Twenty Froggies Went to School
MaryLyon
I am a folk and bluegrass aficianado, and have just discovered this newsgroup.
I recently returned from a family reunion, where there was much discussion
about a song my Pennsylvania-born great grandfather sang to his children. It
apparently had a million verses, the first one being:
Twenty froggies went to school
Down beside the rushing pool
First they studied, then they played
Keeping busy all the day
That is how they learned the rule
Down beside the rushing pool.
Ok, it's not Chaucer, but it sounds like an old folk song to me. My mom thinks
my great grandfather made it up, but I'm not so sure. Has anyone ever heard of
this song?
BTW, one of my second cousins remarked that my great grandfather was also
partial to "Froggy Goes A-Courting," and commented, "Now that you mention it, I
guess he really liked frogs!"
Thanks for your input!
Amy :)
SLHinton17
>I recently returned from a family reunion, where there was much discussion
>about a song my Pennsylvania-born great grandfather sang to his children. >It
apparently had a million verses, the first one being:
>
>Twenty froggies went to school
>Down beside the rushing pool
>First they studied, then they played
>Keeping busy all the day
>That is how they learned the rule
>Down beside the rushing pool.
******************************
My mother, born in Texas in 1889, had this song from her grandfather, born in
South Carolina in 1824. It has appered in several books, but I can't locate
one right now. . . . I recorded it in 1972 on a childrens'album for Folkways,
called "I'll Sing You a Story." Here are the words as my family had them:
TWENTY FROGGIES
Twenty froggies went to school
Down beside the rushy pool.
Twenty little coats of green;
Twenty vests so white and clean.
"We must be on time," said they.
"First we study, then we play.
That is how we mind the rule
When we froggies go to school."
Master bullfrog, grave and stern
Taught the classes in their turn.
Taught them how to nobly strive --
Also how to leap and dive.
Taught them how to dodge the blows
From the sticks that bad boys throw.
From his seat upon the log
Taught them how rto say "Kerchog!"
Not one dunce among the lot;
Not one lesson they forgot,
Polished to a high degree
As little froggies ought to be.
Little froggies grow up fast:
Bullfrogs they become at last.
Now they sit on other logs
Teaching other little frogs.
I used to sing this at sleepy time for my two kids, until Leanne started
requesting that I not sing any of those "low slow songs," but something
livelier . . . Your gvrandfather is part of a long tradition!
Sam Hinton
La Jolla, CA
jo hobo
recall which verses he sang
MaryLyon wrote:
> Hello, all!
>
> I am a folk and bluegrass aficianado, and have just discovered this newsgroup.
>
> I recently returned from a family reunion, where there was much discussion
> about a song my Pennsylvania-born great grandfather sang to his children. It
> apparently had a million verses, the first one being:
>
> Twenty froggies went to school
> Down beside the rushing pool
> First they studied, then they played
> Keeping busy all the day
> That is how they learned the rule
> Down beside the rushing pool.
>
Jon-Jon
it from her grandmother. I now sing it to my grand nieces and nephews. The I
learned is the same one that Sam Hinton sent you.
Jon-Jon
Abby Sale
>Hello, all!
>
Hello yerself.
>
>Twenty froggies went to school
>Down beside the rushing pool
>BTW, one of my second cousins remarked that my great grandfather was also
>partial to "Froggy Goes A-Courting," and commented, "Now that you mention it, I
>guess he really liked frogs!"
>
You already have several answers & in the event you find yourself
emulating you grandfather & cornering the market on frog songs, there are
many of them. You'll find such as: "Of Frogs and Dogs and Such [21 Songs
that Kids Like]" (Sam Hinton Enterprises C1; 1991) [which the modest man
never mentions whenever someone posts here looking for children's songs,
but should.] And a good parady one written by our own Larry Taulbee
here. More if you include toads & even more if your taste runs to the
bawdy songs.
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I am Abby Sale - abby...@orlinter.com (That's in Orlando)