Bonny Lass, Canny Lass Lyrics
In Cumberland dialect, a young man makes his offer: marry me, and you will never wash dishes or feed the pigs. You will sit on a cushion and eat strawberries and cream.
Bonny Lass, Canny Lass
Bonny lass, canny lass, willta be mine?
Thou'se neither wesh dishes, nor sarrah the swine,
Thou sall sit on a cushion, and sew up a seam,
And thou sall eat strawberries, sugar, and cream!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/bonny-lass-canny-lass/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 4 to 8 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Thou'se neither wesh dishes | Shake your head and pretend to push away a sink of dishes. |
| Sit on a cushion, and sew up a seam | Pretend to sew with a needle and thread. |
| Strawberries, sugar, and cream | Pretend to eat from a bowl with a spoon. |
What Does Bonny Lass, Canny Lass Mean?
The rhyme is in the old dialect of Cumberland, in the northwest of England. Bonny means pretty, canny means nice or good, willta is "will you", wesh is wash and sarrah means serve, so she would never have to feed the swine. Instead of farm work, he promises a quiet life of sewing and sweet treats.
History and Origin
James Orchard Halliwell prints it in The Nursery Rhymes of England under the heading "Cumberland courtship", and explains sarrah as serve. A similar version, with "bonny lass" twice, appears in early American Mother Goose books.
Learning Activities
- Dialect detectives: find the old words and say what each one means today.
- Strawberry snack: share strawberries with a little cream or yogurt.
- Chores chart: talk about which jobs at home everyone helps with.