MARY ANNE WENT TO THE MILL

SOLO:        Oh, Mary Anne went to the mill,
CHORUS:        OH MARY ANNE WENT TO THE MILL,
SOLO:        To grind some gain, her sack to fill,
CHORUS:        TO GRIND SOME GRAIN, HER SACK TO FILL.
SOLO:        A-riding on her donkey, her pretty little donkey
CHORUS: A-RIDING ON HER DONKEY-DILL, CLIP-CLOP AWAY TO THE MILL

The miller, when he saw the maid,
MILLER, WHEN HE SAW THE MAID,
Went up to her, and thus he said:
WENT UP TO HER, AND THUS HE SAID:
"Hitch up your little donkey, your pretty little donkey,
"HITCH UP YOUR LITTLE DONKEY DILL, BACK THERE BEHIND THE MILL.

Then, as the miller turned the mill,
THEN, AS THE MLLER TURNED THE MILL,
A great big wolf came 'round the hill,
A GREAT BIG WOLF CAME 'ROUND THE HILL,
And gobbled up the donkey, the pretty little donkey,
HE GOBBLED UP THE DONKEY DILL, RIGHT THERE BEHIND THE MILL.

Poor Mary Anne began to cry,
POOR MARY ANNE BEGAN TO CRY,
The miller gave her gold to buy
THE MILLER GAVE HER GOLD TO BUY
Another little donkey, a pretty little donkey
TO BUY ANOTHER DONKEY DILL, TO TAKE HER        HOME FROM THE MILL.

But then, when Mary Anne got home,
BUT THEN, WHEN MARY ANNE GOT HOME,
Her father said: "What have you done?"
HER FATHER SAID: "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"
"What's happened to your donkey? —your pretty little donkey?
"WHAT'S HAPPENED TO YOUR DONKEY DILL, THAT TOOK YOU TO THE MILL?

"Oh father, 'tis St. Michael's Day,
"OH FATHER, 'TIS ST. MICHAEL'S DAY,
"When donkeys change their skins, they say,
"WHEN DONKEYS CHANGE THEIR SKINS, THEY SAY.
This is the same old donkey, my pretty little donkey,
"THIS IS SAME OLD DONKEY DILL, THAT TOOK ME TO THE MILL!"



Notes: The wolf is again the villain in this song, as he is in many French folk songs, but the climax of this story is based on an old superstition that all donkeys change their skins on St. Michael's Day (Michaelmas). In this case, when Mary Anne's donkey is devoured by a wolf, and she arrives home with a newly-purchased donkey, she uses the old superstition to convince her father that It's the same beast.

French name: Mariann' s'en va-t-au moulin

Source: French Folk Songs for Children in English, Sung by Alan Mills. Folkways record FC7018
Notes and translations by Alan Mills

https://folkways-media.si.edu/liner_notes/folkways/FW07018.pdf


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV6cgzx2gkE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5e1DgpjnUs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9gCHwhwNAY