T he back story of this fine fella was possibly as unsatisfactory as that of Mister Frog in the nursery rhyme. In two successive years he sang his heart out in the fine pond you see him in above, but as far as I know he sang in vain. There was certainly no frogspawn in that pond in either year, whereas in both years there was frogspawn in a rather shallow pond in the back garden which was installed more as a bird bath than as a honeymoon suite for frogs. So romance blossomed in the back garden but not in the front. Then one day it went quiet in the front. No more singing, and no sign of Mister Frog. Rather than the culprit being “the lily-white duck that gobbled him up” there were a number of gulls hanging around at the time and quite a number of magpie's. But who knows; perhaps he just got fed up with the lack of appreciation and went and joined in the fun at the back.
A
frog he would a-wooing go,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
A frog he would a-wooing go,
Whether his mother would let him or no.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
S
o off he set with his opera hat,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
So off he set with his opera hat,
And on the road he met with a rat,
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
P
ray, Mr. Rat will you go with me?
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
Pray, Mr. Rat will you go with me,
Kind Mrs. Mousey for to see.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
T
hey came to the door of Mousey's hall,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
They gave a loud knock, and they gave a loud call.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
P
ray, Mrs. Mouse are you within?
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
Oh yes, kind sirs, I'm sitting to spin.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
P
ray, Mrs. Mouse will you give us some beer?
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
For Froggy and I are fond of good cheer.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
P
ray, Mr. Frog will you give us a song?
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
Let it be something that's not very long.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
I
ndeed, Mrs. Mouse, replied Mr. Frog,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
A cold has made me as hoarse as a dog.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
S
ince you have a cold, Mr. Frog, Mousey said,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
I'll sing you a song that I've just made.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
B
ut while they were all a-merry-making
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
A cat and her kittens came tumbling in.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
T
he cat she seized the rat by the crown,
Heigh ho! says Rowley,
The kittens they pulled the little mouse down.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
T
his put Mr. Frog in a terrible fright,
Heigh ho! says Rowley.
He took up his hat and he wished them goodnight.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
B
ut as Froggy was crossing over a brook,
Heigh ho! says Rowley.
A lily white duck came and gobbled him up.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
S
o there was the end of one, two, three,
Heigh ho! says Rowley.
The rat, the mouse, and the little froggy.
With a rowley, powley, gammon, and spinach,
Heigh ho! says Anthony Rowley.
Duncan Linklater © 2025
