The Farmer in the Dell A singing game, nursery rhyme and childrens song. It probably originated in Germany, and was brought to North America by immigrants. The rhyme is first recorded in Germany in 1826, as Es fuhr ein Baur ins Holz, and was more clearly a courtship game with a farmer choosing a wife, then in turn the selecting of a child, maid, and serving man, who leaves the maid after kissing. This was probably taken to North America by German immigrants, where it next surfaced in New York in 1883 much in its modern form and using a melody similar to A Hunting We Will Go. From here it seems to have been adopted throughout the United States, Canada (noted from 1893), the Netherlands (1894) and Great Britain; it is first found in Scotland in 1898 and England from 1909. In the early twentieth century it was evident as wide as France (Le fermier dans son pré), Sweden (En bonde i vår by), Australia, and South Africa. The Game The players form a circle holding hands around one who is designated as the farmer, singing the first verse while moving around. When the verse is over they stop and the farmer makes his choice of a wife (sometimes without looking). The wife joins him in the center for her verse and so through the verses until either the cheese or dog is selected or only one person is left to become the last character. They usually become the farmer for the next round. Lyrics: The farmer in the dell The farmer in the dell Heigh-ho,[2] the derry-o The farmer in the dell The farmer takes a wife (2×) Heigh-ho, the derry-o… The farmer takes a wife The wife takes the child (2×) Heigh-ho, the derry-o… The wife takes the child The child takes the nurse (2×) Heigh-ho, the derry-o… The child takes the nurse The nurse takes the cow (2×) Heigh-ho, the derry-o… The nurse takes the cow The cow takes the dog (2×) Heigh-ho, the derry-o… The cow takes the dog The dog takes the cat (2×) Heigh-ho, the derry-o… The dog takes the cat The cat takes the mouse (or rat) (2×) Heigh-ho, the derry-o… The cat takes the mouse The mouse (or rat) takes the cheese (2×) Heigh-ho, the derry-o… The mouse (or rat) takes the cheese The cheese stands alone (2×) Heigh-ho, the derry-o… The cheese stands alone https://youtube/watch?v=kP9PHArRM3E
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 11:27:41 +0000
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