Nursery Rhyme. CCLXV. Gaffers And Gammers.

Old mother Hubbard         Went to the cupboard,             To get her poor dog a bone;         But when she came there             The cupboard was bare,         And so the poor dog had none.         She went to the baker's             To buy him some bread,         But when she came back             The poor dog was dead.         She went to the joiner's             To buy him a coffin,         But when she came back             The poor dog was laughing.[*]         She took a clean dish             To get him some tripe,         But when she came back             He was smoking his pipe.         She went to the fishmonger's             To buy him some fish,         And when she came back             He was licking the dish.         She went to the ale-house             To get him some beer,         But when she came back             The dog sat in a chair.         She went to the tavern             For white wine and red,         But when she came back             The dog stood on his head.         She went to the hatter's             To buy him a hat,         But when she came back             He was feeding the cat.         She went to the barber's             To buy him a wig,         But when she came back             He was dancing a jig.         She went to the fruiterer's             To buy him some fruit,         But when she came back             He was playing the flute.         She went to the tailor's             To buy him a coat,         But when she came back             He was riding a goat.         She went to the cobbler's             To buy him some shoes,         But when she came back             He was reading the news.         She went to the sempstress             To buy him some linen,         But when she came back             The dog was spinning.         She went to the hosier's             To buy him some hose,         But when she came back             He was dress'd in his clothes.         The dame made a curtsey,             The dog made a bow;         The dame said, your servant,             The dog said, bow, wow.             [Footnote *: Probably loffing or loffin', to complete the rhyme. So in Shakspeare's 'Mids. Night's Dream,' act ii, sc. 1:                 "And then the whole quire hold their hips, and loffe."]