Origins: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)

Subject: what became of the monk?
From: bassen
Date: 30 Sep 98 - 06:58 PM

Growing up in California in the 50s, we sang a song that went like this:

I went to the animal fair
The birds and the beasts were there
The old baboon by the light of the moon
Was combing his amber hair
The monkey he got drunk
And fell on the elephant's trunk
The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees
And what became of the monk, the monk, the monk?

Anyone else remember this? I have a feeling that this song is/was pretty well known in the US, maybe even in songbooks, I no longer live there so I'm not sure. But where is it from, how old is it, does it have any deeper meaning beyond the spectacle of what became of the monk?

bassen

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From: Mo
Date: 30 Sep 98 - 07:04 PM

I know it here in Scotland too, but like you, know no more about it.

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From: Roger Himler
Date: 30 Sep 98 - 07:31 PM

Bassen,

I recall:

The funniest was the monk, Who climbed up the elephant's drunk.

Of course, this is oral tradition, folk process and all that stuff.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From: Gene
Date: 30 Sep 98 - 07:43 PM

I think I have a version of that on a
Children's Songs LP....
S-o-m-e-w-h-e-r-e???

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From: Barbara
Date: 30 Sep 98 - 10:12 PM

Yeah, I remember hearing it too, when I was a kid, I think it was on this kid's 78 we had that was yellow? Also had Sourwood mountain, and Big rock candy mountain, other songs...words were the same as bassens, except the last line was:
"What became of the monk, the monk, and what became of the monk?"
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From: Rockaday Johnny
Date: 01 Oct 98 - 02:08 AM

For a great version find it on one of the old Jesse Fuller lps - (Animal Fair)!

Subject: Lyr Add: ANIMAL FAIR / MINSTREL SONG
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Oct 98 - 05:58 PM

there are two versions at KiDiddles. I hope I copied the HTML right, since my edit button isn't working and I can't fix my goofs.
-Joe Offer-

Minstrel Song
Written By: Unknown

I went to the animal fair,
The birds and the beasts were there,
The big baboon by the light of the moon
Was combing his auburn hair,
The monkey bumped the skunk,
And sat on the elephant's trunk;
The elephant sneezed and fell to his knees,
And that was the end of the monk,
The monk, the monk, the monk,
The monk, the monk, the monk.

Minstrel Song
Written By: Unknown

I went to the animal fair
All the birds and the beasts were there
The big baboon by the light of the moon
Was combing his auburn hair.
You should have seen the monk
He sat on the elephant's trunk
The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees
And what became of the monk,
The monk, the monk, the monk,
The monk, the monk, the monk?

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From: rich r
Date: 03 Oct 98 - 09:21 PM

My recollection is that the monk got involved in the potato fixing end of a fish & chips business and became known as the chip monk.

rich r

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From: Bert
Date: 05 Oct 98 - 02:23 PM

rich r,
Last I heard of him he was in partnership with the fish friar.

Bert.

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From:
Date: 05 Oct 98 - 03:18 PM

G-R-O-A-N!!!

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From: Bert
Date: 05 Oct 98 - 05:20 PM

Well, when you go back to the Fifties for your songs and jokes, what do you expect.

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From: Bruce O.
Date: 05 Oct 98 - 06:37 PM

There's a version in Carl Sandberg's American Songbag, and a fragment in Spaeth's Read 'em and Weep.

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From: Ralph Butts
Date: 05 Oct 98 - 10:31 PM

I remember....

The monkey, he got drunk,
And sat on the elephant's trunk,

....Tiger

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: ANIMAL FAIR (from Carl Sandburg)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Oct 98 - 02:36 AM

Here's the Sandburg version, which agrees with Tiger. Sandburg says "all of the minstrels sang it," but that's all Sandburg says. I couldn't find any history on this song at all.

