There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig

Subject: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: Melissa
Date: 01 Jun 10 - 03:04 PM

I can't remember the last verse and didn't have any luck finding it when I searched here.

Thanks,
M
____

There was an old woman and she had a little pig (hum)
There was an old woman and she had a little pig (hum)
There was an old woman and she had a little pig
didn't cost much 'cause it wasn't very big (hum)

Little piggy danced on the old barn floor (hum)
"
"
danced and he danced 'til he danced no more (hum)

Little piggy died from want of breath (hum)
"
"
wasn't that an awful death? (hum)

Little old woman sobbed and sighed (hum)
"
"
then she laid right down and died (hum)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Jun 10 - 05:22 PM

www.ehenrydavid.com/cgi-bin/ehdcatalogue.pl?composition=therewasold

Sorry I don't have it, but it is available at this site. Richie family sang a version.
Someone here ought to know it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Jun 10 - 05:24 PM

Woman and pig

Subject: Lyr. Add: THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Jun 10 - 05:51 PM

A real oldie - Gammar Gurton 1784.
This from North Carolina Folklore-

THE OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG

There was an old woman had a little pig, umph, humph (2x)
Theere was an old woman had a little pig,
The little pig was just so big, umph, humph.

The little pig ran all around the farm, umph, humph (2x)
The little pig ran all around the farm
But he didn't do much harm, umph, humph.

The little pig died for the want of bread, umph, humph, (2x)
The little pig died for the want of bread,
Don't you think that's a mighty hard death? umph , humph.

Then the old woman lay down and died, umph, humph (2x)
Then the old woman lay down and died
And the old man he sat and cried, umph, humph.

The old man died for the want of breath, umph, humph (2x)
The old man died for want of breath
Don't you think that's a mighty hard death? umph, humph.


School children, John's River Valley.
Frank C. Brown, North Carolina Folklore, vol. 3, Folk Songs from North Carolina, edit. H. M. Belden and A. P. Hudson.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: Melissa
Date: 01 Jun 10 - 06:04 PM

Thank you, Q

I couldn't remember whether it had a 'little piece of cornbread' ending..or whether 'old man died of broken heart'

Subject: Lyr Add: THE OLD WOMAN'S LITTLE PIG
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Jun 10 - 08:07 PM

There seem to be many versions-

THE OLD WOMAN'S LITTLE PIG

There was an old woman who had a little pig, mm-mm--mm
There was an old woman who had a little pig
Didn't eat much for it wasn't very big mm-mm-mm

That little pig did a heap of harm, mm-mm-mm
That little pig did a heap of harm
Made little tracks around the barn mm-mm-mm

That little pig he died a bad death, mm-mm-mm
That little pig he died a bad death
Dead because he couldn't get his breath mm-mm-mm

The old woman sobbed, she mourned, she cried etc.
Then she laid right down and died, mm-mm-mm

The old man died on account of grief etc.
Wasn't that a great relief? mm-mm-mm

There they lay all, one, two, three, mm-mm-mm etc.
Old man, old woman, and a little piggee, mm-mm-mm

There it lays up on the shelf, mm-mm-mm etc.
If you want any more, you'll sing it yourself, mm-mm-mm.

Same reference as above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: Melissa
Date: 01 Jun 10 - 08:28 PM

That's it!
Our little old man died of grief..

Subject: Lyr Add: TALE OF A LITTLE PIG (from Lomax & Lomax)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 01 Jun 10 - 10:03 PM

"The Little Pig" appeared in Ruth Crawford Seeger's "American Folk Songs for Children" (Doubleday, 1948) and on the recording of those songs by Mike and Peggy Seeger.

Ruth Seeger credits John A. and Alan Lomax, "American Ballads and Folk Songs" (Macmillan, 1934), where the title is "Tale of a Little Pig". They in turn credit Shirley Lomax Mansell and Bess Brown Lomax (which seems just a little circular, to me).


