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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)

Old Mother Hubbard
 (Sung text for setting by C. Hely-Hutchinson)
 See original
Language: English 
Old Mother Hubbard
She went to the cupboard,
To fetch her poor dog a bone;
But when she got there
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.

She went to the baker's
To buy him some bread;
When she came back
The dog was dead!

She went to the undertaker's
To buy him a coffin;
When she came back
The dog was laughing.

She took a clean dish
to get him some tripe;
When she came back
He was smoking his pipe.

She went to the fishmonger's
to buy him some fish;
When she came back
He was licking the dish.

She went to the alehouse
To get him some beer;
When she came back
The dog sat in a chair.

She went to the tavern
For white wine and red;
When she came back
The dog stood on his head.

She went to the fruiterer's
To buy him some fruit;
When she came back
He was playing the flute.

She went to the tailor's
To buy him a coat;
When she came back
He was riding a goat.

She went to the hatter's
To buy him a hat;
When she came back
He was feeding her cat.

She went to the barber's
To buy him a wig
When she came back
He was dancing a jig.

She went to the cobbler's
To buy him some shoes;
When she came back
He was reading the news.

She went to the sempstress
To buy him some linen;
When she came back
The dog was spinning.

She went to the hosier's
To buy him some hose;
When she came back
He was dressed in his clothes.

The Dame made a curtsy,
The dog made a bow;
The Dame said, Your servant;
The dog said, Bow-wow.

This wonderful dog
Was Dame Hubbard's delight,
He could read, he could dance,
He could sing, he could write;
She gave him rich dainties
Whenever he fed,
And erected this monument
When he was dead.

See also this text set to music by Sandor Harmati.

Composition:

    Set to music by Christian Victor Hely-Hutchinson (1901 - 1947), "Old Mother Hubbard", copyright © 1929 [ voice and piano ]

Text Authorship:

  • from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Old Mother Hubbard", first published 1805

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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Thomas A. Gregg

This text was added to the website: 2019-04-24
Line count: 70
Word count: 333

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