Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, which popularized traditional folk songs. In 1942, he appeared in Irving Berlin's This Is the Army and became a major star of CBS Radio. In the 1960s, he successfully crossed over into country music, recording hits such as "A Little Bitty Tear" and "Funny Way of Laughin'". Ives was also a popular film actor through the late 1940s and '50s. His film roles included parts in So Dear to My Heart (1948) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), as well as the role of Rufus Hannassey in The Big Country (1958), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Ives is often associated with the Christmas season. He did voice-over work as Sam the Snowman, narrator of the classic 1964 Christmas television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Ives also worked on the special's soundtrack, including the songs "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", both of which continue to chart annually on the Billboard holiday charts into the 2020s.
Mr. Froggie Went a-Courtin'
Burl Ives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mister Frog went a-courtin, he did ride, uh-huh, uh-huh.
Mister Frog went a-courtin, he did ride, uh-huh, uh-huh.
Mister Frog went a-courtin, he did ride,
A sword and buckler by his side, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh.
He bridled and saddled a big fat snail, uh-huh, uh-huh.
He bridled and saddled a big fat snail,
And rode it 'tween the horns and tail, uh-huh, uh-huh. uh-huh.
(All remaining verses same lines, rhythm and meter,
So duplication omitted)
He rode up to Miss Mousie's door,
Where he had often been before.
He called "Miss Mouse, are you within?"
"Yes sir, I'm sitting down to spin."
He took Miss Mouse upon his knee
And asked "My Dear, will you marry me?"
"I'll have to ask my Uncle Rat,
To see what he will say to that."
"Without my Uncle Rat's consent
I wouldn't marry the President."
Frog jumped on his snail and rode away.
He vowed to come another day.
Now Uncle Rat, when he came home
Asked "Who's been here since I was gone?"
"A very fine frog's been calling here
And asked for me to be his dear."
Uncle Rat, he laughed and shook his sides
To think his niece would be a bride.
So Uncle Rat rode into town
To buy Miss Mouse a wedding gown.
Say, where will the wedding supper be?
Just down by the river in a hollow tree.
Say, what will the wedding supper be?
One green bean and a black-eyed pea.
What else will the wedding supper be?
A fried mosquito and a roasted flea.
Pray tell us how Miss Mousie dressed?
In a cobweb veil and her Sunday best.
And what did Mister Froggie wear?
Sky-blue pants and a doublet fair.
SEE ALTERNATE ENDING AFTER VERSE 27
First guest to call was the Bumble Bee,
And he played them a fiddle tune upon his knee.
The next to come were the Duck and Drake,
Who ate every crumb of the wedding cake.
"Come Miss Mouse, may we have some beer,
That your uncle and I may have some cheer?"
"Pray, Mister Frog, will ye sing a song
That's bright and cheery and shan't last long?"
"Indeed, Miss Mouse," replied the Frog,
"A cold has made me as hoarse as a hog."
"Since a cold in the head has laid you up,
I'll sing you a song that I just made up."
The all sat down and started to chat,
When in came the kittens and the cat.
The bride, in fright, runs up the wall,
Turns her ankle and down she falls.
They all went sailing 'cross the lake
And all got swallowed by a big black snake.
And the ones who escaped were one, two, three,
The Frog, the Rat and Miss Mousie.
The Mouse and Frog went off to France,
And that's the end of their romance.
There's bread and jam upon the shelf,
If you want some, just help yourself.
ALTERNATE ENDING:
First to come in were two little ants,
Fixing around to have a dance.
Next to come in was a fat sassy lad,
Thinking himself as big as his dad.
Thinks himself a man indeed
Because he chews the tobacco weed.
And next to come in was a big tomcat,
He swallowed the Frog, and the Mouse and the Rat.
Next to come in was a big old snake,
He chased the party into the lake.
So that's the end of one, two, three,
The Rat, the Frog, and Miss Mousie.
The song "Mr. Froggie Went A-Courtin'" is a traditional folk song that originated in Scotland and has been passed down through generations. The story of the song is about a frog who goes courting a mouse and asks for her hand in marriage. The frog goes to ask the mouse's uncle for permission to marry her, and with the uncle's consent, the two get married in a hollow tree. The wedding feast consists of a green bean, a black-eyed pea, a fried mosquito, and a roasted flea. The guests include a bumblebee, a duck, and a drake, who eat all the wedding cake. There are two alternate endings. In one, the group is swallowed by a big black snake except for the frog, the mouse, and the rat, who manage to escape. In the other ending, a big tomcat devours the frog, the mouse, and the rat.
The song is full of symbolism and allegory. The frog is often associated with transformation and change, while the mouse represents shyness and timidness. The uncle rat represents a father figure who is protective of his niece, and the wedding feast probably symbolizes the simple and humble life the couple leads.
Line by Line Meaning
Mister Frog went a-courtin, he did ride, uh-huh, uh-huh.
Mr. Frog went courting on horseback.
He bridled and saddled a big fat snail, uh-huh, uh-huh.
He put a saddle on a snail and rode it.
He rode up to Miss Mousie's door, Where he had often been before.
He arrived at Miss Mousie's house.
