Hello Q.

I've been wandering through old threads and found this one.

In Sept 04 you said that the earliest printed version of THE HAMBURGER FAIR [a song like "Animal Fair"] was in 1927. Did you mean that 1927 was the earliest printed version thus far of "Animal Fair" ?

I found this one in Thomas W. Talley's Negro Folk Rhymes, originally published in 1922. In the 1968 Kennikat Press edition "Animal Fair" is on page 159-1960. Four days ago I had posted in the Elephant & Hippo thread, and I thought this one would be appropriate for it also.

ANIMAL FAIR

Has you ever hearn tell 'bout
de Animal Fair?
Dem birds an' beast wus all down dere.
Dat jaybird a-settin' down on 'is [his]wing!
Has you ever hearn tell
about sitch a thing
As whut 'us [was] at dat Animal Fair?

Well, dem animals had a Fair.
Dem birds an' beast wus dere.
De big Baboon,
By de light o' de moon,
Jes comb up his sandy hair.

De monkey, he git drunk,
He kick up a red hot chunk,
Dem coals, dey 'rose;
An' bu'nt 'is toes!
He climb de Elephan' trunk.

I went down to de Fair.
Dem varmints all wus dere.
Dat young Baboon
Wunk at Miss Coon;
Dat curled de Elephan's hair.

De Camel den walk 'bout,
An' tromped on de Elephan's snout.
De Elephan' sneeze
An' fall on his knees;
Dat pleased all dem monkeys.

end of quote.

Are there earlier printed versions than this one?