How Dan, Dilly Dow Lyrics
A Scottish mother sings to her little boy about the hunting he will do when he is a man, the long lie-in he can have, and the dainties she will cook for him.
How Dan, Dilly Dow
How dan, dilly dow,
Hey dow, dan,
Weel were ye're minnie.
An' ye were a man.
Ye wad hunt an' hawk,
An' hand her o' game,
An' water your daddie's horse
When he cam' hame.
How dan, dilly dow,
Hey dan, floors,
Ye'se lie i' your bed
Till eleven hours.
If at eleven hours
You list to rise,
Ye'se hae your dinner dight
In a new guise.
Laverocks' legs,
And titlins' taes,
And a' sic dainties
My mannie shall hae.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/how-dan-dilly-dow/
- Type
- Lullabies
- Tune
- Sung slowly as a lullaby
- Best for ages
- 1 to 5 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| How dan, dilly dow | Rock a baby or a soft toy from side to side. |
| Ye'se lie i' your bed | Rest your cheek on your folded hands. |
| My mannie shall hae | Hold out your hands as if offering a plate. |
What Does How Dan, Dilly Dow Mean?
This is a lullaby in Scots. The second verse looks ahead: the mother says that when her son is a man he will hunt and hawk and bring home game. The third verse promises that he can lie in bed till eleven, and if he gets up then, a good dinner is waiting. The last verse names the dainties, which are small birds' legs and toes, and says her mannie, her little man, shall have them.
Some of the words are Scots: minnie means mother, and dight means made ready. The comforting list of promises makes it a gentle lullaby, since it paints a picture of a good, easy life to come.
History and Origin
Robert Ford prints the song in Children's Rhymes, Children's Games, Children's Songs, Children's Stories, a collection of Scottish nursery material. He calls it "a cheery and comforting lilt" because of its promise of plenty.
Right after it he prints a second song which he finds much less cheerful, and the two are set side by side to show the difference between a hopeful mother and a mother with an empty meal-chest.
Learning Activities
- Rocking song: sing it slowly while rocking a doll to sleep.
- Scots words: learn the new words minnie, mannie and dight and use them in a game.
- Dream menu: ask children to plan a dinner for a visiting king.
- Sleep in: pretend to sleep in on the third verse and wake up on the fourth.