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Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song-mouse/ale

09 Jun 17 - 06:06 PM (#3859933)
Subject: Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song.
From: GUEST,Ravennah

My father has enlisted my help finding lyrics (and a title) to a very obscure drinking song from Yorkshire, England where my mother is from. It was sung in several pubs in Grassington (The Black Horse, Devonshire Arms and Forester's) and one in Cracoe (The Fountain Inn) by her father (my grandfather) Harry Wilson about 50 or 60 years ago... no exact date known
I have no idea what the name is... and very few of the lyrics.
The lyrics I DO have are:
    There once was a little mouse fell into a barrel of ale
    whilst swimming in that liquor his strength began to fail

Does anyone know anything about this song? I'm not expecting miracles... but i'm kinda hoping for one.:)


09 Jun 17 - 06:28 PM (#3859938)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song.
From: Bill D

Well, there is a similar theme about a dog that falls into a vat of 'scrumpy'.... but I don't know of a mouse song.


09 Jun 17 - 06:36 PM (#3859939)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song.
From: GUEST

Just a guess, but it could be a song based on this medieval fable:
http://mythfolklore.net/aesopica/oxford/118.htm


09 Jun 17 - 06:41 PM (#3859942)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song.
From: GUEST

sorry, I should have said It's from Aesop so older than medieval in fact!


09 Jun 17 - 09:48 PM (#3859961)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song.
From: oldhippie

Possibly related to ; THE CAT AND THE MOUSE; or, THE BROKEN PROMISE. "A giddy young mouse, full of frolic and play, Fell into a barrel of still-beer one day,..."


10 Jun 17 - 12:24 AM (#3859971)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song.
From: GUEST,Ravennah

You guys just won me 5 bucks and an espresso :D Thank you SO much!!! I never thought i would find this! My dad was convinced he'd finally stumped me with something i couldn't find on the internet but so far I'm 9 for 9!


10 Jun 17 - 04:47 AM (#3859989)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song-mouse/ale
From: Joe Offer

THE CAT AND THE MOUSE;
OR, THE BROKEN PROMISE.
A GIDDY young mouse, full of frolic and play,
Fell into a barrel of still-beer one day,
And, flouncing and splashing and dashing about,
Strove long, but, alas! all in vain, to get out;
When a cat, half asleep, in a window he spies,
To whom for assistance forthwith he applies.
"Why ask me?" says puss; "to your race I'm a foe;
And when you were out, I should eat you, you know."
"Well, that would be better than perishing here,"
Said the poor little mouse, struggling hard in the beer;
"Then help me, I pray, to get out of this swill,
You may afterwards do with me—e'en what you will."
So the cat helped him out without further delay,
Then prepared the poor shivering victim to slay;
But the fumes of the beer getting into her head,
She sputtered and sneezed till her nose fairly bled,
And let go the mouse, who, not waiting to say
"By your leave," to his hole made the best of his way.
Her sneezing-fit over, Puss looked all around,
But no trace of the mouse could be anywhere found:
So she jumped in the window to finish her sleep;
But soon from a hole saw a little head peep,
With two small black eyes, which she instantly knew,
Though the head and the eyes in a moment withdrew.
"Aha!" said the cat, " you're there, Sir, I see:
Is it thus you comply with your promise to me?"
And much more she said to the head and the eyes,
When mouse, feeling safe, very boldly replies :
   "I should never, you say, break the promise I gave,
Although, in so doing, my life I might save.
Well, it does not by any means seem to me so;
For that promise I gave when in liquor, you know."

Source: https://books.google.com


10 Jun 17 - 03:35 PM (#3860120)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song-mouse/ale
From: Steve Gardham

Mudcat strikes again!


10 Jun 17 - 03:58 PM (#3860123)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song-mouse/ale
From: GUEST,John Bowden (not a typo!)

Glad you won your bet, Ravennah! (I was the Guest above)

It would be interesting to get your grandfather's version - I can't find anything with the two lines you quoted, but Mudcat may come to the rescue again!

John


10 Jun 17 - 06:00 PM (#3860142)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song-mouse/ale
From: FreddyHeadey

Ravennah,
Does your dad have a tune for it?


10 Jun 17 - 06:25 PM (#3860151)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Looking for a very obscure song-mouse/ale
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler

"Folk's 'll say owt when they're i' liquor". I've never heard a song of it though, I only know the dialect tale.

Chris B.