The Frog & the Mouse/Froggy went a'Courtin' - Aileen& Olivia's Appalachian/Irish Song Connections

This is a song known all over the English speaking world and has loads of variants. The first mention of the song was in Robert Wedderburn’s ‘The Complaynt of Scotland’ (1548), as ‘The Frog Came to the Myl Dur’ (Mill Door), where it appeared on a list of songs sung by ‘the shepherds’.
It has been sung by everyone from Bess Cronin to Bob Dylan under various titles including; ‘The Frog and the Mouse’, ‘The Frog’s Wedding’, ‘Puddy in the Well’ (Scotland) and in America, ‘Froggie Went a’ Courtin’’.
Here Olivia begins by singing a version she learned form her Grandfather who sang it to her as a child in North Carolina. I then take up the story which in my version continues with an account of the arrival of the wedding guests and the drama that ensues. My version is based on the song which P Joe Hayes, Feakle, Co Clare, used to sing to his children but I added some verses from other versions to give a more complete story.
This video features in a CZcams playlist of songs and other material relating to my research into songs common in the Irish repertoire and songs of the Appalachian mountain region in the US. Massive thanks to an Artlinks 2024 Bursary from Wexford County Council to support this work!