A-milking, A-milking, My Maid Lyrics
A milkmaid strikes a deal with her cow: stand quietly and keep those back legs still, and there will be fresh hay as a reward.
A-milking, A-milking, My Maid
A-milking, a-milking, my maid,
"Cow, take care of your heels," she said;
"And you shall have some nice new hay,
If you'll quietly let me milk away."
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/a-milking-a-milking-my-maid/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes, Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 2 to 6 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| A-milking, a-milking | Squeeze and pull with both hands, one after the other. |
| Cow, take care of your heels | Point down at your feet. |
| Some nice new hay | Hold out a pretend armful of hay. |
What Does A-milking, A-milking, My Maid Mean?
Cows can kick when they are milked, so the maid asks the cow to take care of her heels, meaning keep her back feet still. In return she promises fresh hay. It is a polite bargain, and a good picture of how farmers talk to their animals to keep them calm.
History and Origin
The rhyme is printed in Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes. Milking by hand was a daily job on every small farm, done morning and evening, often by a dairymaid sitting on a low stool with a pail.
Learning Activities
- Milking game: fill a rubber glove with water, poke a tiny hole in one finger, and practice squeezing.
- Farm talk: ask what other animals might want in return for their eggs or wool.
- Dairy foods: name foods made from milk: butter, cheese, yogurt.