Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Frogs Wedding

The Frog's Wedding

The Frog's Wedding

There was a frog lived in the well,
Hi Ho said Roly,
there was a frog lived in the well
and a merry mouse in the dell,
with me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

The frog he said I
must go court,
Hi Ho said Roly,
the frog he said I must go court,
with my bayonet and my sword
with me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

Where will the wedding be
Hi Ho said Roly,
where will the wedding be,
at the butt of an ivy tree,
with me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

Now we're all in very good cheer
Hi Ho said Roly,
now we're all in very good cheer
if we had some music here,
with me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

In came the bumble bee
Hi Ho said Roly
in came the bumble bee
Clapped a bagpipe on his knee,
With me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

Now we're all in very good cheer,
Hi HO said Roly,
now we're all in very good cheer
if we had some dancin' here,
With me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

In came the butterfly
hi ho said Roly,
in came the butterfly
Swore to dance until she'd die,
With me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

Then commenced a terrible din
Hi Ho said Roly,
Then commenced a terrible din,
The cat and her kittens came tumbling in
With me Roly Poly cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

The cat took poor mister rat by the head,
Hi Ho said Roly,
The cat took poor mister rat by the head,
And the kittens killed poor miss mousie dead,
With me Roly Poly cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

Frog jumped up with a terrible fright
Hi Ho said Roly,
frog jumped up with a terrible fright,
doffed his hat and said good night,
With me Roly Poly Cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.

As the frog was crossin' the stream
Hi Ho said Roly,
as the frog was crossin' the stream,
a big duck came and gobobbled him up,
With me Roly Poly cabbage and Spinach,
And hi! for Anthony Roly.
From Mary O'Hara's book of lyrics an photos of Ireland, "A Song For Ireland",
(c) 1982, published by Michael Joseph Limited, London. Recorded with the title,
The Frog Song.

This song has a different tune than all the other frog courting songs I've
heard. In Mary O'Hara's recording, it sounds like she ends the chorus "Me piper
and me Roly" instead of "And hi! for Anthony Roly".

Mary O'Hara writes that she learned this Irish version from Liam Clancy. In a
series of school recitals for the Music Association of Ireland, she would sing
this song, demonstrating the diverse sounds made by the harp, such as the
fluttering of the butterfly wings. In trying it out before the recitals on an
audience of four children, she explained that it was about a mixed marriage of a
bride and groom who met disaster on their wedding day. Little eight year old
Ruth looked up with a tearful expression and said, "Oh, Mary, they never were
meant for each other."

DT #306
AF
Oct00