Lyr Add: The Spider and the Fly

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SPIDER AND THE FLY
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Jun 10 - 03:33 PM

Here's the complete song, from Comic Songs by Thomas Hudson (London: T. Hudson, 1818), page 26:

[I have modernized the punctuation.]


THE SPIDER AND THE FLY!
Tune—"Will you come to the Bower?"

"WILL you walk into my parlour? (said a Spider to a Fly)
'Tis the prettiest little parlour sure that ever you did spy.
You've only got to pop your head within side of the door.
You'll see so many curious things you never saw before.
Will you walk in, pretty Fly?

"My house is always open. (says the Spider to the Fly)
I'm glad to have the company of all I see go by."
"They go in, but don't come out again.—I've heard of you before."
"Oh yes, they do. I always let them out at my back door.
Will you walk in, pretty Fly?

"Will you grant me one sweet kiss? (then says the Spider to the Fly)
To taste your charming lips, I've a cu-ri-os-i-ty."
(Said the Fly,) "If once our lips did meet, a wager I would lay,
Of ten to one you would not after let them come away."
"Will you walk in, pretty Fly?"

"If you won't kiss, will you shake hands? (says the Spider to the Fly)
Before you leave me to myself, with sorrow sad to sigh."
(Says the Fly,) "There's nothing handsome unto you belongs.
I declare you should not touch me, even with a pair of tongs."
"Will you walk in, pretty Fly?"

"What handsome wings you've got! (says the Spider to the Fly)
If I had got such a pair, I in the air would fly.
'Tis useless all my wishing, and only idle talk.
You can fly up in the air, while I'm obliged to walk.
Will you walk in, pretty Fly?

"For the last time now I ask you, will you walk in, Mr. Fly?"
"No, if I do may I be shot. I'm off, so now goodbye."
Then up he springs, but both his wings were in the web caught fast.
The Spider laugh'd, "Ha, ha, my boy, I have you safe at last.
Will you walk out, pretty Fly?

"And pray how are you now? (says the Spider to the Fly)
You fools will never wisdom get, unless you dearly buy.
'Tis vanity that ever makes repentance come too late,
And you who into cobwebs run, surely deserve your fate.
Listen to me, listen to me, foolish Fly."

MORAL. Now all young men take warning by this foolish little Fly.
Pleasure is the Spider, that to catch you fast will try;
For altho' you may think that my advice is quite a bore,
You're lost if you stand parleying outside of Pleasure's door.
Remember, oh remember the foolish little Fly.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Spider and the Fly
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 12:32 PM

I should have added that Hudson gives the tune "Will You Come to the Bower". The closest Bodleian broadside is this one. Seemingly some assumptions have been made as to its authorship.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Spider and the Fly
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 12:08 PM

Sorry, that was me, above.

This from Comic Songs by Thomas Hudson, dated 1824:

  "Will you walk into my parlour" (said a spider to a Fly)
  "'Tis the prettiest little parlour sure that ever you did spy.
  You've only got to pop your head within side of the door,
  You'll see so many curious things you never saw before. 
            Will you walk in, pretty Fly?"
  

Curious - this pre-dates Mary Howitt.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Spider and the Fly
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 12:04 PM

"Wiil you walk into my parlour" (said a spider to a Fly)
"'Tis the prettiest little parlour sure that ever you did spy.
You've only got to pop your head within side of the door,
You'll see so many curious things you never saw before."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Spider and the Fly
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Sep 08 - 10:31 AM

My Great-grandma sang:

"Won't you come into my parlor?"
Said the spider to the fly,
"Its the prettiest, sweetest, little parlor
That ever you can spy."
"Not today, thanks, Mr. Longshanks.
I have other fish to fry."

MeeM

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Spider and the Fly
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 08:47 AM

Q-

No music or reference to a tune in Songs for the Little Ones at Home.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Spider and the Fly
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 06:38 AM

Of course no thread like this would be compete without a mention of the use Ian Fleming made of this rhyme in one of his books -

"Welcome to my parlour said Blofeld to the Spy"... :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Spider and the Fly
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 09:32 PM

The Bodleian has an abbreviated version, "The Spider & Fly," to the tune of "Will You Come to the Bower."
Thompson, G., Liverpool, "between 1789 and 1820," 2806 c.17(403). "Mary Howitt." Also Firth b.28(27d), "between 1840 and 1866, J. Harkness, Preston, but no tune mentioned.

Also copies of "An Answer;" "Will you walk into my parlor, said the young man to the maid ...." Harding B 25(76) and others.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Spider and the Fly
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 09:14 PM

Charley, does your "Songs for the Little Ones ..." have music? I wondered if anyone set Howitt's poem to music.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Spider and the Fly
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 08:36 PM

Q-

Well, you've saved me the trouble of typing up the remaining verses and the credit to Mary Howitt. I have the same version you've posted above in Songs for the Little Ones at Home,, published by the American Tract Society, New York, 1852, pp. 263-266.

Maybe I'll post some of the other intriguing songs from this book.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SPIDER AND THE FLY (Mary Howitt)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 07:06 AM

THE SPIDER AND THE FLY
Mary Howitt, 1829

AN APOLOGUE.
A NEW VERSION OF AN OLD STORY.

