A frog he would a-wooing go is an old nursery rhyme about a frog who wears an opera hat. This frog meets up with a rat and they visit Miss Mousey. The rhyme seems light-hearted and fun until each of the three characters reach their grisly demise at the end.
The Mysterious History behind A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go Nursery Rhyme
Some suggest the rhyme it referenced aristocratic families in Suffolk – Rowley, Pole, Bacon and Green all the way back in the 1500’s!
However, the use of the words Rowley Powley in the line ‘With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach‘ could just refer to a dessert or pudding of puff pastry spread with jam which was rolled and baked, meaning the line is about a meal!
There is also a theory that it is about a rich French man (the frog) marrying a Royal bride (the mouse), however, the song was around before the people it may be related to and therefore the rhyme may have been attached to the controversy afterward.
Today this song is very similar to the country and western-sounding rhyme Froggy went a-courtin’ or a different version called A Frog Went Walking by the wiggles both of which you can check out for yourself by clicking on their links!
Lyrics for A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go
There are different versions of this same song as you will see in the videos below, but these are the basic lyrics:
A frog he would a-wooing go,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
A frog he would a-wooing go,
Whether his mother would let him or no.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
So off he marched with his opera hat,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
So off he marched with his opera hat,
And on his way he met with a rat,
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
And when he came to Mousey’s hall,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
And when he came to Mousey’s hall,
They gave a loud knock, and they gave a loud call.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
Pray, Mrs. Mouse are you within?
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
Pray, Mrs. Mouse are you within?
Oh yes, kind sirs, I’m sitting to spin.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
Pray, Mrs. Mouse will you give us some beer?
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
Pray, Mrs. Mouse will you give us some beer?
For Froggy and I are fond of good cheer.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
Now while they were all a-merry-making
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
Now while they were all a-merry-making
A cat and her kittens came tumbling in.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
The cat she seized the rat by the crown,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
The cat she seized the rat by the crown,
The kittens they pulled the little mouse down.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
This put poor Frog in a terrible fright,
Heigh ho! says Rowley.
This put poor Frog in a terrible fright,
He took up his hat and he wished them goodnight.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
But as Froggy was crossing over a brook,
Heigh ho! says Rowley.
But as Froggy was crossing over a brook,
A lily white duck came and gobbled him up.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
So there was the end of one, two, three,
Heigh ho! says Rowley.
So there was the end of one, two, three,
The rat, the mouse, and the little froggy.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
Video for A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go
The Frogs Wooing
The following is a version of the rhyme which is shorter and sung by Vera Lynn on the album The Wonderful World of Nursery Rhymes.