He called "Miss Mouse, are you within?" "Yes sir, I'm sitting down to spin."
He asked if Miss Mousie was at home.
He took Miss Mouse upon his knee And asked "My Dear, will you marry me?"
He proposed marriage to Miss Mousie.
"I'll have to ask my Uncle Rat, To see what he will say to that."
She needs to ask her Uncle Rat's permission before accepting.
"Without my Uncle Rat's consent I wouldn't marry the President."
She won't marry anyone without her Uncle's approval.
Frog jumped on his snail and rode away. He vowed to come another day.
He left, promising to return.
Now Uncle Rat, when he came home Asked "Who's been here since I was gone?"
Uncle Rat came back and asked who visited.
"A very fine frog's been calling here And asked for me to be his dear."
He found out that Mr. Frog came to propose.
Uncle Rat, he laughed and shook his sides To think his niece would be a bride.
Uncle Rat was happy to hear that Miss Mousie got a proposal.
So Uncle Rat rode into town To buy Miss Mouse a wedding gown.
Uncle Rat went to get a wedding dress for Miss Mousie in the town.
Say, where will the wedding supper be? Just down by the river in a hollow tree.
They decided to have a wedding supper near a river inside a hollow tree.
Say, what will the wedding supper be? One green bean and a black-eyed pea.
The wedding supper will consist of a green bean and a black-eyed pea.
What else will the wedding supper be? A fried mosquito and a roasted flea.
The wedding supper will also include a fried mosquito and a roasted flea.
Pray tell us how Miss Mousie dressed? In a cobweb veil and her Sunday best.
Miss Mousie wore her best clothes and a cobweb veil.
And what did Mister Froggie wear? Sky-blue pants and a doublet fair.
Mr. Froggie wore sky-blue pants and a fair doublet.
First guest to call was the Bumble Bee, And he played them a fiddle tune upon his knee.
The first guest was a Bumble Bee who played a tune on his fiddle.
The next to come were the Duck and Drake, Who ate every crumb of the wedding cake.
Duck and Drake came next and ate the whole wedding cake.
"Come Miss Mouse, may we have some beer, That your uncle and I may have some cheer?"
They asked Miss Mouse for some beer to cheer them up.
"Pray, Mister Frog, will ye sing a song That's bright and cheery and shan't last long?"
They asked Mr. Frog to sing a short and lively song.
"Indeed, Miss Mouse," replied the Frog, "A cold has made me as hoarse as a hog."
Mr. Frog couldn't sing as he had a cold.
"Since a cold in the head has laid you up, I'll sing you a song that I just made up."
He chose to make up a song instead.
The all sat down and started to chat, When in came the kittens and the cat.
They chatted when some kittens and a cat arrived.
The bride, in fright, runs up the wall, Turns her ankle and down she falls.
Miss Mousie runs up the wall in fear and falls down.
They all went sailing 'cross the lake And all got swallowed by a big black snake.
They all crossed a lake but got swallowed by a snake.
And the ones who escaped were one, two, three, The Frog, the Rat, and Miss Mousie.
Only Mr. Frog, Uncle Rat, and Miss Mousie escaped.
The Mouse and Frog went off to France, And that's the end of their romance.
Miss Mousie and Mr. Frog went to France and ended their romance.
There's bread and jam upon the shelf, If you want some, just help yourself.
There is some bread and jam on the shelf for anyone to take.
Writer(s): T. Mottola, Burl Ives
Contributed by Noah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@usmcbrat2
Wow, that takes me back. When I was five years old in 1964 I couldn't get enough of this song, and I still love it to this day. I have always loved Burl Ives. Thank you for posting it.
@MimicoMuser
We had this album at home when I was a kid. I recall lying on the floor in front of our stereo which was a HUGE wooden cabinet that held a radio and a turntable. I sang along while Dad napped on the chesterfield after supper. Good times. Great memories. Thanks!
@TheLadyc999
This is awesome! I wish they had stuff like this for kids nowadays!
@Deutschlieber
Our beloved school librarian, Mrs. Barth, used to sing this to us when I was in second grade, around 1974. One day, a classmate of mine, who was the younger brother of a famous television star, turned to me afterwards and commented, "That's a long song." Thirty-eight years ago, and I can still remember it.
@GrasbyMike
My Granddchildren will love this when I learn it==the guitar playing is great and I have never heard it done better by anyone else. Bring my childhood flooding back--GREAT-GREAT-GREAT==Thank you.
@kraftpr
Thanks for posting some "clean-sounding" versions. I own the original Columbia red "6-eye" label LP "Burl Ives Sings Songs for All Ages" (1957). This was one of the first LPs my parents bought for us as kids. We listened to it for hours on a Motorola hi-fi console record player. It's a bit worn and scratched now. I especially liked the "Old Witch" song at the end of side one.
@Oakles22
Such a great tune. Love it. Loved it on tom n jerry as a kid. never knew where it came from till today! :)
@raymondcrooke
Thanks for posting Burl Ives' great rendition as a video response.
@funbunnymate
what a guy,fantastic!!
@pattievogt
I was 10 years old when this one was done. I like it. don't know why but it's good to remember your childhood. Things were more more carefree back in the day.