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THE FARMER IN THE DELL Sung by: Mr. and Mrs. F.E. Ash Recorded in Evening Shade, AR 6/30/59 Click here to listen to the original recording The farmer in the dell, Hi ho the cherry-o, The farmer in the dell. The farmer takes a wife, The farmer takes a wife, Hi ho the cherry-o, The farmer takes a wife. His wife takes the child, His wife takes the child, Hi ho the cherry-o, The wife takes the child. The child takes a dog, The child takes a dog, Hi ho the cherry-o, The child takes a dog. The dog takes a cat, The dog takes a cat, Hi ho the cherry-o, The dog takes a cat. The cat takes a rat, The cat takes a rat, Hi ho the cherry-o, The cat takes a rat. The rat takes the cheese, The rat takes the cheese, Hi ho the cherry-o, The rat takes the cheese. (Mrs. Ash: "Now, they form in a circle with the farmer in the middle. A boy and a girl, and a boy and a girl, form a complete circle. And the farmer chooses his wife and the wife goes and stands in the center. Then the wife chooses a child, and the child goes and stands in the center. The child chooses a dog, and he stands in the center, and the cat stands in the center, and the rat stands in the center, and the cheese comes into the center and they all drop their hands, and the cheese starts to run, and the one that catches the cheese is the new farmer. And it begins over again." Dr. Wolf: "Do they sing that about the cheese takes a run?" Mrs. Ash: "Um hm." Dr. Wolf: "You didn't mention that." Mrs. Ash: "Didn't I?" Dr. Wolf: "Uh uh." Mr. Ash: "We didn't sing . . ." Dr. Wolf: "Well, go ahead and put that on there.") The cheese takes a run, The cheese takes a run, Hi ho the cherry-o, The cheese takes a run. (Dr. Wolf: "Now what are they doing when the people are standing there in the middle?" Mrs. Ash: "They're all standing with their hands folded and joined hands, and each one is onto the end, all except the cheese, and when the cheese comes out in there, he stands alone for just a few seconds, until they drop their hands, the outside circle drops their hands and lets the fence down, and then he tears off and has to be caught." Dr. Wolf: "I see.") |
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All Songs Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr., unless otherwise noted The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas Back to the Song Index Back to the Wolf Collection Homepage ©Copyright 2002 Lyon College |