Froggy Went A-Courtin' ..... [A cautionary tale about weddings]

01 Mr. Froggy went a-courtin' and he did ride, uh-huh, uh-huh. Mr. Froggy went a-courtin' and he did ride. A sword and a pistol by his side, uh-huh, uh-huh.

02 Mr. Froggy, out a-wooing, he would go, uh-huh, uh-huh. Mr. Froggy, out a-wooing, he would go. So, he dressed in finery from top to toe, uh-huh, uh-huh!

03 He saddled up and bridled a great black snail, uh-huh, uh-huh. And he rode between the beast's horns and tail, uh-huh, uh-huh.

04 He rode straight up to Miss Mousie's door, uh-huh, uh-huh! Where he had been many times before, uh-huh, uh-huh.

05 Froggy, while peering into Mousie's den, uh-huh, uh-huh! Said, "Miss Mousie, are you within?" uh-huh, uh-huh!

06 "Oh, Mister Frog, I sit and spin," uh-huh, uh-huh. "Just lift up the latch and please come in," uh-huh, uh-huh!

07 So, Mr. Froggy, he went directly in, uh-huh, uh-huh. And the way they courted, it was a sin, uh-huh, uh-huh!

08 He took Miss Mousie upon his knees, uh-huh, uh-huh. And he said, "Miss Mousie, will you marry me, please?" Uh-huh, uh-huh!

09 When he asked Miss Mousie to be his bride, uh-huh, uh-huh. Her eyes, they opened so big and wide, uh-huh, uh-huh!

10 "I'd like to have you for my wife, uh-huh, uh-huh. "To sit and spin for me all of my life," uh-huh, uh-huh.

11 "No, kind sir, I can't do that," uh-huh, uh-huh. "Without the consent of old Uncle Rat," uh-huh, uh-huh.

12 "Oh, Miss Mousie, will you marry me?" Uh-huh, uh-huh. "Yes! If only Uncle Rat agrees." Uh-huh, uh-huh!

13 "I'll have to ask dear Uncle Rat," uh-huh, uh-huh. "To see what he'll say to that," uh-huh, uh-huh.

14 "For, without Uncle Rat's consent," uh-huh, uh-huh. "I would not marry the President." Uh-huh, uh-huh!

15 So, Froggy, he asked for Uncle Rat's consent, uh-huh, uh-huh. Who came downstairs with his neck half bent, uh-huh, uh-huh.

16 Uncle Rat laughed 'til he shook his sides, uh-huh, uh-huh. To think his niece would be a bride, uh-huh, uh-huh.

17 Uncle Rat gave them formal consent, uh-huh, uh-huh. And the weasel, he wrote the publishment, uh-huh, uh-huh!

18 Uncle Rat rode right into town, uh-huh, uh-huh. To buy Miss Mousie a wedding gown, uh-huh, uh-huh.

19 Where will the wedding supper be? Uh-huh, uh-huh. Away down yonder in that hollow tree, uh-huh, uh-huh.

20 And what shall the wedding repast be? Uh-huh, uh-huh. Two butter beans and a black-eyed pea, uh-huh, uh-huh!

21 Mr. Froggy was dressed all in green, uh-huh, uh-huh. And sweet Miss Mousie looked like a Queen, uh-huh, uh-huh!

22 The first to the supper was Captain Flea, uh-huh, uh-huh. He tuned his banjo upon his knee, uh-huh, uh-huh.

23 Next to come in was a lady bug, uh-huh, uh-huh. She brought with her a whisky jug, uh-huh, uh-huh.

24 The next to come were two little ants, uh-huh, uh-huh. Willing and eager to join in the dance, uh-huh, uh-huh.

25 The next to arrive, a pesky old fly, uh-huh, uh-huh. He ate up all of the wedding pie, uh-huh, uh-huh!

26 Next through the door was a chickadee, uh-huh, uh-huh. He danced a jig with the bumblebee, uh-huh, uh-huh.

27 The next one come was a big black tick, uh-huh, uh-huh. Ate so much that it made him sick, uh-huh, uh-huh!

28 Next to enter was Miss Raccoon, uh-huh, uh-huh. Who brought as a present, a silver spoon, uh-huh, uh-huh!

29 Next inside was the old gray goose, uh-huh, uh-huh. She picked up her fiddle and she cut loose, uh-huh, uh-huh!

30 The next to come in was Missus Cow, uh-huh, uh-huh. She tried to dance but didn't know how, uh-huh, uh-huh.

31 Next to the feast was the old gray mare, uh-huh, uh-huh. Hip stuck out and shoulder bare, uh-huh, uh-huh.

32 Then in, slowly, sauntered Parson Rook, uh-huh, uh-huh. Under his arm he carried a book, uh-huh, uh-huh.

33 So the knot was tied secure and fast, uh-huh, uh-huh. She's off her uncle's hands at last, uh-huh, uh-huh!

34 They all gathered round the lucky pair, uh-huh, uh-huh. Singing and dancing everywhere, uh-huh, uh-huh!

35 Open the oysters, spill the champagne, uh-huh, uh-huh. Never will there be such a feast again, uh-huh, uh-huh!

36 All the folks, they all sat down, uh-huh, uh-huh. They passed that whisky round and round, uh-huh, uh-huh!

37 The owl did hoot, the birds they sang, uh-huh, uh-huh. And through the woods their music rang, uh-huh, uh-huh!

38 As they celebrated, hot and strong, uh-huh, uh-huh. A big gray cat come prowling along, uh-huh, uh-huh.

39 She sprang to the party right out of the yard, uh-huh, uh-huh. But she had no invitation card, uh-huh, uh-huh.

40 To the guests she said, "I'm a hungry cat," uh-huh, uh-huh. "Who fancies a dinner of mouse and rat!" Uh-huh, uh-huh!

41 Uncle Rat, like a hero, he stood, uh-huh, uh-huh. Puss wet her whiskers with his blood, uh-huh, uh-huh!

42 The cat, she cornered the sweet little bride, uh-huh, uh-huh. And that's how poor little Mousie died, uh-huh, uh-huh!

43 This put Froggy in a terrible fright, uh-huh, uh-huh. He took up his hat and he bid them good-night, uh-huh, uh-huh!

44 Mr. Froggy went a-fleeing, and he did fly, uh-huh, uh-huh! Until he came to a stream, where he paused to sigh, uh-huh, uh-huh.

45 But as Froggy went crossing that silvery brook, uh-huh, uh-huh. A muddy-brown duck nearly gobbled him up, uh-huh, uh-huh!

46 Froggy escaped from that wicked drake, uh-huh, uh-huh! And fled to the edge of a big ol' lake, uh-huh, uh-huh.

47 As the groom went swimming over the lake, uh-huh, uh-huh. He got swallered up by a big water snake, uh-huh, uh-huh!

48 The big water snake, he swam to land, uh-huh, uh-huh. Where he was killed by a Negro man, uh-huh, uh-huh!

49 So here's the end of one, two, three, uh-huh, uh-huh. Uncle Rat, Mr. Froggy and Miss Mousie, uh-huh, uh-huh!

50 This is the end of him and her, uh-huh, uh-huh. Guess there will be no tadpoles covered with fur, uh-huh, uh-huh!

51 There's bread and cheese out in the hall, uh-huh, uh-huh. And, if you want, you're welcome to it all, uh-huh, uh-huh.

52 Froggy's saddle & bridle are there on the shelf, uh-huh, uh-huh. If you want any more, you must sing it yourself, uh-huh, uh-huh!


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