TALE OF A LITTLE PIG

There was an old woman and she had a little pig,
Oink, oink, oink,
There was an old woman and she had a little pig,
Didn't cost much and it wasn't very big,
Oink, oink, oink.

The little pig did a heap of harm,
Oink, oink, oink,
The little pig did a heap of harm,
A-rooting around that old man's farm,
Oink, oink, oink.

The little pig died for want of breath, etc.
Wasn't that an awful death! etc.

The little old woman, she sobbed and she sighed, etc.
Then she lay right down and died, etc.

The old man died for want of grief, etc.
Wasn't that a great relief! etc.

There they lay all one, two, three, etc.
The man and the woman and the little piggee, etc.

They they laid all on the shelf, etc.
If you want any more, you can sing it yourself, etc.


~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Jun 10 - 10:17 PM

Versions I posted collected 1920. Several variant names, occurs North Carolina to Georgia; UK origin.

Subject: Lyr Add: SONG OF THE LITTLE PIG
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Jun 10 - 04:30 PM

From a play "The Peak Sisters" in The Book of Drills: A Series of Entertainments by Mary Barnard Horne (Boston: Walter H. Baker & Co., 1896), page 14 (The tune is given on page 18):


SONG OF THE LITTLE PIG.

1. There was an old woman who had a little pig.
Umph — umph — umph!
Didn't cost much, so 'twasn't very big.
Umph — umph — umph!

2. This little pig did lots of harm.
Umph — umph — umph!
Plaguy little thing, all about the farm.
Umph — umph — umph!

3. Little pig died for want of breath, etc.
Wasn't that an awful death? etc.

4. Old woman sobbed and moaned and sighed, etc.
Then she laid right down and died, etc.

5. Old man died on account of grief, etc.
Wasn't that a great relief? etc.

6. Here they all lie, the only three, etc.
Old man, old woman, and little piggee, etc.

7. Here they all lie upon the shelf, etc.
If you want any more, you can sing it yourself.
Umph — umph — umph!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Jun 10 - 04:52 PM

"Old man died for want of grief"? – yes, that's what the Lomax version says, but it doesn't sound logical to me. I think I'd change it to "died on account of grief."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: Melissa
Date: 03 Jun 10 - 05:06 PM

There's a verse in Q's clicky that starts:

'Now, this old woman kept her pig in the barn..'


So far, none of the versions have had a dancing pig.
Why are the other piggies dying for want of breath?



That's what I thought, JimD. I decided maybe dying for 'want of grief' was because it's not nice to not grieve.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE OLD WOMAN AND THE PIG (Ritchie)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jun 10 - 06:05 PM

THE OLD WOMAN AND THE PIG
(Jean Ritchie version)

There was an old woman and she had a little pig. mm-mm-mm
There was an old woman and she had a little pig. mm-mm-mm
There was an old woman and she had a little pig,
Didn't cost much 'cause it wasn't very big. mm-mm-mm

Now this old woman kept the pig in the barn, mm-mm-mm, etc.
Prettiest little thing she had on the farm, mm-mm-mm

Now this old woman fed the pig on clover,
It laid down and died all over.

The little piggy died cause it couldn't get its breath,
Wasn't that an awful death?

The little old woman she died of grief;
Wasn't that that a sad relief?

The little old man he sobbed and sighed;
Then he too laid down and died.

Well, that was the end of the one, two, three,
Man and the woman and the little pig-ee.

The good old book lies on the shelf,
If you want any more you can sing it yourself.

With musical score.

