Oh, the Rusty, Dusty Miller Lyrics
Two lines from a dusty old mill. The miller is covered in flour from head to toe, but he would not swap his wife for all the gold and silver in the world.
Oh, the Rusty, Dusty Miller
Oh, the rusty, dusty, rusty miller,
I'll not change my wife for gold or siller.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/the-rusty-dusty-miller/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 3 to 8 years
What Does Oh, the Rusty, Dusty Miller Mean?
A miller grinds grain into flour, so his clothes and hair are always covered in white dust. Siller is the Scottish word for silver, or money in general. The miller may look rusty and dusty, but he is a happy man who values his family above riches.
History and Origin
The lines echo old Scottish songs about a dusty miller, and this short form is printed in Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes. Millers were important people in every village, since everyone needed their grain ground, and many old rhymes and songs feature them. Another favorite is Blow, Wind, Blow.
Learning Activities
- Flour hands: while baking, dust your hands with flour and say the rhyme as the dusty miller.
- Word swap: explain siller and ask what other Scottish words your child knows, like wee or bonny.