Old Mother Hubbard & her Dog

Origin
"Old Mother Hubbard" is an English language nursery rhyme, first printed in 1805 and among the most popular publications of the nineteenth century. The exact origin and meaning of the rhyme is disputed.

Aside from a the re-worked version which created the characters of Dame Trot & her Comical Cat, the lyrics originally published in 1805 have remained largely unchanged.


 * Old Mother Hubbard
 * Went to the cupboard,
 * To give the poor dog a bone;
 * When she came there,
 * The cupboard was bare,
 * And so the poor dog had none.


 * She went to the baker's
 * To buy him some bread;
 * When she came back
 * The dog was dead!


 * She went to the undertaker's
 * To buy him a coffin;
 * When she came back
 * The dog was laughing.


 * She took a clean dish
 * to get him some tripe;
 * When she came back
 * He was smoking his pipe.


 * She went to the alehouse
 * To get him some beer;
 * When she came back
 * The dog sat in a chair.


 * She went to the tavern
 * For white wine and red;
 * When she came back
 * The dog stood on his head.


 * She went to the fruiterer's
 * To buy him some fruit;
 * When she came back
 * He was playing the flute.


 * She went to the tailor's
 * To buy him a coat;
 * When she came back
 * He was riding a goat.


 * She went to the hatter's
 * To buy him a hat;
 * When she came back
 * He was feeding her cat.


 * She went to the barber's
 * To buy him a wig
 * When she came back
 * He was dancing a jig.


 * She went to the cobbler's
 * To buy him some shoes;
 * When she came back
 * He was reading the news.


 * She went to the sempstress
 * To buy him some linen;
 * When she came back
 * The dog was spinning.


 * She went to the hosier's
 * To buy him some hose;
 * When she came back
 * He was dressed in his clothes.


 * The Dame made a curtsy,
 * The dog made a bow;
 * The Dame said, Your servant;
 * The dog said, Bow-wow.


 * This wonderful dog
 * Was Dame Hubbard's delight,
 * He could read, he could dance,
 * He could sing, he could write;
 * She gave him rich dainties
 * Whenever he fed,
 * And erected this monument
 * When he was dead.