ANIMAL FAIR

I went to the animal fair
The birds and beasts were there
The big baboon by the light of the moon
Was combing his auburn hair.
The monkey he got drunk
And sat on the elephant's trunk
The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees
And what became of the monk, the monk?
The monk, etc., ad nauseam

MIDI file: ANIMAL~1.MID

Timebase: 192

Name: Animal Fair
Text: By traditional minstrel song
Key: D
TimeSig: 6/8 24 8
Start
0000 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 69 110 0046 0 69 000 0002 1 69 110 0046 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 69 110 0256 0 69 000 0224 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0032 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 69 110 0256 0 69 000 0224 1 74 110 0094 0 74 000 0002 1 73 110 0160 0 73 000 0032 1 73 110 0094 0 73 000 0002 1 73 110 0160 0 73 000 0032 1 71 110 0046 0 71 000 0002 1 71 110 0046 0 71 000 0002 1 73 110 0160 0 73 000 0032 1 73 110 0046 0 73 000 0002 1 73 110 0046 0 73 000 0002 1 73 110 0160 0 73 000 0032 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 69 110 0046 0 69 000 0002 1 69 110 0046 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0032 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 69 110 0256 0 69 000 0224 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0032 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 69 110 0256 0 69 000 0224 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 69 110 0046 0 69 000 0002 1 69 110 0046 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 69 110 0256 0 69 000 0224 1 74 110 0094 0 74 000 0002 1 73 110 0160 0 73 000 0032 1 73 110 0046 0 73 000 0002 1 73 110 0046 0 73 000 0002 1 73 110 0160 0 73 000 0032 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 73 110 0160 0 73 000 0032 1 73 110 0046 0 73 000 0002 1 73 110 0046 0 73 000 0002 1 73 110 0160 0 73 000 0032 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0032 1 66 110 0046 0 66 000 0002 1 66 110 0046 0 66 000 0002 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Animal Fair
M:6/8
Q:1/4=120
K:D
FA2A/2A/2BB|FA5|FA2AB2|FA5|dc2cc2|B/2B/2c2c/2c/2c2|
BA2A/2A/2B2|FA5|FA2AB2|FA5|FA2A/2A/2BB|FA5|
dc2c/2c/2c2|Bc2c/2c/2c2|BA2AB2|F/2F/2A2AA||

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From:
Date: 08 Oct 98 - 08:56 PM

The version I knew always ended "And that was the end of the monk." It is a drunken monkey in my version too.

Subject: RE: what became of the monk?
From: Gene
Date: 15 Oct 98 - 06:08 PM

Here's another version of THE ANIMAL FAIR
From an old Children's Songs LP

THE ANIMAL FAIR

I went to the animal fair
The birds and the beasts were there
The big baboon by the light of the moon
Was combing his auburn hair.

The monkey, he got drunk
And sat on the elephant's trunk
The elephant sneezed and fell to his knees
And that was the end of the monk
The monk, the monk, the monk
The monk, the monk, the monk.

Said a flea to a fly in a flue
Said the flea: "Oh, what shall we do?"
Said the fly: "Let us flee!"
Said the flea: "Let us fly!"
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

Subject: RE: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: GUEST,Mat
Date: 11 Dec 03 - 10:58 AM

I know it as:-

We went to the animal fair,
The birds and the beasts were there,
By the light of the moon the big baboon was combing his golden hair,
The monkey fell out if his bunk,
Slid down the elephants trunk,
The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees,
But what became of the monkey monkey monkey monkey.......

Subject: RE: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Leadfingers
Date: 11 Dec 03 - 08:41 PM

Used to be sung back in the good old days when I was in the Scouts !!

Subject: RE: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Amos
Date: 11 Dec 03 - 09:45 PM

An old family favorite -- but wasn't it also one of Arthur Godfrey's??

A

Subject: RE: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 12 Dec 03 - 05:42 AM

I'm almost with Guest,Mat here.The version I remember from numerous Scout camps was:

We went to the animal fair,
The birds and the beasts were there,
The gay baboon, by the light of the moon, was combing his auburn hair,
The monkey fell out if his bunk, (shouted "THUMP!")
Slid down the elephants trunk, ("WHEEE!")
The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees,
But what became of the monkey monkey monkey monkey.......

at this point half the campfire circle start the verse again whilst the other half continue the two tone repetition of "monkey, monkey..." Although due to the emphasis it sounds more like "Ee-monk, eemonk...." (possibly why it has been transcribed elsewhere as "the monk")

CHEERS

Nigel

Subject: RE: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Schantieman
Date: 12 Dec 03 - 12:19 PM

I also used to sing this at Scout (and Cub) camp and am currently teaching it to my seven-year-old daughter. Exactly as Nigel says, except "I went..."

Steve

Subject: RE: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 03 - 04:40 PM

I think that the monk ran away with the priest and picked up some alter boys.

