This is the way the ladies ride; Tri, tre, tre, tree, Tri, tre, tre, tree! This is the way the ladies ride, Tri, tre, tre, tri-tre-tre-tree! This is the way the gentlemen ride; Gallop-a-trot, Gallop-a-trot! This is the way the gentlemen ride, This is the way the farmers ride, Hobbledy-hoy, Hobbledy-hoy! This is the way the farmers ride,
This is a famous song for a young child, the nurse dancing it on her knee, and gradually increasing the ascent of the foot. Similar songs, but differing considerably from the above, are given in the Swedish nursery ballads of Arwidsson, iii. 489-91; the Danish of Thiele, iii. 130-2, iv. 176-7; and the German Wunderhorn, iii. 60-1. The following pretty Swedish version is given from Mr. Stephens's MS. collections: Hvem Är det som rider? Det Är en frÖken som rider: Det gÅr i sakta traf, Hvem Är det som rider? Det Är en Herre som rider: Det gÅr jo i galopp, Hvem Är det som rider? Det Är en Bonde som rider: Det gÅr sÅ lunka pÅ, And pray, who now is riding? A lady it is that's riding: And she goes with a gentle trot, And pray, who now is riding? A gentleman it is that's riding: And he goes with a gallop-away, And pray, who now is riding? A farmer it is that's riding: And he goes with a jog along,
There are a great number of English variations of the above song, differing very materially from one another. A second version may be worth giving: A trot! a trot! a trot! a trot! A canter! a canter! a canter! a canter! Here goes my young master, Jockey-hitch! jockey-hitch! jockey-hitch! jockey-hitch! An amble! an amble! an amble! an amble! The footman lags behind to tipple ale and wine, And goes gallop, a gallop, a gallop, to make up his time.
Here are other knee-songs: Little Shon a Morgan, Came riding on a nanny-goat, Chicky, cuckoo, my little duck, Gallop a trot, trot, trot, And hey for Dublin towny!
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