I Went Down the Lane

I went down the lane to buy a penny whistle, / A copper come by and pinch my penny whistle…

ChantsLong rope

I went down the lane to buy a penny whistle,
A copper come by and pinch my penny whistle.
I ask him for it back, he said he hadn’t got it--
Hi, Hi, Curlywig, you’ve got it in your pocket.

Where this rhyme comes from

Printed
1916
Where
London

We have copied these words exactly as they were printed in 1916, spelling and all. It is one of the London girls' chants Douglas lists alongside their skipping, clapping and ring games.

Source: Norman Douglas, London Street Games (London: The St. Catherine Press, 1916) (public domain).

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