(no subject)

[featherynscale]

There was an old woman tossed up in a blanket
Seventeen times as high as the moon.
But where she was going, no mortal could tell it,
For under her arm, she carried a broom.
"Old woman, old woman, old woman," quoth I,
"Whither, ah whither, ah whither so high?"
"To sweep the cobwebs from the sky."
"May I come with you?"
"Aye, by and by."

Comments

I love this

[themadblonde]

Is there a tune? Is it yours, or may I ask the source? Are there more verses? I'm a collector of certain kinds of folksongs, so I'm curious. Thanks! -Karen

Re: I love this

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

No, it's not mine - it's a nursery rhyme. I had a record when I was a kid that had rhymes and children's songs on it, and this one was read by an older man, with a sad, spooky sort of voice - it really stuck in my head. I had forgotten about it until yesterday, when the first line sort of popped up in my head, and I couldn't remember the rest, so I had to look it up.
As far as I know, there's no tune, and this is the only verse. It would be interesting to sing though...

Re: I love this

[themadblonde]

found two things online:

http://www2.redhawk.org/irish/oneill/waifs/waif-2.abc

Says the quatrain (first four lines) were set to an ancient strain that is used in O'Sullivan's March.

http://babysong.co.kr/There%20was%20an%20old%20woman%20tossed%20up%20in%20a%20blanket..htm

will give you a link to some kind of audio file, but I don't have audio on my 'puter so can't hear it.

[kcwitch.livejournal.com]

that is one of my favorite mother goose rhymes.
did you know that mother goose was a high priestess? look at some of the photos of her you will see she wears a witches hat and a leather garter round her thigh with a silver buckle on it. some say mother goose nursery rhymes where actually a book of shadows for children.

[damonite.livejournal.com]

That would make me laugh. Heh, ah the irony. Good times though. Why is book of shadows such a powerful title?

[kcwitch.livejournal.com]

why? heh...don't know why...

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

We do use them as teaching tools, the Mother Goose rhymes. Not sure how much of that is due to intent of the authors and how much is us going "Hey - that sounds like how we talk about x - let's use that!", though.
We're very good at taking what exists, adapting it to our own purposes, and building on it both forwards and backwards in time :) After all, as Mr. Gardner once said, the witch is the consummate leg-puller. Still, as damonite says, good times.

[kcwitch.livejournal.com]

yup

[damonite.livejournal.com]

I said consumate V's!! Ahem, anyway, I'd place adaptation as one of the more useful skills given humanity, especially in that arena.

also a basket

[themadblonde]

I found a number more entries online where she was "tossed up" in a BASKET- here's the completest set of lyrics I found:

There was an old woman tossed up in a basket
Nineteen times as high as the moon;
Where she was going I couldn't but ask it,
For in her hand she carried a broom.

"Old woman, old woman, old woman," quoth I,
"O whither, O whither, O whither, so high?"
"To brush the cobwebs off the sky!"
"Shall I go with thee?" "Aye, by and by."

There are several audio files & recordings listed for this version too, wish I could hear one. Personally, though, I like the blanket toss & your version best!

Re: also a basket

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

That's exciting. I wish I had audio here so I could hear it - have to wait until I get home. Thanks for the further information!

[matchgirl42.livejournal.com]

Oooh this is just beautiful.

Gave me chillbumps. :)