Here's another song that uses the refrain 'Poor little thing cried mammy'.

POOR LITTLE THING CRIED MAMMY
(Traditional)

As a little boy, I lived by myself
Away down in the valley
All my bread and the cheese, I laid it on the shelf
And the poor little thing cried mammy

The rats and the mice, they led me such a life
Away down in the valley
Had to go to Baltimore to get me a wife
And the poor little thing cried mammy

The road was so long, and the lanes so far
Away down in the valley
Had to fetch her home in a little wheel barrow
And the poor little thing cried mammy.

My foot just slipped and I got a fall
Away down in the valley
Down fell wheel barrow, little wife and all
And the poor little thing cried mammy

I swapped my wheel barrow and got me a horse
Away down in the valley
And then I rid from cross to cross
And the poor little thing cried mammy

I swapped my horse and I got me a mare
Away down in the valley
And then I rid from fair to fair
And the poor little thing cried mammy

I swapped my mare and I got me a cow
Away down in the valley
And in that trade I learned just how
And the poor little thing cried mammy

I swapped my cow and I got me a calf
Away down in the valley
And in that trade I lost just half
And the poor little thing cried mammy

I swapped my calf and I got me a mule
Away down in the valley
And then I rid like a doggone fool
And the poor little thing cried mammy

I swapped my mule and I got me a sheep
Away down in the valley
And then I rid myself to sleep
And the poor little thing cried mammy

I swapped my sheep and I got me a hen
Away down in the valley
Oh what a pretty thing I had then
And the poor little thing cried mammy

I swapped my hen, and I got me a mole
Away down in the valley
And the doggone thing went straight in its hole
And the poor little thing cried mammy

Source: transcription of Three Georgia Crackers 'Poor Little Thing Cried Mammy' [Perfect 12685]. Reissued on Various Artists 'The Story the Crow Told Me: Early American Rural Children's Songs Vol 1' Yazoo CD 2051.

Note: Three Georgia Crackers were the Canova Family - Anne, Judy and Zeke Canova.

--Stewie.