Little Jenny Wren Fell Sick
Little Jenny Wren fell sick,
Upon a time;
In came Robin Redbreast
And brought her cake and wine.
"Eat well of my cake, Jenny,
Drink well of my wine."
"Thank you, Robin, kindly,
You shall be mine."
Jenny she got well,
And stood upon her feet,
And told Robin plainly
She loved him not a bit.
Robin being angry,
Hopped upon a twig,
Saying, "Out upon you! Fie upon you!
Bold-faced pig*!"
Notes
*This was originally an offensive racial epithet - so I changed it to "pig".
*****
Here's another version from Traditional Nursery Songs of England with Pictures by Eminent Modern Artists edited by Felix Summerly (1843):
Little Jenny Wren fell sick upon a time,
When in came Robin Redbreast and brought her sops and wine,
"Eat, Jenny, drink, Jenny, all shall be thine!"
"Thank you, Robin, kindly, you shall be mine."
Then Jenny Wren got better, and stood upon her feet,
And said to Robin Redbreast, "I love thee not a bit."
Then Robin he was angry, and flew upon a pole,
"Hoot upon thee! fie upon thee! ungrateful soul."
Comments
This rhyme and illustration can be found in The Real Mother Goose (1916), illustrated by Blanche Fisher Wright.
Advertisement
