Lady, Lady, Drop Your Purse

Lady, lady, drop your purse, / Lady, lady, pick it up…

Lady, lady, drop your purse,
Lady, lady, pick it up,
Lady, lady, touch the ground,
Lady, lady, turn right round,
Lady, lady, show your foot,
Lady, lady, sling your hook.

How to play

Do each action while skipping. On "sling your hook" run out. This is the older London form of "Teddy Bear".

Where this rhyme comes from

Printed: 1916
Where: London

We have copied these words exactly as they were printed in 1916, spelling and all. The book marks it as a skipping rhyme.

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

Older and newer versions

The same rhyme, changed by children over the years.

ActionsPrinted 1898Lady, Lady, Drop Your HandkerchiefLady, lady, drop your handkerchief,
Lady, lady, pick it up…Actionsafter 1902Teddy BearTeddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground…ActionsLords and LadiesLords and Ladies,
Children, too…ActionsChantsby 1916I Went Down TownI went down town I met miss Brown
miss brown brought a nicle so I bought a pickle…

Sent in by Anonymous

More rhymes like this

ActionsPrinted 1916As I Was Walking Through the City (Spanish Lady)As I was walking through the City,
Half past eight o’clock at night…ActionsPrinted 1916Charlie, Arlie, Stole Some BarleyCharlie, Arlie, stole some barley,
Out of a baker’s shop…ActionsPrinted 1916Half a Pint of PorterHalf a pint of porter,
Penny on the can…