Mythology & Folklore
A carrion crow sat on an oak
From The Nursery Rhymes of England, collected by J. O. Halliwell (London: Warne; first ed. 1842; this printing 1886)
A carrion crow sat on an oak,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do,
Watching a tailor shape his cloak;
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.
Wife, bring me my old bent bow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do,
That I may shoot yon carrion crow;
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.
The tailor he shot and missed his mark,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do,
And shot his own sow quite through the heart;
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.
Wife, bring brandy in a spoon,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do,
For our old sow is in a swoon;
Sing heigh ho, the carrion crow,
Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do.
Codex Note
Halliwell's class: Songs.
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (English nursery rhymes). “A carrion crow sat on an oak.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-nursery-rhymes/174/.
Chicago
Anonymous (English nursery rhymes). “A carrion crow sat on an oak.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-nursery-rhymes/174/.
Read this poem with the Codex →