I am a total novice so I dont even know if this is a site that can help.

Many years ago my father used to sing us a scary old song, supposedly about a real event where a girl murdered her family.

I only remember pieces of it and wonder if anyone has any idea of its origin and the full set of lyrics. (I now have a son of my own, and its time to sing this around campfires)

The bits I remember are:

"One day while in a fit of pique
rickety tickety tin
One day while in a fit of pique
She drowned her brother in the creek..."

Another bit

"and she danced around the funeral pyre
with her face in a terrible grin, grin
Yes her face in a terrible grin"

Not much help, but you either know it or not, I suppose