1. "Will you walk into my parlour?" said a spider to a fly;
"'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy.
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I have many pretty things to show when you are there."
"Oh, no, no!" said the little fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."

2. "I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the spider to the fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around, the sheets are fine and thin;
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in."
Oh, no, no!" said the little fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"

3. Said the cunning spider to the fly, "Dear friend, what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I've always felt for you?
I have, within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome—will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh, no, no!" said the little fly, "kind sir, that cannot be;
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see."

4. "Sweet creature!" said the spider, "you're witty and you're wise;
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I have a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning, now, I'll call another day."

5. The spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner, sly,
And set his table ready to dine upon the fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple—there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead."

6. Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue;—
Thinking only of her crested head—poor foolish thing! —At last,
Up jumped the cunning spider, and fiercely held her fast.

7. He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlor—but she ne'er came out again!
And now, dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly, flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart, and ear, and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.

Originally published in "Sketches of Natural History," 1834.
Spider and the Fly

Mary Howitt, 1799-1888, English poet. With her husband, William Howitt, she wrote over 180 books.
The "Lobster Quadrille," part of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," by Lewis Carroll, is a parody of Howitt's poem, "The Spider and the Fly."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Spider and the Fly
From: Paul Burke
Date: 28 Jul 08 - 03:34 AM

Oh, no, no said the little fly,
To ask me is in vain,
For who should climb your winding stair
Will ne'er come down again.


was the second verse my Mum sange.

Subject: Lyr Add: FLY AND SPIDER SONG (Barnard,Mollenhauer)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Jul 08 - 11:30 PM

Lyr. Add: FLY AND SPIDER SONG
Music Ed. R. Mollenhauer, words Charles Barnard, 1879
Comic opera "The Wager, Masked Ball"

INTRODUCTION: Will you walk into the parlor,
Said the spider to the fly,
'Tis the neatest little parlor,
That ever you did spy.

1. Oh the silly, silly little fly,
To enter such a parlor;
The spider broke his pretty wings,
And served him up for dinner.

2. Flirtation is a double play,
It takes just two to do it;
Sometimes they find it very gay,
And then again they rue it.

ALLEGRO: Oh social moths and butterflies
That flit from hall to parlor,
Beware the poor fly's tragic fate,
Oh do not try flirtation;
They spell it wrong who call it fun,
It should be spell'd vexation,
For when they find themselves undone,
Why then they cry ....nation.

Sheet music by Edward Schuberth & Co., New York

American Memory, Music for a Nation, American Sheet Music, 1870-1885.
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1879.05235
Others?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Fly and Spider Song (1879)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Jul 08 - 11:08 PM

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SPIDER AND THE FLY (Eastman, 1883)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Jul 08 - 11:06 PM

Lyr. Add: THE SPIDER AND THE FLY
Song and Chorus by Eastman, 1883

1. Now you all have heard the story of the very naughty spider,
Of the cruel, wicked spider and the fly;
And although we all believe it, yet we ev'ry day perceive it
On the faces that we meet when passing by ...
There's a charming little lady, and she smiles on you,
You think she is your own forever more;
But look out, for she's a "spider" and she's catching little "flies,"
While she meets you, smiling sweetly, at the door!

CHORUS: "Won't you walk into my parlor,"
Says the spider to the little fly,
"Come and sit down in the parlor,
And don't you be shy!"
For it is the coziest parlor,"
Says the spider, with a sweet little sigh;
Smile, if you may, but you can't get away,
She's got you, Mr. Fly!

2. Ev'ry fly is fond of sugar, we all do like to taste it,
Though we often find it on forbidden ground;
If we meet the naughty spider we will take a seat beside her,
While the other flies go buzzing round and round!
Oh, these little lumps of sugar, they are sweet, sweet, sweet,
But then you know they come so awful high!
While you're buzzing round to find them you will surely lose your wings,
Then you'll think about the spider and the fly!

S. Brainard's Sons, Cleveland and Chicago, 1883.
American Memory, Music For a Nation: American Sheet Music, 1870-1885. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/sm1883.12528

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SPIDER AND THE FLY (W. W. Pearson)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Jul 08 - 10:03 PM

I've heard the opening line quoted many times, but I've never heard the song.

There are words and music in Zuchtmann, Frederick. New American Music Reader. New York: Macmillan, 1903, page 92.

THE SPIDER AND THE FLY
W. W. Pearson

1. "Will you walk into my parlor?" said the spider to the fly.
"'Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy.
You've only got to pop your head just inside of the door.
You'll see so many curious things you never saw before.
Will you will you, will you, will you, will you walk in, pretty fly?
Will you will you, will you, will you, will you walk in, pretty fly?

2. "I am sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high.
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said he then to the fly.
"The pretty curtains drawn around, the sheets so fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in."
"Oh, no, no, no," said the little fly, "for I have heard it said
That they never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed."

3. Said the cunning spider to the fly, "Dear friend, what can I do
Just to prove the sweet affection I've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry here, good store of all that's nice.
I'm sure you're very welcome. Will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh, no, no, no," said the little fly. "Kind sir, that cannot be.
I have heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see."