I Know An Old Lady

7 Songs, A Story, 4 Old Ladies, A Poem and the Bear Hunt

Alan Mills

A for the Ant and B for the Bee
C for the Cat and D for Doggie
E for the Elephant, F for the Frog
G for the Goat and H for the Hog
I J K come next in line
Skip these three because they're difficult to rhyme
L for the Lamb and M for the Mule
N for the Nanny Goat, O for the Owl
P for the Pole Cat, Q for the Quail
R for the Rat and S for the Snail
T U V come next in line
Skip these three just to save a little time
Next comes W and it's for the Whale
X has a cross and Y has a tail
Z is for Zebra, You can't go wrong
'Cuz this is the end of my silly little song

Z for the Zebra, Y has a tail
X has a cross and W for the Whale
V U T come next in line
Skip these three to save a little time
Next comes S and its for the Snail
R for the rat and Q for the Quail
P for the Pole Cat, O for the Owl
N for the Nanny Goat, M for the Mule
We're half way back to where we began
With a soft woolly coat, it's L for the Lamb
K J I are next in line
Skip these three cuz they're difficult to rhyme
Next comes H and it's for the hog 
G for the Goat and F for the Frog
E for the Elephant, D for Doggie
C for the Cat and B for the Bee
Next comes A and it's for the Ant
We started at the back and went to the Front

Repeat first, omitting selected words

Traditional

I had a cat, The cat pleased me
I fed my cat under yonder tree
Cat goes Fiddle I Dee

I had a Hen, the Hen pleased me
I fed my Hen under yonder tree
Hen goes Cluck, Cluck, Cluck, Cluck

I had a Duck...
Duck goes Quack, Quack

I had a Goose...
Goose goes Swishy, Swashy

I had a Pig...
Pig goes Oink, Oink

I had a Sheep...
Sheep goes Baaa, Baaa

I had a Hog...
Hog goes Grimpy, Grumpy

I had a Turkey, he pleased me...
Turkey goes Gibble, Gobble, Gibble Gobble

I had a Rooster, he pleased me...
Rooster goes Cock-a-Doodle-Do

I had a Frog, the Frog pleased me...
Frog went Gulmpp

I had a Mouse
Mouse goes Ooo, Leftovers!

A. A. Milne

I found a little beetle, so that beetle was his name,
And I called him Alexander and he answered just the same.
I put him in a matchbox, and I kept him all the day...
And Nanny let my beetle out
Yes, Nanny let my beetle out
She went and let my beetle out-
And beetle ran away.

She said she didn't mean it, and I never sauid she did,
She said she wanted matches, and she just took off the lid
She said that she was sorry, but it's difficult to catch
An excited sort of beetle you've mistaken for a match.

She said that she was sorry, and I really mustn't mind
As there's lots and lots of beetles which she's certain we could find
If we looked about the garden for the holes where beetles hid-
And we'd get another matchbox, and write BEETLE on the lid.

We went to all the places which a beetle might be near,
And we made the sort of noises which a beetle likes to hear,
And I saw a kind of something, and I gave a sort of shout:
"A beetle-house and Alexander Beetle coming out!"

It was Alexander Beetle I'm as certain as can be
And he had a sort of look as if he thought it might be ME,
And he had a kind of look as if he thought he ought to say:
"I'm very, very sorry that I tried to run away."

And Nanny's very sorry too, for you know what she did,
And she's writing ALEXANDER very blackly on the lid,
So Nan and me are friends, because it's difficult to catch
An excited Alexander you've mistaken for a match.

Traditional

Go tell Aunt Rhody
Go Tell Aunt Rhody
Go Tell Aunt Rhody
The old grey goose is dead.

The one that she's been savin' (3 times)
To make a feather bed.

She died in the millpond (3 times)
From standin' on her head.

The goslins are crying (3 times)
Because their mammy's dead.

The gander is weeping (3 times)
Because his wife is dead.

Repeat First Verse

Traditional

Oh the fox went out on a chilly night
Prayed to the moon for to give him light
He'd many a mile to go that night 
Before he reached the town-o, town-o, town-o
He'd many a mile to go that night 
Before he reached the town-o.