Subject: RE: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 26 Mar 04 - 05:36 AM

Guest: how do you "alter boys" ?

or should that read 'altar'

Nigel

Subject: RE: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: DonMeixner
Date: 26 Mar 04 - 08:08 AM

At the ecumenical fair,
The nuns and the priests were there
Congregations swooned in the light of the moon
At the hell-fire preachers there,
You ought to have seen the monk,
The barrels of wine he drunk,
The bishop wheezed as he fell to his knees,
To pray for the soul of the monk, the monk,
To pray for the soul of the monk.

Don

Subject: RE: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: brid widder
Date: 26 Mar 04 - 01:59 PM

I also remember this from Guides & Brownies... it was an ANIMAL fair remember...why would a monk be there?.. no it was Monkey... he'd got drunk, slid down the elephants trunk and we don't know what became of him when the elephant sneezed & fell on his knees... but we could guesssshhhhhssshhhhhhssssspppplllllaat

Subject: RE: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Mar 04 - 06:33 PM

I learned the one where he got drunk too, and at the end it when "and that was the end of the monk, the monk, the monk!" where the monkey's fate is not in doubt by virtue of being smashed by the elephant.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: GUEST,sh0r7 13u5
Date: 08 Aug 04 - 01:50 PM

This has to be the funniest forum I have ever read! Now sure how I came along to it, but yea! lol. Anyway, I've heard every version that was just mentioned above! I don't think there was a definite version to this song. Maybe made up by a drunk guy, and every-time he sang it, he changed the words a bit, causeing people from different places to know it by different ways. IDK. Anyway, yea, I agree, he ran away with the priest (the monk) to find him some good altar boys also!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From:
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 06:50 PM

MOre lyrics can be found in the main title of the 1959 film, Face of Fire. Hard to get, but they are there.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE HAMBURGER FAIR (from Vance Randolph)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 07:31 PM

Earliest printed appearance, so far, in Randolph, "Ozark Folksongs," 1927.

THE HAMBURGER FAIR

I went to the hamburger fair,
The birds and the beasts were there,
The old raccoon, by the light of the moon,
Was combing his auburn hair.
The monkey he got drunk,
Down under the elephant's trunk,
The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees,
And what became of the monk?

Collected in Missouri, 1927. The singer said that he heard the song in Joplin, MO, about 1900. Randolph, Ozark Folksongs, vol. 3, no, 451, p. 207. Spaeth and others have speculated about animal shows going back to 1854, but no evidence of the song itself. Randolph says an "Animal Fair" text in the Aurora [MO] Advertiser, 1935, is "said to date back to 1895. I would not be surprised if it is found that this song dates to the Chicago World's Fair or the St. Louis World's Fair.

Also see "At Barnum's Show," where:
The monkey and the Elephant
Were playing seven-up.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 07:51 PM

Yes, I certainly remember it from Brownies, Guides and later teaching it to Cubs. We always sang the last line as:

"And that was the end of the monkey, monkey ..."

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 07:56 PM

New verses by William Copper, and partial sheet music, here: Animal Fair
Bartenshield group Edition 0419 copyright 2002 William P. Copper.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 08:01 PM

Oops! read Hartenshield as Barten-
www.hartenshield.com/animal_fair_sample.jpg
Animal Fair

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 08:05 PM

Two entries needed. The lyrics at www.hartenshield.com/animalfair.html
Animal Fair Lyrics

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 08:22 PM

Tex Ritter recorded "Animal Fair" with "Born a Hundred Years Ago" on the flip side (10', 78 rpm).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Azizi
Date: 21 Dec 04 - 11:21 PM

Hello Q.

I've been wandering through old threads and found this one.

In Sept 04 you said that the earliest printed version of THE HAMBURGER FAIR [a song like "Animal Fair"] was in 1927. Did you mean that 1927 was the earliest printed version thus far of "Animal Fair" ?

I found this one in Thomas W. Talley's Negro Folk Rhymes, originally published in 1922. In the 1968 Kennikat Press edition "Animal Fair" is on page 159-1960. Four days ago I had posted in the Elephant & Hippo thread, and I thought this one would be appropriate for it also.

ANIMAL FAIR

Has you ever hearn tell 'bout
de Animal Fair?
Dem birds an' beast wus all down dere.
Dat jaybird a-settin' down on 'is [his]wing!
Has you ever hearn tell
about sitch a thing
As whut 'us [was] at dat Animal Fair?

