^Points to icon^ "Why is a mouse when it spins?"

[capri0mni]

American version (Via Burl Ives)

MISTER FROG WENT A-COURTING

Mister frog went a-courting and he did ride
Uh-hmm, Uh-hmm
Mister frog went a-courting and he did ride
A sword and pistol by his side
Uh-hmm, Uh-hmm.

He went down to Missy Mousie's door
Uh-hmm, Uh-hmm
He went down to Missy Mousie's door
Where he had often been before.
Uh-hmm, Uh-hmm.

He said, "Missy Mouse, are you within?"
Uh-hmm, Uh-hmm
He said, "Missy Mouse, are you within?"
"Yes kind sir, I sit and spin."
Uh-hmm, Uh-hmm.

Old Scots version (Via McColl and Seeger)

THE PUDDY AND THE MOUSE

Madam I am come tae woo
Cuddy alone, Cuddy alone
Marriage I must have of you.
Cuddy alone and I.

Marriage I will grant ye nane
'Till Uncle Rottan (Rat) he comes hame.
Kickmaleerie, cowden down
Cuddy alone and I.

Irish version (Via Mary O'Hara [via Liam Clancy])

THE FROG'S WEDDING
Where will the wedding be
Hi Ho said Roly,
where will the wedding be,
at the butt of an ivy tree,
with me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

Now we're all in very good cheer
Hi Ho said Roly,
now we're all in very good cheer
if we had some music here,
with me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

In came the bumble bee
Hi Ho said Roly
in came the bumble bee
Clapped a bagpipe on his knee,
With me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

Jacobian Version (Via the London Company of Stationers, 1611)

THE MARRIAGE OF THE FROGGE AND THE MOUSE

Then came in Gib our cat,
humble dum, humble dum,
And catcht the mouse even by the backe,
tweedle, tweedle, twino.

Then did they separate,
humble dum, humble dum,
And the frog leapt on the floore so flat,
tweedle, tweedle, twino.

Then came in Dicke our Drake,
humble dum, humble dum,
And drew the frogge even to the lake,
tweedle, tweedle, twino.

The Rat run up the wall,
humble dum, humble dum.
A goodly company, the divell goe with all,
tweedle, tweedle, twino.

Comments

[angevin2.livejournal.com]

Fun trivia: the earliest English version of this song was registered for publication circa 1580. I suspect it is a commentary on Queen Elizabeth's plans to marry the Duke of Anjou (whom she called "her frog"), a very unpopular move because Anjou was French and Catholic; the cat-induced smackdown at the end is probably meant to suggest the Pope wreaking havoc on everything, because, you know, if you let the papists get a foot in the door... ;)

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've come across the Elizabeth-Marriage Satire origin before. And I have no reason to doubt it.

But songs that are nothing but politics and satire rarely last even through a single session of Parliment/Congress, much less 428 years.

I think the reason this song has kept going, like some demonic Energizer Bunny, is that it is equal parts silliness and bloodlust. What's not to love?

My favorite closing lines come from the modern English songwriter, Leslie Howarth:

That was the end of him and of her
Ding! Dang! Dong! go the Wedding Bells
won't be no tadpoles covered in fur
Ding! Dang! Dong! go the Wedding Bells

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

My mum used to sing a version of this to me when I was a child.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Which version did she sing?

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

She sang "Frog he would a-wooing go".

150 recordings: http://bruce.orel.ws/seegersessions/songs/froggie_went_a_courtin.html

::busy::