Nursery Rhyme. DXCV. Accumulative Stories.

[The original of 'The house that Jack built' is presumed to be a hymn in Sepher Haggadah, fol. 23, a translation of which is here given. The historical interpretation was first given by P. N. Leberecht, at Leipsic, in 1731, and is printed in the 'Christian Reformer,' vol. xvii, p. 28. The original is in the Chaldee language, and it may be mentioned that a very fine Hebrew manuscript of the fable, with illuminations, is in the possession of George Offer, Esq. of Hackney.]         1.    A kid, a kid, my father bought,                 For two pieces of money:                                                         A kid, a kid.         2.    Then came the cat, and ate the kid,                 That my father bought                 For two pieces of money:                                                         A kid, a kid.         3.    Then came the dog, and bit the cat,                 That ate the kid,                 That my father bought                 For two pieces of money:                                                         A kid, a kid.         4.    Then came the staff, and beat the dog,                 That bit the cat,                 That ate the kid,                 That my father bought                 For two pieces of money:                                                         A kid, a kid.         5.    Then came the fire, and burned the staff,                 That beat the dog,                 That bit the cat,                 That ate the kid,                 That my father bought                 For two pieces of money:                                                         A kid, a kid.         6.    Then came the water, and quenched the fire,                 That burned the staff,                 That beat the dog,                 That bit the cat,                 That ate the kid,                 That my father bought                 For two pieces of money:                                                         A kid, a kid.         7.    Then came the ox, and drank the water,                 That quenched the fire,                 That burned the staff,                 That beat the dog,                 That bit the cat,                 That ate the kid,                 That my father bought                 For two pieces of money:                                                         A kid, a kid.         8.    Then came the butcher, and slew the ox,                 That drank the water,                 That quenched the fire,                 That burned the staff,                 That beat the dog,                 That bit the cat,                 That ate the kid,                 That my father bought                 For two pieces of money:                                                         A kid, a kid.         9.    Then came the angel of death, and killed the butcher,                 That slew the ox,                 That drank the water,                 That quenched the fire,                 That burned the staff,                 That beat the dog,                 That bit the cat,                 That ate the kid,                 That my father bought                 For two pieces of money:                                                         A kid, a kid.         10. Then came the Holy One, blessed be He!                 And killed the angel of death,                 That killed the butcher,                 That slew the ox,                 That drank the water,                 That quenched the fire,                 That burned the staff,                 That beat the dog,                 That bit the cat,                 That ate the kid,                 That my father bought                 For two pieces of money:                                                         A kid, a kid.