Well, dem animals had a Fair.
Dem birds an' beast wus dere.
De big Baboon,
By de light o' de moon,
Jes comb up his sandy hair.

De monkey, he git drunk,
He kick up a red hot chunk,
Dem coals, dey 'rose;
An' bu'nt 'is toes!
He climb de Elephan' trunk.

I went down to de Fair.
Dem varmints all wus dere.
Dat young Baboon
Wunk at Miss Coon;
Dat curled de Elephan's hair.

De Camel den walk 'bout,
An' tromped on de Elephan's snout.
De Elephan' sneeze
An' fall on his knees;
Dat pleased all dem monkeys.

end of quote.

Are there earlier printed versions than this one?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair
From: Ferrara
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 01:01 AM

Don't know anything about the origins but my father sang it and taught it to us kids. The version, just for the record, was this one:

I went to the animal fair
All the birds and the beasts were there
The big baboon by the light of the moon
Was combing his auburn hair.

The monkey he got drunk
And sat on the elephant's trunk,
The elephant sneezed, and fell on his knees,
And that was the end of the monk,
The monk, the monk, the monk, the monk, the monk,
[repeat at will, but at least four times],
And that was the end of the monk.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 01:53 AM

Brown, North Carolina Folklore, vol. 5, The Music of the Folk Songs, has music and the first verse of a version collected in 1920, and mentions a version in ESB 125- Joe Offer has all the volumes of this great work; ask him for the complete reference and song.

I wonder how I missed the song in Talley, which I have and have quoted from a number of times. When I posted "Hamburger Fair," I must have looked at the material in "The Traditional Ballad Index" (the date 1927 there, but they didn't check many references) and looked no further.
Randolph said his informant got it about 1900, and that was a parody.

Some sources say it is a minstrel song. The only minstrel song book available to me of the many issued is the Christy Songster which is on line.
It sounds more like a vaudeville song to me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: GUEST,Merle
Date: 28 Mar 06 - 08:46 AM

I have always been of the opinion that I Went To The Animal Fair was very old, possibly going back to England. The words tend to have that Swiftian flavor wherein politics is satired in children's song. The citizens of England were Catholic and then Henry the Eighth challenged the Pope's authority over him with his six successive wives. The "Monk" is the Pope. The Elephant would be the powerful King of England, Henry the Eighth. The Pope is combing his hair and get's drunk with his power and steps on the Elephant's trunk (excommunicates Henry) whereupon the elephant sneezes (talks back to the Pope) falls on his knees (prays on his own) and "that was the end of the Monk, the Monk, the Monk." In other words the break with the power of the Pope is accomplished by the creation of the Church of England with the King as the chief officer. The last words of Henry the Eighth upon his death was: "The monks! The monks! The monks!" Replies to this may be made to [e-mail].

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Mar 06 - 12:45 AM

The Online 78 rpm Discographical Project lists several early recordings:

Finzel Arcadia Orchestra of Detroit, THE ANIMAL FAIR, Okeh #40069, 1923.
Casino Do (C.Fry), ANIMAL FAIR, Pathe #10616, 1923.
Casino Do, ANIMAL FAIR, Perfect #14189, 1923.
Carl Fenton & His Orchestra, ANIMAL FAIR, Brunswick #2683, 1924.
W[alt?] Peterson, LAZY OLD MARY-ANIMAL FAIR, Silvertone #8202, c1927.
King's Men, I WENT TO THE ANIMAL FAIR MEDLEY, Decca #18195b, 1941.

Authorship is credited to "Johnson-Laforrest-Russo" or "Johnson-Laforest-Ross."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair
From: GUEST,Tom Bliss
Date: 30 Mar 06 - 04:06 AM

Our baboon was blue (and he slid out the bunk as above), and half the car had to keep the 'monk ee monk ee' going, while the others sang the verse again till they got to the chant, then it swapped over.

Another favourite was

Here we sit like birds in the wilderness
Birds in the wilderness
Birds in the wilderness
Here we sit like birds in the wilderness
Down in Alabama

and you had to keep THAT going while the starboard watch sang Yellow Submarine! (How's that for the folk process?)!

