Nursery Rhyme. CLXXIII. Songs.
by Anonymous[The music to the following song, with different words, is given in 'Melismata,' 4to, Lond. 1611. See also the 'Pills to Purge Melancholy,' 1719, vol. i, p. 14. The well-known song, 'A frog he would a wooing go,' appears to have been borrowed from this. See Dauney's 'Ancient Scottish Melodies,' 1838, p. 53. The story is of old date, and in 1580 there was licensed 'A most strange weddinge of the frogge and the mouse,' as appears from the books of the Stationers' Company, quoted in Warton's Hist. Engl, Poet., ed. 1840, vol. iii, p. 360.]
There was a frog liv'd in a well,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone;
There was a frog liv'd in a well,
Kitty alone, and I!
There was a frog liv'd in a well,
And a farce[*] mouse in a mill, [*merry]
Cock me cary, Kitty alone,
Kitty alone, and I.
This frog he would a wooing ride,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
This frog he would a wooing ride,
And on a snail he got astride,
Cock me cary, Kitty alone.
He rode till he came to my Lady Mouse hall,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
He rode till he came to my Lady Mouse hall,
And there he did both knock and call,
Cock me cary, Kitty alone.
Quoth he, Miss Mouse, I'm come to thee,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
Quoth he, Miss Mouse, I'm come to thee,
To see if thou canst fancy me,
Cock me cary, Kitty alone.
Quoth she, answer I'll give you none,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
Quoth she, answer I'll give you none,
Until my uncle Rat come home,
Cock me cary, Kitty alone.
And when her uncle Rat came home,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
And when her uncle Rat came home,
Who's been here since I've been gone?
Cock me cary, Kitty alone.
Sir, there's been a worthy gentleman,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
Sir, there's been a worthy gentleman,
That's been here since you've been gone,
Cock me cary, Kitty alone.
The frog he came whistling through the brook,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
The frog he came whistling through the brook,
And there he met with a dainty duck,
Cock me cary, Kitty alone.
This duck she swallow'd him up with a pluck,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone;
This duck she swallow'd him up with a pluck,
So there's an end of my history book.
Cock me cary, Kitty alone,
Kitty alone and I.