He ran til he came to a great big bin
The geese and the ducks were kept therein
Sayin' "A couple of you are going to grease my chin,
Before I leave this town-o, town-o, town-o,
A couple of you are going to grease my chin,
Before I leave this town-o."

He grabbed the grey goose by the neck
Slung the little ones over his back
He didn't mind the "Quack, quack, quack!"
And the legs all danglin' round-o, round-o, round-o
He didn't mind the "Quack, quack, quack!"
And the legs all danglin' round-o.

Old mother Pitter-Patter jumped out of bed
Out of the window she cocked her head, sayin'
"John, John, the grey goose is gone,
And the fox is on the town-o, town-o, town-o
"John, John, the grey goose is gone,
And the fox is on the town-o, town-o, town-o."

John he ran to the top of the hill
Blew his horn both loud and shrill
The fox he said, "I better leave with my kill,
Or he'll soon be on my trail-o, trail-o, trail-o,
The fox he said, "I better leave with my kill,
Or he'll soon be on my trail-o.

Then the fox he ran to his cozy den
There were the little ones eight, nine, ten
Sayin' "Daddy, you better go back again,
For it must be a mighty fine town-o, town-o, town-o,
Daddy, you better go back again,
For it must be a mighty fine town-o."

Then the fox and his wife without any strife
Cut up the goose with a fork and knife
You never saw such a feast in your life
And the little ones chewed on the bones-o, bones-o, bones-o,
You never saw such a feast in your life
And the little ones chewed on the bones-o.

Traditional

There's a little white duck, sitting in the water
A little white duck, doing what he oughter
He took a bite of a lily pad
Flapped his wings and he said "I'm glad
I'm a little white duck sitting in the water
Quack, Quack, Quack."

There's a little green frog swimming in the water
A little green frog, doing what he oughter
He jumped right off of the lily pad
That the little duck bit and he said "I'm glad
I'm a little green frog swimming in the water
Glug, Glug, Glug."

There's a little black bug floating on the water
A little black bug doing what he oughter
He tickled the frog on the lily pad
That the little duck bit and he said, "I'm glad
I'm a little black bug floating in the water
Bzz, Bzzz, Bzzz."

There's a little red snake playing in the water
A little red snake doing what he oughter
He frightened the duck and the frog so bad
He ate up the bug and he said, "I'm glad
I'm a little red snake playing in the water
Hiss, Hisss, Hisss."

Now there's nobody left sitting in the water
Nobody left doing what they oughter
There's nothing left but the lily pad
The duck and the frog ran away, I'm sad
"Cause there's nobody left sitting in the water,
Boo! Hoo, Hoo...

James Whitcomb Riley

Oh, the Raggedy Man! He works fer Pa,
An' he's the goodest man ever you saw!
He comes to our house every day,
An' waters the horses, an' feeds 'em hay;
'An he opens the shed - an' we all ist laugh
When he drives out our little old wobbledy calf,
An' nen - ef our hired girl says he can - 
He milks the cow fer 'Lizabuth Ann.
    Ain't he a awful good Raggedy Man?
    Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!

W'y, the Raggedy Man - he's ist so good
He splits the kindlin' an' chops the wood;
An' nen he spades in our garden, too,
An' does most things 'at boys can't do!
He clumbed clean up in our big tree
An' shook a' apple down fer me -
An' nother'n, too, fer 'Lisabuth Ann -
An' nother'n, too, fer the Raggedy Man.
    Ain't he a awful kind Raggedy Man?
    Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!

An' the Raggedy Man, he knows most rhymes
An' tells 'em, ef I be good, sometimes:
Knows about Giunts, an' Griffuns, 'an Elves,
An' the Squidgicum-Squees 'at swallers therselves!
An', right by the pump inour pasture-lot,
He showed me the hole 'at the Wunks is got.
'At lives 'way deep in the ground, 'an can
Turn into me, er 'Lizabuth Ann!
    Ain't he a awful funny Raggedy Man?
    Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!

The Raggedy Man - one time when he
Wuz makin' a little bow-'n'-orry fer me,
Says "When you're big like yer Pa is,
Air you go' to keep a fine store like his -
An' be a rich merchant - an' wear fine clothes?
Er what air you go' to be, goodness knows!"
An' ne he laughed at 'Lizabuth Ann,
An' I says "'M go' to be a Raggedy Man! -
    I'm ist go' to be a nice Raggedy Man!"
    Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!