And speaking of which - as it's nearly sping in the UK:

Spring is sprung, de grass is riz
I wonder where dem boidies is?
De liddle boids is on der wing.
But dat's absoid...
De liddle wings is on der boid!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Mar 06 - 09:02 AM

I just realized that the "Do" in "Casino Do" (in the information I posted above) must be an abbreviation, because it appears many times on the page I took that information from, e.g. "MAJESTIC DO", "ELITE DO", "HOLLYWOOD DO". The entire list is in all caps. I'm guessing it stands for "Dance Orchestra."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Apr 06 - 12:46 PM

Here's the catalog, in PDF format, of The Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Collection at the Library of Congress. It lists the following sheet music:

Frederick Johnson, Harry LaForrest and Harley Rosso
THE ANIMAL FAIR. Chicago: Forster Music Pub., Inc., 1923.

The John Held Band Manuscript Collection at the Utah State Historical Society has the following listing:

John [sic], LaForrest, & Rosso. THE ANIMAL FAIR. Forster, 1923.

The Louis B. Schnauber/Film Music Society Collection lists it this way:

Johnson, Frederick G.; La Forrest, Harry; Rosso, Harley. THE ANIMAL FAIR. Chicago, IL: Forster Music, 1923. 17 parts. "this is the last time" ; novelty Fox Trot descriptive wrapped.

The Kirk Collection: Dance Band Index at Indiana State University has this:

Title: THE ANIMAL FAIR: novelty fox trot descriptive / <,> Harry La Forrest & Harley Rosso; arr. by Harry L. Alford. Frederick G. Johnson
P/P/D: Chicago : Forster Music, 1923.

One would hope that librarians and music publishers would at least spell names consistently, but that doesn't seem to be what happens.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: GUEST,Beverly
Date: 27 Aug 07 - 11:37 AM

My father always said.............

The Dutchess County Fair
The cats and the dogs will be there
The big baboon by the light of the moon was combing his curly hair

The monkey he got drunk
He sat on the elephants trunk
The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees
And what became of the monk? The drunk?

It is so intersting to see how this local fair song evolved from an older rhyme/song. I always wondered where it came from. Thank you all for your interesting tidbits!

Beverly

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 27 Aug 07 - 12:56 PM

My mother sang that song to me as early as 1943 or '44. I was but a tot, but I remember it well because I heard it so frequently. The first version of those above was what I remember, save the color of hair, which was auburn, not amber. I was somewhat amazed to see the words in print again, after all these many years.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Aug 07 - 08:13 PM

Azzizi's post above seems to support a minstrel song origin for this song, which would place the song in the last quarter of the 19th century. Works for me.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: GUEST,Michelle (UK)
Date: 09 Sep 07 - 06:29 PM

I went to the animal fair
The birds and the bees were there
The big baboon by the light of the moon
Was combing his auburn hair.
The monkey fell out of his bunk
And slid down the elephant's trunk,
The elephant sneezed, and fell on his knees,
but what became of the monkey, monkey, monkey

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: Alice
Date: 09 Sep 07 - 07:03 PM

that was the end of the monk.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: MystMoonstruck
Date: 09 Sep 07 - 07:12 PM

This is my Daddy Claude's version (my mom's father):

I went to the animal fair
The birds and the beasts were there
The big baboon by the light of the moon
Was combing his auburn hair.
The monkey he got drunk
And fell on the elephant's trunk,
The elephant sneezed, and fell on his knees,
And that was the end of the monk,
The monk, the monk, the monk,
And that was the end of the monk.

My mom, who is nearly 80, said he sang this to her and her two sisters when they were children. He continued his lively performances for the grandchildren. The auburn hair was always a special joke because my mom was a redhead till into her 20s, when her hair darkened; and I've always been a redhead, with coppery tresses when I was little. So, that was always a giggle and blush line since I'd inevitably get my long locks tugged teasingly.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: GUEST,Ian Mearns
Date: 15 Nov 07 - 05:58 AM

The Monkey he got drunk

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: what became of the monk? (Animal Fair)
From: GUEST,Snowy
Date: 26 Nov 07 - 07:50 AM

My father(who passed in March) sang this song to us from the time we were small. I taught it to my granddaughters recently. What i'd like to know is if the book "I Went to the Animal Fair" has any of the lyrics or is from the same song? I wanted to buy it for her or at least a copy of the music. She is an avid reader and would love to have the book if its one in the same.
Thanks.