Annotation:Frog and the Mouse (The)
X:136 T:Frog & Mouse. THO4.136, The A:England; London O: M:2/4 L:1/8 Z:vmp. Peter Dunk 2010/11.from a transcription by Fynn Titford-Mock 2007 B:Thompson's Compleat Coll. of 200 Favourite Country Dances Vol.IV. 1773-80 Q:1/4=200 K:G D|G2G2|D2D2|EDEF|D3 D|G2D2|GFGA|B4|G3:| |:G|B3 c|d2B2|G2G2|A2D2|D2d2|dedc|B4|d4| G2G2|D2D2|EDEF|D2D2|G2D2|GFGA|B4|G3:|
FROG AND THE MOUSE, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Kidson's tune is from Thompson's Pocket Companion for the German Flute (London, 1797), and is the same as that used for the old song "Amo Amas I love a lass" (from the Agreeable Surprise, 1781). He points out the nursery song "A frog he would a wooing go" is quite ancient and is mentioned in the 1549 work Complaint of Scotland under the title "The frog cam to the myl dur {mill-door}." A ballad "Of a most strange wedding of a frog and mouse" was entered at Stationer's Hall in 1584, according to Chappell. It can be found in 'Melismata (1611) and in Thomas D'Urfey's Pills to Purge Melancholy (1719) as a political song. American versions go under the title "Froggie went a-courtin'" while in Ireland it can be found as "Cousin frog went out to ride (fa lee linkin' laddy oh)."
