how absurd to swallow a bird

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“There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” (alternatively “There Was an Old Lady“, “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly“, “There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly” and “I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly“) is a childrens rhyme and nonsense song of a kind known as cumulative.

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly

An elderly woman swallowed a fly; I’m not sure why; she might have died as a result!

I’m not sure why the elderly woman swallowed the spider, which was wriggling and twitching inside of her, but it might have been a sign that the spider was about to die.

An elderly woman was observed swallowing a bird, which seemed ridiculous. I’m not sure why she swallowed the fly; maybe she was going to die! She swallowed the bird in order to catch the spider, and she swallowed the spider in order to catch the fly!

A very interesting story about an elderly woman who swallowed a cat is that she did so in order to catch birds, spiders, and flies. The reason behind her fly swallowing is unknown to me; it could have been related to her death.

I don’t know why she swallowed a fly—perhaps she was going to die—but there was an elderly woman who swallowed a dog. What a hog, to swallow a dog! She did it to catch the cat, then the bird, then the spider, and finally the fly!

It’s unclear how the elderly woman managed to swallow a cow, but she did so in order to catch various animals, including dogs, cats, and birds. She also swallowed a spider and a fly, though it’s unclear why she did so—possibly to end her life!

There was an old lady who swallowed a horse. Shes dead, of course!.

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Content edit

The song tells the absurd tale of an elderly woman who eats bigger and bigger animals in an attempt to catch the one she just swallowed. She eventually perishes after swallowing a horse. The lyrics use a lot of different wording, particularly when describing how each animal is swallowed.

An early account of the tale can be found in English writer Dorothy B. Kings 1946 book Happy Recollections.

Soon after, in its December 1947 issue, the journal Hoosier Folklore published three accounts of the tale from various American states (Colorado, Georgia, and Ohio). The editor refers to it as a “cumulative tale” and requests background information from readers. [2] Although the animals that are swallowed and the rhymes associated with each animal differ, all three versions start with a lady swallowing a fly and conclude with her dying after swallowing a horse.

Recording edit

One interpretation of the lyrics that illustrates the cumulative nature of the song is as follows:

FAQ

What is the poem about swallowing a fly?

There was an old woman who swallowed a fly. I don’t know why she swallowed a fly, Perhaps she’ll die. There was an old woman who swallowed a spider That wiggled and giggled and jiggled inside’er. She swallowed the spider to catch the fly, But I don’t know why she swallowed the fly, Perhaps she’ll die.

How does the lady who swallowed a fly end?

All three versions begin with a lady swallowing the fly and end with her dying after swallowing a horse, but there are variations in what animals are swallowed and the rhymes for each animal.

What things did the old lady swallow?

She swallowed the cat to catch the bird, She swallowed the bird to catch the spider, She swallowed the spider to catch the fly; I don’t know why she swallowed a fly – Perhaps she’ll die!