""There was an old woman and she had a little Pig" to give it's full title, is one of the first songs I learned to sing, sinc it is a wonderful baby-rocking song. It was such a family favorite that two of my sisters, after having been asked to sing at our oldest sister's wedding, stood prettily under the snowball bush in our yard and shouted out the whole tragic tale, to the embarassment of the rest of the family and the great entertainment of the wedding guests."
Jean Ritchie, 1965, Folk Songs of the Southern Appalachians as sung by Jean Ritchie. Oak Publications.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: GUEST,Nawrie
Date: 10 Jan 11 - 09:54 AM

There was an old woman
She had a little pig.
He didn't cost much 'cause he wasn't very big.
The little pig ran out the barn door,
Scattering grain all over the floor.
Little old woman she ran out.
She said little pig, you better watch out.
Little pig died from want of breath.
Now wasn't that a horrible death?
Little old woman died of grief.
Now wasn't that a sad relief?
Little old man he sobbed and sighed
and then he too lay down and died.
So there they three lay on the shelf.
If you want anymore you can sing it yourself.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: Melissa
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 03:23 AM

Q,
I just saw your last post to this thread. Thanks!

GuestNawrie,
Your little pig sounds feisty with all that grain flinging!
thank you

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: GUEST,Dave
Date: 04 Apr 11 - 12:35 AM

I was just talking about this song with my mother.
My Great Great grandfather used to sing it and both my mother and my aunt remember it differently. Obviously the same song but they have 5 verses that they both remember that are different than what is posted here.
I assume there were many versions of this song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pi
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 15 Jun 11 - 02:29 PM

There was an old woman and she had a little pig
and a rink tump bully mucha kimo

for want of food the pig did die
and a rink tump bully mucha kimo

kimo nero hero shero hildo gildo
rump tump floom-a-gary high boogaree
and a rink tump bully mucha kimo

This version sung to me as a child late 1950's
by my mom.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: GUEST,Duane Robertson
Date: 17 Jun 11 - 01:31 AM

I'm 77 years old. My mama sang this when I was a little kid. This is her version

Once an old woman had a little pig, hum, hum, hum
Once an old woman had a little pig
Didn't cost much,for he wasn,t very big, hum, hum, hum

This little pig didn't do no harm, hum, hum, hum
This little pig didn't do no harm
They petted the little thing all around the farm, hum, hum, hum

But this little pig got sick and died, hum, hum, hum
This little pig got sick and died
The old woman sobbed and sobbed and cried, hum, hum, hum

The old woman sobbed and sobbed and cried, hum, hum, hum
The old woman sobbed and sobbed and cried
Then she laid right down and died, hum, hum, hum

The old man died on the account of grief, hum, hum, hum
The old man died on the account of grief
Now wasn't that a great relief, hum, hum, hum

There they lay the only three, hum, hum, hum
There they lay the only three
The old man, old woman and the little piggy, hum, hum, hum

There they lay upon the shelf, hum, hum, hum
There they lay upon the shelf
If you want anymore you can sing it yourself, hum, hum, hum

Subject: Lyr Add: THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN AND ... LITTLE PIG
From: Megan M
Date: 17 Jun 11 - 02:18 AM

Charlie Baum did this at Indian Neck this year, with verses a lot like Jean Ritchie's but a different refrain. Here are his lyrics:


THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN AND SHE HAD A LITTLE PIG

There was an old woman and she had a little pig
Go find my true love
There was an old woman and she had a little pig
But it didn't eat much, 'cause it wasn't very big
Go find my true love in some lonesome valley

Now that little pig, it did a heap of harm
Go find my true love
Now that little pig, it did a heap of harm
Rootin' around the old man's farm
Go find my true love in some lonesome valley

That old woman she fed the pig on clover
Until one day, it just died all over

That old woman she sobbed and she cried
Until she, too, laid down and died

That old man, he died of the grief
And wasn't that a sad relief

Now, this it the end of my one-two-three
About the man and the woman and the little piggee

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: was an old woman..she had a little pig
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jun 11 - 02:38 AM

The Traditional Ballad Index has quite an interesting entry on this song:

