Lyr. Add: THERE WERE THREE BIRDS
(Three Birds 2)

There were three birds that built very low,
The first and the second cry'd, "Have at her toe."
The third he went merrily in and in, in,

Refrain (add to each verse)
Oh, never went wimble in timber more nimble
With so little screwing and knocking on't in,
With so little knocking in.

There were three birds that built on a pin.
The first and the second cry'd, "Have at her shin."
The third he went merrily in and in, in.

There were three birds that built on a tree.
The first and the second cry'd, "Have at her knee,"
And the third he went merrily in and in, in.

There were three birds that built very high.
The first and the second cry'd, "Have at her thigh."
The third he went merrily in and in, in.

There were three birds that built on a stump.
The first and the second cry'd, "Have at her rump."
The third he went merrily in and in, in.

1661 edition of "Merry Drollery," printed and discussed in Ed Cray, "The Erotic Muse," 2nd. ed., 1992, p. 319-320.
Birds = men, wimble = auger.
Cray says that this seems to be the earliest known of these progression songs. The McCurdy version in the DT is shortened and somewhat revised. Also see thread 26717 for comment. Bruce O on McCurdy