Hey! diddle, diddle

“"Hey! diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle"--

Yes, thee may say that, for that is nonsense.

"The cow jumped over the moon"--

Oh no! Mary, thee musn't say that, for that is a falsehood;
thee knows a cow could never jump over the moon; but a cow may
jump under it; so thee ought to say--"The cow jumped under
the moon." Yes,--

"The cow jumped under the moon;
The little dog laughed"--

Oh Mary, stop. How can a little dog laugh? thee knows a
little dog can't laugh. Thee ought to say--"The little dog
barked--to see the sport,"

"And the dish ran after the spoon"--

Stop, Mary, stop. A dish could never run after a spoon; thee
ought to know that. Thee had better say--"And the cat ran
after the spoon." So,--

"Hey! diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jump'd under the moon;
The little dog bark'd
To see the sport,
And the cat ran after the spoon!"”