There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig

DESCRIPTION: "There was an old woman and she had a little pig, It didn't cost much 'cause it wasn't very big." Despite good care, the pig never grows up. One day it dies. The owner(s) soon follow. The song ends; "if you want any more, you can sing it yourself"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1784 (Gammar Gurton's Garland, according to Opie-Oxford2)
KEYWORDS: animal death
FOUND IN: US(Ap,MW,NE,SE) Britain(England)
REFERENCES (13 citations):
BrownIII 130, "The Old Woman and Her Pig" (2 texts plus mention of 1 more)
Eddy 68, "Old Sam Fanny" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
Gardner/Chickering 195, "Uncle Sam Simmie" (1 text, 1 tune)
SharpAp 235, "The Old Woman and the Little Pigee" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
Reeves-Sharp 11, "Bessy Bingle" (1 text)
Sharp/Karpeles-80E 77, "The Old Woman and the Little Pig" (1 text, 1 tune -- a composite version)
Lomax-ABFS, pp. 308-310, "Tale of a Little Pig" (1 text, 1 tune)
Ritchie-SingFam, pp. 207-210, "There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig" (1 text, 1 tune)
Ritchie-Southern, p. 21, "The Old Woman and the Pig" (1 text, 1 tune)
Opie-Oxford2 42, "Little Betty Pringle she had a pig" (1 text)
BaringGould-MotherGoose #37, p. 53, "(Little Betty Winkle she had a pig)"
JHCox 175, "Old Sam Fanny" (2 texts)
Botkin-NEFolklr, pp. 574-575, "The Little Pig" (1 text, 1 tune)
ST E068 (Partial)
Roud #746
NOTES: Although the first instance of this seems to be from 1784, the idea appears to be older. Oliver Goldsmith (died 1774) produced a poem to mock the sententiousness of Thomas Percy. It began
A Dirge
Little Betty Winckle she had a pig,
It was a little pig not very big;
When he was alive he liv'd in clover,
But now he's dead and that's all over.
(Quoted in Nick Groom, The Making of Percy's Reliques, Oxford English Monographs, 1999, p. 239). - RBW
Last updated in version 2.5
File: E068

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Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST,Babypix
Date: 17 Jun 11 - 06:34 AM

There's a recent recording of this song on "No Hiding Place", sung by Larry Hanks & Deborah Robins:

www.cdbaby.com/cd/hanksrobins

Learn more about American Songster, Larry Hanks, at www.larryhanks.com

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 17 Jun 11 - 12:28 PM

I remember Peggy Seeger, back in the mid-50s when she first came over here to London, singing a version with a refrain like that of Charlie Baum quoted by Megan M 3 posts above; but her refrain was IIRC "... Go TELL my true love ... Go TELL my true love in a lonesome valley", rather than the "... Go FIND..." of above version.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 08:43 PM

I am thrilled. I've been looking for the words to this for 50 years. My grandfather, Earl Edward Eller, on Sunday nights before we went home, would take down his old 5 string banjo which he played in the claw hammer style and sing this to us children. I loved to hear him sing along with his ghost stories he would love to tell. I miss it so much. We cousins wanted to learn this song to sing to our children and grandchildren. Thanks so much. His version was "the little pig rooted up the ground all over the farm"

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 10:11 PM

The "go find my true love" version I sing [see post from Megan above] is from Howie Mitchell (on Folk Legacy records) who got it from Mrs. Betty Smith of Bethesda, Md., who probably got it from John Jacob Niles's version.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST,Robert Plunkett
Date: 04 Jun 12 - 01:47 AM

Here's the version my family sang.

