MILKING PAIL (a version of this song) is in the DT (Click here for other sets of lyrics and background info).

An entry at The Traditional Ballad Index:

Milking Pails (China Doll)
DESCRIPTION: The child begs, "Mama, buy me a china doll." The mother asks where the money will come from. The child proposes selling Papa's bed. Mama asks where Papa will sleep. The child keeps proposing ideas, each more impractical. Finally Mama ends the discussion
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1894 (Gomme)
KEYWORDS: commerce children family mother playparty
FOUND IN: US(So) Britain (England)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Randolph 356, "Buy Me a China Doll" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, MILKPAIL
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Chiney Doll

Notes: Randolph's informant claims to have learned this in Oklahoma. I know of only two verified American collections, though: Randolph's, and a version ("Chiney Doll") by Almeda Riddle. Thus American texts, and the "China Doll" wish, may be confined to the Ozarks. On the other hand, Newell's text, "Milking-Pails" (from England) is so close in form (if not in the object of desire) that the song must be considered ancient, and Gomme has more than a dozen British texts. The British version is a singing game, though the American texts seem to have lost this trait. - RBW
File: R356

................................................................................

BUY ME A CHINA DOLL
("Sung by Mrs. Janaet Shreve, farmington, Ark., Jan. 28, 1942. Learned about 1900 near Chelsea, Okla., on an Indian reservation."--Randolph)

Mamma, buy me a china doll,
Buy me a china doll,
Buy me a china doll,
Oh mamma dear.

Where will the money come from?
Where will the money come from?
Where will the money come from?
Oh daughter dear.

Sell papa's feather-bed,
Sell papa's feather-bed,
Sell papa's feather-bed,
Oh mamma dear.

Where will papa sleep?
Where will papa sleep?
Where will papa sleep?
Oh daughter dear.

Sleep in the piggies' bed,
Sleep in the piggies' bed,
Sleep in the piggies' bed,
Oh mamma dear.

Where will the piggies sleep?
Where will the piggies sleep?
Where will the piggies sleep?
Oh daughter dear.

Sleep in the horse's stall,
Sleep in the horse's stall,
Sleep in the horse's stall,
Oh mamma dear.

Where will the horses sleep?
Where will the horses sleep?
Where will the horses sleep?
Oh daughter dear.

Tie 'em down by the river side,
Tie 'em down by the river side,
Tie 'em down by the river side,
Oh mamma dear.

Where will the rope come from?
Where will the rope come from?
Where will the rope come from?
Oh daughter dear.

Take down the children's swing,
Take down the children's swing,
Take down the children's swing,
Oh mamma dear.

Where will the children swing?
Where will the children swing?
Where will the children swing?
Oh daughter dear.

Swing on the garden gate,
Swing on the garden gate,
Swing on the garden gate,
Oh mamma dear.

Yes, and get a licking too,
Yes, and get a licking too,
Yes, and get a licking too,
Oh daughter dear.

(SOURCE: Vance Randolph, Ozark Folksongs, vol. III, No. 356 (pp. 46-47; with music)

~Masato

---

Click to play