Wherein The Foolish Boy is murdered but is still able to tell the tale.

Lyr. Add: THE FOOLISH BOY
S. Baring-Gould

My father died, and I can't tell y' how,
He left me six horses to follow the plough.
With a whing, whing, waddle, O!
With a string, strang, straddle, O!
Blossy boys! Babble, O! under the broom.

I sold my six horses, and bought me a cow,
I'm going to get money, but I can't tell you how.
With a whing, etc.

I sold my cow, and I bought me a calf,
By that my bargain I lost just half.
With a whing, etc.

I sold my calf and I bought me a cat,
And in the chimney corner the pretty thing sat.
With a whing, etc.

I sold my cat and I bought me a mouse,
Set fire to her tail, and she burnt down my house.
With a whing, etc.

I sold my mouse, and I bought me a wife,
She cut my throat with an old rusty knife.
With a whing, whang, waddle O!
etc.

S. Baring-Gould, 1895, "A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes," pp. 17-18, no. VIII.
Notes: various alterations to the burden. One is:-
Whimma whimmee wobble O!
Jigga-jiggee-joggle O!
Little boys a wobble, O! lived under the gloam.

A little rhyme from Halliwell, (see previous post), p. 92:

There was an old man,
And he had a calf,
And that's half;
He took him out of the stall,
And put him on the wall,
And that's all.