There was and old woman and she had a little pig (Pronounced pi-ig)
mmm mmm mmm
There was and old woman and she had a little pig (Pronounced pi-ig)
mmm mmm mmm
There was and old woman and she had a little pig (Pronounced pig)
wasn't very tall, wasn't very big
mmm mmm mmm

This little pig, he jumped around
mmm mmm mmm
This little pig, he jumped around
mmm mmm mmm
This little pig, he jumped around
and he ran all over the town (Tow-own)
mmm mmm mmm

Little pig died for the want of bread (br-ead)
mmm mmm mmm
Little pig died for the want of bread (br-ead)
mmm mmm mmm
Little pig died for the want of bread.
Oh, wasn't that a terrible death? (deh-eth)
mmm mmm mmm

The old woman, she sobbed and cried (cri-ed)
mmm mmm mmm
The old woman, she sobbed and cried (cri-ed)
mmm mmm mmm
The old woman, she sobbed and cried (cried)
Then she laid right down and died.
mmm mmm mmm

The old man he died of grief (gree-eef)
mmm mmm mmm
The old man he died of grief (gree-eef)
mmm mmm mmm
The old man he died of grief (grief)
Oh, wasn't that a great relief?
mmm mmm mmm

There they lay all one two three (three-ee)
mmm mmm mmm
There they lay all one two three (three-ee)
mmm mmm mmm
There they lay all one two three (three)
Old man, old woman, little piggie wee (wee-ee)

There they lay all under the shelf (Shel-elf)
mmm mmm mmm
There they lay all under the shelf (Shel-elf)
mmm mmm mmm
There they lay all under the shelf (Shelf)
mmm mmm mmm
If you want any more, you can sing it yourself.
mmm mmm mmm

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: Mo the caller
Date: 04 Jun 12 - 02:24 AM

That last verse (or two) must be one of those floating verses.
Similar ending in Froggies Courting

That was the end of 1,2,3 (x3)
Mouse and the ?rat? and the little froggie

There's bread and cheese upon the shelf (x3)
If you want any more you can sing it yourself

Do they share a tune, too? One of the froggie versions has a non-verbal line ending ('ah, hmm' - or however you spell it)

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST,artsyhonker
Date: 21 Feb 13 - 04:20 PM

The version my grandfather used to sing to me included the following verse:

"One day that little pig got out,
and it fell down and broke its snout".

The tune he sang is quite different from the Ritchie version, and the verse at the end ("There they lay upon the shelf
If you want anymore you can sing it yourself,") had a different tune from the rest.

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Feb 13 - 10:16 PM

Here's the version I was taught.

Once there was a little pig. Uh. uh uh
Once there was a little pig.
Didn't cost much cause he wasn't very big. Uh, uh uh. Uh, uh uh.

That little pig did a lot of harm. Uh, uh uh
That little pig did a lot of harm.
Running around all over the farm. Uh, uh uh. Uh, uh uh.

That little pig died a terrible death. Uh, uh uh
That little pig died a terrible death.
Died just for the want of breath. Uh, uh uh. Uh, uh uh.

The old lady sobbed and sighed. Uh, uh uh.
The old lady sobbed and sighed.
Laid right down by the piggy and died. Uh, uh uh. Uh, uh uh.

The old man was full of grief. Uh, uh uh.
The old man was full of grief.
Laid on down and died for relief. Uh, uh uh. Uh, uh uh.

There they lay one, two, three. Uh, uh uh.
There they lay one, two, three.
Old man, old lady and the little pigg(ee). Uh, uh uh. Uh, uh uh.

Picked 'em all up and I put 'em on a shelf. Uh, uh uh.
Picked 'em all up and I put 'em on a shelf.
If you wanna better song just sing it for yer self!

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: Airymouse
Date: 22 Feb 13 - 09:29 AM

This pig died cause he couldn't catch his breath
Um Um Um
This pig couldn't catch his breath
dum dedle dum di
This pig died cause he couldn't catch his breath
Wasn't that a horriful death
dum dedle dum di
Last verse same pattern:
This was the end of the 1 2 3
the man the woman and the little pig gee
(source Roger Sprung, Newtown CT)
This version is different from Mrs. Vernon Shafter's version given by Ruth Seeger in Animal Folk Songs for Children

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 22 Feb 13 - 09:41 PM

I am shocked, shocked. I have always known this song from Ed McCurdy's children's album, and let me tell you, it is not the same kind of song at all.

