Ribbins O'Robbins

DESCRIPTION: "'There's a hen down yon lane,' says Ribbins O'Robbins (x2), 'So Johnny come home." "Let's catch it, let's catch it." "It's copt." "Let's pluck it." "It's plucked." "Let's cook it." "It's cooked." "Let's eight (eat) it." "It's etten."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1980 (Harding-FolkSongsOfLancashire)
KEYWORDS: food chickens | cooking
FOUND IN: Britain(England(North))
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Harding-FolkSongsOfLancashire, p. 73, "Ribbins O'Robbins" (1 text, 1 tune)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Cutty Wren" (probable source) and references there.
NOTES [95 words]: Harding-FolkSongsOfLancashire says that this is "obviously a corrupt version of the Cutty Wren song," and I think that almost certainly true -- certainly the first thing I thought of upon reading it was "The Cutty Wren," particularly the "We will go to the wood, says Robin to Bobbin" form. But if you look at it, neither the form nor the plot match "The Cutty Wren." I'm nearly certain they are related, but "nearly certain" isn't enough reason to lump; I'm keeping them separate while admitting a high likelihood that this is a badly damaged version of that song. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.7
File: HFSL073

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