I saw a note above, and just wanted to mention that my grandmother was from Louisiana, since the only other person who knows the sweet potato vine version is from there as well. My grandmother grew up during the Great Depression.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Once upon a time, the Goose drank wine...
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Aug 10 - 11:12 PM

My Mom told me this version that she got from her mother, (though Grandma said the last line "on a little billy goat"):

Once upon a time
a goose drank some wine
a monkey played the fiddle
on the sweet potato vine

the vine broke
the monkey got choked
and they all went to heaven
in a little row boat