Mythology & Folklore

My father left me three acres of land

by Anonymous (English nursery rhymes) traditional; recorded 17th–19th century

From The Nursery Rhymes of England, collected by J. O. Halliwell (London: Warne; first ed. 1842; this printing 1886)

Mythology & Folklore

My father left me three acres of land,
Sing ivy, sing ivy;
My father left me three acres of land,
Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I ploughed it with a ram's horn,
Sing ivy, sing ivy;
And sowed it all over with one pepper corn,
Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I harrowed it with a bramble bush,
Sing ivy, sing ivy;
And reaped it with my little penknife,
Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

I got the mice to carry it to the barn,
Sing ivy, &c.
And thrashed it with a goose's quill,
Sing holly, &c.

I got the cat to carry it to the mill,
Sing ivy, &c.
The miller he swore he would have her paw,
And the cat she swore she would scratch his face,
Sing holly, go whistle and ivy!

✦ ✦ ✦

Halliwell's class: Songs.

MLA

Anonymous (English nursery rhymes). “My father left me three acres of land.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-nursery-rhymes/169/.

Chicago

Anonymous (English nursery rhymes). “My father left me three acres of land.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-nursery-rhymes/169/.

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