The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2) / With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes and Methods of Playing etc.

by Alice Bertha Gomme

Wash in the river,
Mother, mother,
Wash in the river,
Gentle sweet mother o’ mine.

Suppose the clothes should blow away,
Daughter, daughter,
Suppose the clothes should blow away,
Gentle sweet daughter o’ mine?

Set a man to watch them,
Mother, mother,
Set a man to watch them,
Gentle sweet mother o’ mine.

Suppose the man should go to sleep,
Daughter, daughter,
Suppose the man should go to sleep,
Gentle sweet daughter o’ mine?

Take a boat and go after them,
Mother, mother,
Take a boat and go after them,
Gentle sweet mother o’ mine.

Suppose the boat should be upset,
Daughter, daughter,
Suppose the boat should be upset,
Gentle sweet daughter o’ mine?

Then that would be an end of you,
Mother, mother,
Then that would be an end of you,
Gentle sweet mother o’ mine.

—London Nursemaid, 1876 (A. B. Gomme).

II.

Mary’s gone a-milking, a-milking, a-milking,
Mary’s gone a-milking, mother, dear mother of mine.