）



Who killed Cock Robin

"Who killed Cock Robin?" "I," said the Sparrow,
"With my bow and arrow, I killed Cock Robin."
"Who saw him die?" "I," said the Fly,
"With my little eye, I saw him die."
"Who caught his blood?" "I," said the Fish,
"With my little dish, I caught his blood."
"Who'll make the shroud?" "I," said the Beetle,
"With my thread and needle, I'll make the shroud."
"Who'll dig his grave?" "I," said the Owl,
"With my pick and shovel, I'll dig his grave."
"Who'll be the parson?" "I," said the Rook,
"With my little book, I'll be the parson."
"Who'll be the clerk?" "I," said the Lark,
"If it's not in the dark, I'll be the clerk."
"Who'll carry the link?" "I," said the Linnet,
"I'll fetch it in a minute, I'll carry the link."
"Who'll be chief mourner?" "I," said the Dove,
"I mourn for my love, I'll be chief mourner."
"Who'll carry the coffin?" "I," said the Kite,
"If it's not through the night, I'll carry the coffin."
"Who'll bear the pall? "We," said the Wren,
"Both the cock and the hen, we'll bear the pall."
"Who'll sing a psalm?" "I," said the Thrush,
"As she sat on a bush, I'll sing a psalm."
"Who'll toll the bell?" "I," said the bull,
"Because I can pull, I'll toll the bell."
All the birds of the air fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,
When they heard the bell toll for poor Cock Robin.
（S·S·范达因《主教谋杀案》）

还有一首<10个小黑人外出用餐 Ten little nigger boys went out to dine >是在<无人生还>中引用.