The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #171248   Message #4141593
Posted By: GUEST,Mark Gilston
13-May-22 - 03:35 PM
Thread Name: Won't you come a bundling with me.
Subject: RE: Won't you come a bundling with me.
As sung by Bob (Fiddler) Beers: (Thanks to Barry O'Neill for remembering it)

The frost is on the fiddle and the ice is on the lea
All the boys and girls are going home their lovers for to see
There’ll be maple in the sugarpot and honey in the tea
Won’t you come a-bundling, a-bundling with me

Lou-ie, Lou-ie, Please come home with me
Father’s heavy in his cups and mother’s making tea
Won’t you come a-bundling, a-bundling with me

The frost is on the fiddle and the plague is on my knee
When dancing’s done we’ll all go home and have a quilting bee
There’ll be fire on the griddle and a keg upon the tree
Won’t you come a-bundling, A-bundling with me

We’ll have a sip of daddy’s brew
And sample up the gin
There’ll never be a better time to have the fun begin
And when the fire on the hearth is drawing bleak and thin
We’ll twist the sheets the proper way and then we’ll tumble in.

Curious about the line "the plague is on my knee". I haven't come upon this usage of plague before, and wondering if it's a mondegreen.