Come, Butter, Come Lyrics
Someone is churning cream into butter, and Peter is waiting at the gate for his buttered cake. The chant was sung to keep time and pass the time while churning.
Come, Butter, Come
Come, butter, come,
Come, butter, come!
Peter stands at the gate,
Waiting for a butter'd cake;
Come, butter, come!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/come-butter-come/
- Type
- Mother Goose, Action Songs
- Tune
- Chanted work rhyme
- Best for ages
- 3 to 8 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Come, butter, come | Move your arms up and down as if working a butter churn. |
| Peter stands at the gate | Stand tall like Peter. |
| Waiting for a butter'd cake | Rub your tummy. |
What Does Come, Butter, Come Mean?
Before shop-bought butter, people made it at home in a churn, beating cream up and down until it turned solid. It could take a long time, so people sang chants like this one, calling on the butter to "come". Peter is waiting impatiently for a cake spread with the new butter.
History and Origin
Andrew Lang included the rhyme in The Nursery Rhyme Book (1897). Butter-churning chants were known across England, Scotland and America, and many farm families believed a chant helped the butter form faster.
Learning Activities
- Make butter: shake cream in a sealed jar for ten minutes, chanting the rhyme, until butter forms.
- Churn actions: move your arms like a churn handle on every line.
- Taste test: spread your homemade butter on bread, like Peter's cake.