Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Peter Patter Ower the Watter

Peter Patter Ower the Watter

Peter Patter Ower the Watter

     1.
     Peter Patter ower the watter,
     In an egg-shell.

     The egg-shell brook,
     And Peter got a dook,

     And a the men o Scotland
     Cudna hale im oot.

     2.
     Peter patter, owre the watter,
       Barnfare, dinna yatter;
     Puddin' wives in Paisley,
       Gentlemen in Glesca.
     Glesca and Partick Mills,
       Carneaverock and Carneaverock hills;
     The smiddy and the smiddy hills,
       The cankert buddy o' Clover hills;
     King kid, king kell,
       Auchendruach in the fell,
     The Goolie and the Gawkie.
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     (1) SC (1948), 172 (no. 323), from the North-East.
     MacLennan SNR (1909), 16, has "In the watter", and 5-6
     "An' cried to his Mammy, to come an' help him oot."
     Rodger Lang Strang (1948), 15 [ower; rest as MacLennan].
     [Cf. the phrase "Pitter patter, Haly watter" in
     Chambers, from an old Catholic charm: 1847, 223; 1870,
     73; the tale of "Whuppity Stoorie".]
     (2) Rymour Club Misc. II (1912-19), 95, from Greenock,
     learned in the 1850s from a Houston lady.
MS