Go Tell Aunt Rhody
A traditional American folk song, sung by Patricia Cummings
origin: a 1752 opera
A few of a larger gaggle of wild Canadian geese seen at the First Connecticut Lake in Pittsburgh, NH. photo by James Cummings, 2009.
Words to the Song
Go tell Aunt Rhody
go tell at Aunt Rhody
go tell Aunt Rhody
the old grey goose is dead.
The one she's been saving
The one she's been saving
The one she's been saving
to make a featherbed.
She died in the mill pond
she died in the mill pond
she died in the mill pond
while standing on her head.
Repeat first verse.
(A couple of verses were intentionally left out.)
Vintage 19th century pillow featuring a child and a goose
This song is kind of in the category of a nonsense song. Geese and ducks always stand on their heads to eat, and would not necessarily die because of it, unless perhaps a giant snapping turtle took their head off, or perhaps the goose had a chronic heart condition that kicked in while she was "standing on her head." Oh, whatever ... I have heard this song since I was a child, and still like it, for some unknown reason! ~Patricia~
PLEASE NOTE: We have no "ants" in New England, at least not ones who are related to humans!
Waterfowl abound at York's Wild Kingdom in York, Maine. The day we visited so did a rare Bittern.
Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, New Hampshire.
pat@quiltersmuse.com