Margaret Has a Milking-pail Lyrics
Margaret carries a milking-pail and Thomas a threshing-flail, and both are up early. When they cross the dewy grass under the lime trees, they greet each other with a good morrow.
Margaret Has a Milking-pail
Margaret has a milking-pail,
And she rises early;
Thomas has a threshing-flail,
And he's up betimes.
Sometimes crossing through the grass
Where the dew lies pearly,
They say "Good morrow" as they pass
By the leafy limes.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/margaret-has-a-milking-pail/
- Type
- Poems for Children
- Written by
- Christina Rossetti
- Tune
- Light and walking-paced, with a bright 'good morrow' on the sixth line
- Best for ages
- 4 to 8 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Margaret has a milking-pail, | Swing one arm as if carrying a pail. |
| They say "Good morrow" as they pass | Wave to a partner and say good morrow. |
What Does Margaret Has a Milking-pail Mean?
This is a snapshot of an early farm morning. Margaret carries a pail for milking, and Thomas a flail for threshing. A flail is a hand tool with a hinged bar that swings to knock grain out of its husks. Both are up betimes, an old word for early or in good time.
The scene is a quiet one. They pass each other on the grass, where the dew lies pearly, like tiny pearls, and say Good morrow, which is simply the old way to say good morning. The limes are lime trees, which are broad-leaved trees and have nothing to do with the green fruit. The rhymes are clear: early with pearly, and betimes with limes.
History and Origin
This short scene is from Christina Rossetti's Sing-Song (1872). It names two ordinary country jobs, milking and threshing, and gives them a small moment of politeness in the early morning.
Learning Activities
- Good morrow: use the greeting as a morning game, and see who can say it first.
- Morning jobs: ask the child what jobs people do early, such as milking, baking or delivering the post.
- Dew look: on a cool, clear morning, look at the grass for dew drops and talk about why they glisten.
- Pail walk: carry a small pail or bucket across the room without spilling a bean-bag.