There was an old woman and she had a little pig (oink, oink, oink)
There was an old woman and she had a little pig
He didn't cost much cause he wasn't very big (oink, oink, oink)

This little old woman kept the pig in the barn / prettiest little thing that she had on the farm

This little old woman fed the pig on clover / and when he ran he shook all over

But this little pig did a heap of harm / he made little tracks all around the barn

Repeat first verse.

This song, according to my mom, was about my youngest elder sister.

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST,Erin Miller
Date: 16 May 13 - 09:29 PM

I knew it like this, my Dad used to sing us the first verse when we were kids and then I learned about the following verses from my aunt after my daughter was born and I wanted to sing it to her...I used to rock her and sing this as I patted her little bottom to the "uh uh uh" Fond memories!
There was an old woman who had a little pig uh uh uh
There was an old woman who had a little pig he didn't cost much cuz he wasn't very big uh uh uh
Now this little piggy caused lots of harm uh uh uh
Now this little piggy cause lots of harm rootin up taters all around the farm uh uh uh
Little piggy died from the want of breath uh uh uh
Little piggy died from the want of breath wasn't that an awful death uh uh uh
Well the old woman moaned and she sobbed and she cried uh uh uh
Well the old woman moaned and she sobbed and she cried and then she too laid down and died uh uh uh
The old man died from the want of grief uh uh uh
The old man died from the want of grief wasn't that a great relief uh uh uh
Now here they sit the only three uh uh uh
Now here they sit the only three old man woman and the little piggy uh uh uh
Now here they sit upon the shelf uh uh uh
Now here they sit upon the shelf if you want any more you can sing it yourself uh uh uh

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jun 13 - 09:14 PM

My grandmother, born in Mississippi in 1913, used to sing a version of this song, but several verses were different from the ones I've found online, especially in that, in her version, the pig belonged to the old man. The tune was also different from others I've seen. Here is her version, which we always called "The Piggy Song":
Old man had a little pig, mm, mm, mm.
Didn't cost much for it wasn't very big, mm, mm, mm. (Repeat slightly faster and higher.)
One day piggy failed to come, mm, mm, mm.
Found him dead lying in the sun, mm, mm, mm. (Repeat.)
Old man died on account of grief, mm, mm, mm.
Wasn't that a great relief, mm, mm, mm. (Repeat.)
Old woman walked and she weaped and she cried, mm, mm, mm.
Then she lay right down and died, mm, mm, mm. (Repeat.)
Buried them all under sycamore tree, mm, mm, mm.
Old man, woman, and the little piggy, mm, mm, mm. (Repeat.)
Dug 'em up and a-laid 'em on a shelf, mm, mm, mm.
If you want any more you can sing it yourself, mm, mm, mm. (Repeat.)

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: Mrrzy
Date: 10 Jun 13 - 12:00 PM

Also, Doc Watson did a version of Groundog that ended There's a little piece of cornbread a-layin' on the shelf & If you want any more you got to sing it yourself

Which is the only place I know that ending from.

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST,April Smith
Date: 25 Sep 13 - 04:46 PM

My Granny used to sing this to us all the time. Not sure if differences are localized or what, but this was her version (she was born in mountains of NC in 1930 and moved to eastern NC during the Depression)...

Was an old woman, had a little pig (mm mm mm)
Was an old woman, had a little pig (mm mm mm)
Was an old woman, had a little pig,
Didn't cost much 'cause he wasn't very big (mm mm mm)

This little piggy did lots of harm (mm mm mm)
This little piggy did lots of harm (mm mm mm)
This little piggy did lots of harm,
Runnin' and a snortin' all over the farm (mm mm mm)

The little piggy died from the lack of breath (mm mm mm)
The little piggy died from the lack of breath (mm mm mm)
The little piggy died from the lack of breath,
Wasn't that an awful death? (mm mm mm)

The old woman sobbed and she sighed and she cried (mm mm mm)
The old woman sobbed and she sighed and she cried (mm mm mm)
The old woman sobbed and she sighed and she cried,
Then she laid right down and died (mm mm mm)

The old man died because of grief (mm mm mm)
The old man died because of grief (mm mm mm)
The old man died because of grief,
Wasn't that a great relief? (mm mm mm)

There they all lie up on the shelf (mm mm mm)
There they all lie up on the shelf (mm mm mm)
There they all lie up on the shelf,
You want any more, you'll sing it yourself (mm mm mm)

(I used to love that last line!)
:)
Anyone else hear anything similar?

