Where's your father going to lie?

Lie on the footman's bed.

Where's the footman going to lie?

Lie in the cowshed.

Where's the cows going to lie?

Lie in the pig-sty.

Where's the pig going to lie?

Lie in the dolly-tub.

And what am I to wash in?

Wash in a thimble.

A thimble wunna hold a cap.

Wash in an egg-sh.e.l.l.

An egg-sh.e.l.l wunna hold a shirt.

Wash by the river-side.

Suppose the clothes should float away?

Get a boat and fetch them back.

Suppose the boat should overthrow?

Serve you right for going after them!

-Berrington, Oswestry, Chirbury (Burne's _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p.

515).

IV. Mother, will you buy me a milking-can, A milking-can, a milking-can?

Mother, will you buy me a milking-can, To me, I, O, OM?

Where's the money to buy it with, To buy it with, to buy it with, Where's the money to buy it with, To me, I, O, OM?

[Then the following verses-]

Sell my father's feather bed.

Where will your father sleep?

My father can sleep in the boys' bed.

Where will the boys sleep?

The boys can sleep in the pig-sty.

Where will the pigs sleep?

The pigs can sleep in the wash-tub.

Where shall I wash my clothes?

You can wash them in a thimble.

A thimble is not large enough.

You can wash them in an egg-sh.e.l.l.

An egg-sh.e.l.l would not hold them.

You can wash them by the river side.

But what if I should fall in?

We'll get a rope and pull you out, To me, I, O, OM.

-Sheffield (S. O. Addy).

V. Mother, come buy me two milking-pails, Two milking-pails, two milking-pails, Mother, come buy me two milking-pails, O sweet mother o' mine.

[Then verses beginning with the following lines-]

Where shall I get my money from, O sweet daughter o' mine?

Sell my father's feather beds.

Where shall your father sleep?

Sleep in the servant's bed.

Where shall the servant sleep?

Sleep in the washing-tub.

Where shall I wash the clothes?

Wash them in the river.

Suppose the clothes float away?

Take a boat and go after them.

Suppose the boat upsets?

Then you will be drownded.

-London (Miss Dendy).

VI. Mother, come buy me a milking-can, Milking-can, milking-can, Mother, come buy me a milking-can, O mother o' mine.

Where can I have my money from, O daughter o' mine?

Sell my father's bedsteads.

Where must your father sleep?

Sleep in the pig-sty.

Where must the pig sleep?

Sleep in the washing-tub.

What must I wash in?

Wash in your thimble.

What must I sew with?

Sew with your finger.

What will you say if I p.r.i.c.k me?

Serve you right, serve you right.

-Monton, Lancashire (Miss Dendy).

VII. Mother, will you buy me a pair of milking-cans, Milking-cans, milking-cans, Mother, will you buy me a pair of milking-cans, O gentle mother of mine?

But where shall I get the money from?

Sell my father's feather bed.

But where, O where, will your father lie?

Father can lie in the girls' bed.

But where, O where, shall the girls then lie?

The girls can lie in the boys' bed.

But where, O where, shall the boys lie?

The boys may lie in the pig-sty.

Then where, O where, will the pigs lie?

The pigs may lie in the washing-tub.

Then where, O where, shall we wash our clothes?

We can wash by the river side.

The tide will wash the clothes away.