I always end up making the last post on threads like these but here's a couple of comments.

First I was interested in the field song "Johnny Boker" that Azizi had noted, which is a clear precursor to the traditional sea shanty "Johnny Boker" having a similar chorus and tune.

Second, no one, I believe, has mentioned "Fod," a possible variant of "Springfield Mountain":

1. As I went down to the mowin' field,
Hu-rye, tu-rye, fod-a-link-a-dye-do
As I went down to the mowin' field, Fod!
Well, as I went down to the mowin' field,
A big black snake took me by the heel,
Tu-rolly-day.


2. I fell down upon the ground, (3 times)
I closed my eyes and I looked all around.

3. I climbed upon a stump to take my rest, (3)
And I looked like a woodchuck a-sitting on a nest.

4. I set down to sing this song (3)
'Long came a raccoon with his britches on.

5. The woodchuck grinned a banjo song (3)
And along came a skunk with his britches on.

6. Well, the woodchuck and skunk got into a fight, (3)
And the fumes so high they put out the light.

As sung by Frank Warner on OUR SINGING HERITAGE, Vol. III, © 1958

Collected and recorded by Charles L. Todd and Robert Sonkin from Henry King in Visalia, California for the Library of Congress in 1941.

My mother composed a poem some time in the early 1960's about a pet snake:

PET SNAKE

If I had a pet snake one hundred feet long and he died,
I would dig a trench one hundred feet long but not very wide
To bury him in.

Unless I could coil him up like a length of rope
But I couldn't do that if rigor mortis set in.
So, unless I chopped him all up in short pieces
(And I'd hate to do that)
I'd have to dig a long trench
And bury him in a long grave
One hundred feet long.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble