Three Flies, The

DESCRIPTION: Three flies "resolv'd to travel." One stops on a cow turd, but "the others too dainty were." The second stops on butcher shop meat, but the third, being so dainty, stops in treacle and drowns. Moral: "stay at home", "be content with what you get"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1818 (Hudson)
KEYWORDS: home rambling death drowning food humorous bug
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Williams-FolkSongsOfTheUpperThames, p. 220, "The Three Flies" (1 text) (also Williams-Wiltshire-WSRO Gl 65)
ADDITIONAL: Thomas Hudson, Comic Songs (London, 1818 ("Digitized by Google")), pp. 4-6, "The Three Flies" (1 text)
Roud #1290
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 11(3813), "The Three Flies" ("There were three flies, once on a time") , J. Catnach (London), 1813-1838; also Johnson Ballads fol. 25, Harding B 11(3812), "The Three Flies"
NOTES [23 words]: You may recognize fragments of this song by the chorus, which begins "But they too saucy were by half -- I can't sing if you do laugh" - BS
Last updated in version 2.6
File: WT220

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography