Rattlesnake

DESCRIPTION: Various animals are asked about their characteristics, e.g. "Muskrat, muskrat, what makes you smell so bad? I've been in the bottom all my life Till I'm mortified in my head." "Rattlesnake, rattlesnake, what makes your teeth so white?"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1925 (recording, Land Norris)
KEYWORDS: animal questions dialog nonballad
FOUND IN: US(Ap,SE)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Lomax-FolkSongsOfNorthAmerica 83, "Rattlesnake" (1 text, 1 tune)
Silber/Silber-FolksingersWordbook, p. 394, "Muskrat" (1 text)
Roud #6395
RECORDINGS:
Land Norris, "Muskrat" (OKeh 40404, 1925)
Rick Ward, "Muskrat" (Piotr-Archive #139, recorded 04/18/2022; includes verses written by the singer)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Mister Rabbit" (theme)
File: LoF083

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