Baring-Gould. The Foolish Boy

From A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes by Sabine Baring-Gould.

As a folktale type, this is ATU 1415 Trading Away One's Fortune. The folksong is classified as Roud 469. The Swapping Song.

The version collected here has quite a different ending from the version here: My father he died.

THE FOOLISH BOY

(Amish 6-horse team)

My father died, and I can't tell y' how,

He left me six horses to follow the plough.

With a whing, whing, waddle, O!

With a string, strang, straddle, O!

Blossy boys! Babble, O! under the Broom.

I sold my six horses, and bought me a cow,

I'm going to get money, but I can't tell how.

With a whing, whing, waddle, O!

With a string, strang, straddle, O!

Blossy boys! Babble, O! under the Broom.

I sold my cow, and I bought me a calf,

By that my bargain I lost just half.

With a whing, whing, waddle, O!

With a string, strang, straddle, O!

Blossy boys! Babble, O! under the Broom.

I sold my calf, and I bought me a cat,

And in the chimney corner the pretty thing sat.

With a whing, whing, waddle, O!

With a string, strang, straddle, O!

Blossy boys! Babble, O! under the Broom.

I sold my cat, and I bought me a mouse,

Set fire to her tail, and she burnt down my house.

With a whing, whing, waddle, O!

With a string, strang, straddle, O!

Blossy boys! Babble, O! under the Broom.

I sold my mouse, and I bought me a wife,

She cut my throat with an old rusty knife.

With a whing, whing, waddle, O!

With a string, strang, straddle, O!

Blossy boys! Babble, O! under the Broom.