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST
Date: 23 May 14 - 12:01 AM

My grandma used to sing this song:

There was an old woman she had a little pig-humhumhum
Didn't cost much cause he wasn't very big-humhumhum

One day little piggy laid down to die- humhumhum
ol the woman she wept and she cried cause her little pig had died-humhumhum

Laid his hide out to dry-humhumhum
Laid his hide out to dry, long come a nigga to buy his hide-humhumhum

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST,Chris l
Date: 12 Feb 16 - 10:30 PM

My mother sang it to me. Her parents sang it to her. She died at 94. Her version. Goes like this:

There was an old woman who had a

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST,Guest Jillian
Date: 09 Jun 16 - 10:23 PM

This is how it was sang to me and how I now sing it to my daughter...

There was an old lady and she bought a little pig uh huh uh huh
There was an old lady and she had a little pig, didn't pay much cause he wasn't very big uh huh uh huh

Little piggy ran all over the farm uh huh uh huh
Little piggy ran all over the farm, didn't do much cause he wasn't much harm uh huh uh huh

Little piggy got sick little piggy did die uh huh uh huh
Little piggy got sick little piggy did die, buried him under a tree near by uh huh uh huh

The old woman sobbed and she sighed and she cried uh huh uh huh
the old woman sobbed and she sighed and she cried, laid down beside that piggy and died uh huh uh huh

The old man died soon after uh huh uh huh
the old man died soon after hung himself from a pig pen rafter uh huh uh huh

Now that is the end of the 123 uh huh uh huh
Now that is the end of the 1 2 3 the man the woman and the piggggyyy uh huh uh huh

The engine book lies on the shelf uh huh uh huh
the engine book lies on the shelf if you want to hear it again you can sing it yourself uh huh uh huh.

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Mar 19 - 09:24 AM

The last verse is:
The songbook lies upon the shelf..mmm, mmm, mmm
If you want any more, you can sing it yourself..mmm, mmm, mmm.

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 07 Mar 19 - 01:59 PM

The last verse 'shelf' is probably the most widespread commonplace final verse very popular in little ditties like this in the English-speaking world for many centuries, probably even more popular than the rose-briar motif in the big ballads.

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Mar 21 - 10:25 AM

This was sung to me and I sang to my kids. Each line repeated 3 times and with Umm, Umm, Umm at the end of the line.

There was an old woman had a little pig
Didn't eat much cause he wasn't very big
One day when she called little piggie didn't come
Found him dead a-laying in the sun.
Then the old woman sat down and she cried,
Then she laid right down and died.
The old man died for the want of bread
Now the man and the woman and the piggie are dead
Lay them out one, two, three
The man, the woman and the little pig-gee
Pick them up and put them on the shelf
If you want another song you gotta sing it for yourself.

Subject: RE: There Was an Old Woman and She Had a Little Pig
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Mar 21 - 12:50 PM

Ed McCurdy has a slightly different yet much more cheerful version on one of his children's albums:

There was an old woman and she had a little pig, oink, oink, oink
There was an old woman and she had a little pig,
It didn't cost much cause he wasn't very big, oink, oink, oink

This little old woman kept the pig in the barn
Prettiest little thing that she had on the farm

But this little pig did a heap of harm
He made little tracks all around the barn

Now this little woman fed the pig on clover
And when he ran, he shook all over