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Froggy Would A-wooing Go




There are various versions. One version is this. It is not known who Anthony Rowley was. The purpose seems to be to satirize the rural Gentry .


A Frog he would a wooing go, Heigh-ho, says Rowley,

A Frog he would a-wooing go, Whether this mother would let him or no,

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Rowley.

He saddled and bridled a great black snail, Heigh-ho, says Rowley,

He saddled and bridled a great black snail, And rode between the horns and the tail,

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Roley.

So off he set with his opera hat, Heigh-ho, says Rowley,

So off he set with his opera hat, And on the way he met with a rat,

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Rowley.

They rode till they came to Mousey Hall, Heigh-ho, says Rowley,

They rode till they came to Mousey Hall, And there they both did knock and call,

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Rowley.

"Pray, Mrs. Mouse, are you within?" Heigh-ho, says Roley,

"Pray, Mrs. Mouse, are you within?" "Oh yes, sir, here I sit and spin."

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Rowley.

Then Mrs. Mouse she did come down, Heigh-ho, says Roley,

Then Mrs. Mouse she did come down, All smartly dressed in a russet gown,

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Roley.

"Pray, Mrs. Mouse, can you give us some beer," Heigh-ho, says Rowley,

"Pray, Mrs. Mouse, can you give us some beer, That froggy and I may have good cheer?"

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Rowley.

She had not been sitting long to spin, Heigh-ho, says Roley,

She had not been sitting long to spin, When the cat and the kittens came tumbling in,

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Roley.

The cat she seized Master Rat by the crown, Heigh-ho, says Rowley,

The cat she seized Master Rat by the crown, The kitten she pulled Miss Mousey down,

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Rowley.

This put Mr. Frog in a terrible fright, Heigh-ho, says Rowley,

This put Mr. Frog in a terrible fright, He took up his hat and he wished them "Good night!"

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Rowley.

And as he was passing over the brook, Heigh-ho, says Rowley,

And as he was passing over the brook, A lily white duck came and gobbled him up,

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Rowley.

So there's an end of one, two, and three, Heigh-ho, says Rowley,

So there's an end of one, two, and three, The Rat, the Mouse, and little Froggy,

With a Roley, Poley, Gammon and Spinach, Heigh-ho says Anthony Rowley.






The song is most popularly rendered as "Frog (or "Froggie") Went A-Courting". Folk singer Burl Ives performed perhaps the most well-known and kid-friendly version, in which Frog and Miss Mousie are Wed .

Another version--a bit closer to the original--appears on Bob Dylan 's 1992 album ''Good as I Been To You''. The song ends with:

"Little piece of Cornbread layin' on a shelf, uh-huh. (repeated 3X)
If you want any more, you can sing it yourself, uh-huh."


EXTERNAL LINK


[http://bobdylan.com/songs/froggie.html The Dylan version]