Traditional

Goin' On A Bear Hunt
Artwork by Don Pedi

(Leader)
We're going on a bear hunt!
(Group)
We're going on a bear hunt!

We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!

Here comes the gate 
" " (Group Echos)
Now we're on a bear hunt " "
We're gonna catch a big one " "
I'm not afraid " "
Are you? " "    Not me! " "
We're coming to a tall mountain " "
It sure is high " "
It sure is wide " "
Let's climb up it " "
Well, there's nothing over there " "
Nothing over there " "
Nothing back there " "
Hey! Wait! I think I see something
Quick! Everybody run down!

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!

We're going thru the tall grass " "
We're going thru the short grass " "
Hey! Look! There's a little tree " "
Well, let's shinny on up it
Whoa! It gets a little skinny up here at the top
See anything over that way? " "
Anything over that way?, Uh, oh!,
Oh, no! Whoa! Agh! let's get down!

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!

Oh, no! " "
It's a big puddle of mud " "
Can't go around it " "
Gotta go right thru it " "
Yeuk! " "
Well, let's go.
Squish, Sqwish, Blaaahh.
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!

We're coming to a wide river " "
And there's no bridge going over it " "
No tunnel going under it " "
It's just plain old water " "
And we're gonna have to swim " "
All right, dive in!
Start swimming
Do the back stroke
Do the side stroke
Do the doggie paddle
Try the little cat paddle
OK Jump out, shake yourself off

We're going on a bear hunt!
We're going on a bear hunt!
We're gonna catch a big one!
We're gonna catch a big one!
I'm not afraid!
I'm not afraid!
Are you?
Are you?
Not me!
Not me!

Shhh, it's a cave " "
Looks like the kind of cave that B-bears live in " "
I don't know if I want to go in there
You think we oughta go in?
Are you nuts?
There's probably a bear in there
All right I'll go in, You stay here, 
And if I find a bear, I'll come out and get you
And we'll all go in and grab him together
Now, quiet, don't make a sound while I'm in that cave,
Cuz if you wake him up, I'll be in trouble
Bears are awful ornery when they first wake up, you know
OK, I'm going on in
Oooo, It's dark in here
It's really dark in here
I can't see a thing
Agh, there's spiders webs
Ooo, what was that???
What's this??.... it's soft, uh oh,it's kind of fuzzy

Ahg!!!!!!!!! Run! Everybody run!!
I saw a bear!!!!
Jump in the water! Swim fast!!
Do the backstroke!
The sidestroke, the doggie paddle
Jump out of the water
Run through the mud!
Forget the tree!!
Go through the tall grass
The short grass
Quick! Go up the mountain
Down the other side
Go thru the gate
Into the house, under the bed
Under the pillow
Hide!!!!!
Uh, it's awful quiet around here
I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid
Are you?
Are you?

Traditional

I know an old lady who swallowed a fly,
I don't know why she swallowed the fly,
I guess she'll die.

I know an old lady who swallowed a spider,    
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly,
I don't know why she swallowed the fly,
I guess she'll die.

I know an old lady who swallowed a bird,
How absurd to swallow a bird!
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly,
I don't know why she swallowed the fly,
I guess she'll die.

I know an old lady who swallowed a cat,
Imagine that, to swallow a cat!
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly,
I don't know why she swallowed the fly,
I guess she'll die.

I know an old lady who swallowed a dog,
My, what a hog, to swallow a dog!
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly,
I don't know why she swallowed the fly,
I guess she'll die.
I know an old lady who swallowed a goat,
Just opened her throat and swallowed a goat!
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog,
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly,
I don't know why she swallowed the fly,
I guess she'll die.

I know an old lady who swallowed a cow,
I wonder how she swallowed a cow?!
She swallowed the cow to catch the goat,
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog,
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly,
I don't know why she swallowed the fly,
I guess she'll die.

I know an old lady who swallowed a horse,
She's dead, of course!!

This is an old English Fairy Tale. 
It is a cumulative story, which makes it fun and easy for young people to learn.
Enjoy the recording and then tell it to a friend.