Young Roger and Dolly
Young Roger came tapping at Dolly's window,
Thumpaty, thumpaty, thump!
He asked for admittance; she answered him "No!"
Frumpaty, frumpaty, frump!
"No, no, Roger, no! as you came you may go!"
Stumpaty, stumpaty, stump!
This rhyme feels like something overheard rather than told. You can almost hear the knocking, sharp and hopeful, and the pause before the answer comes back — a very clear no. There’s no explanation, no apology, and no second chance. Dolly has decided, and that’s that.
What makes the verse fun is how it turns sound into action. The invented words don’t just rhyme; they describe the moment. The knocking isn’t polite or quiet — it’s thumpaty. The refusal isn’t gentle — it lands with a frump. And when Roger leaves, it’s final. You can picture his footsteps already fading.
There’s also something quietly satisfying about Dolly’s response. She doesn’t argue or tease. She doesn’t keep Roger hanging. She answers plainly and sends him off exactly the way he arrived. The rhyme respects that decisiveness, treating it as normal rather than dramatic.
1. A simple retelling
Young Roger knocks at Dolly’s window asking to be let in, but she firmly refuses and sends him away.
2. The characters
Main character: Young Roger
Other characters: Dolly
3. Setting
Outside a house, at a window.
4. Theme
Rejection delivered with rhythm and humor.
5. Moral
Possible lesson: A request does not guarantee permission.
