Ape, Lion, Fox and Ass, An

DESCRIPTION: "An ape, a lion, a fox, and an ass": stages of man's life: ape till 21, lion till 40, fox till 70, then ass. "A dove, a sparrow, a parrot, a crow": stages of woman's life: dove till 13, sparrow till 40, parrot till 60, then crow
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1923 (Williams-FolkSongsOfTheUpperThames)
KEYWORDS: age death nonballad
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Williams-FolkSongsOfTheUpperThames, p. 298, "An Ape, Lion, Fox and Ass" (1 text) (also Williams-Wiltshire-WSRO Ox 180)
Roud #1325
NOTES [28 words]: According to the Williams-FolkSongsOfTheUpperThames text, foxes are witty, doves are harmless, sparrows are wanton, parrots prate and crows are "birds of ill omen." - BS
Last updated in version 2.6
File: WT298A

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