POP GOES THE WEASEL

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LS E-7

LS E-26, Side A, Track 1 (Recorded at reduced tempo)

Formation: Circle made up of groups of three, facing in LOD. One child in each group is the Popper and stands in front of the two others, who have inside hands joined. He reaches both hands out and slightly back, and the other two join their outside hands with him.

SONG

All around the cobbler's bench, the monkey chased the weasel;

The monkey thought ‘twas all in fun, Pop! goes the weasel.

Penny for a spool of thread, penny for a needle;

That's the way the money goes, Pop! goes the weasel.

DANCE

All sing and skip in LOD. At the word Pop!, the leader drops both hands and squats to the floor while the other two arch and skip over him to the next Popper, who rises and without turning around and puts his hands out to be grabbed by the other two. All continue skipping forward. After this has been done several times, stop and change the leader with one of the others who has not had a turn.

Note: In cloth making, the machine that wound the yarn was called the weasel. Every 1000 yards, the machine made a popping sound, thus "Pop! goes the weasel." Another folk origin is the pop! of the hunter's trap. Additional verses related to both traditions are:

My mother taught me how to sew,	I went a'hunting in the woods,
And how to thread the needle,	It wasn't very legal,
Every time my finger slips,	The dog and I were caught with the goods,
Pop! goes the weasel.	Pop! goes the weasel.

You may try to sew and sew,	I said I didn't hunt or sport,
And never make something regal,	The warden looked at my beagle,
So roll it up and let it go,	He said to tell it to the court,
Pop! goes the weasel	Pop! goes the weasel.