Lay the Cloth, Knife and Fork
Lay the cloth, knife and fork, / Bring me up a leg of pork…
Lay the cloth, knife and fork,
Bring me up a leg of pork.
If it’s lean, bring it in,
If it’s fat, take it back,
Tell the old woman I don’t want that.
Where this rhyme comes from
- Printed
- 1916
- Where
- London
We have copied these words exactly as they were printed in 1916, spelling and all. It is one of the London girls' chants Douglas lists alongside their skipping, clapping and ring games.
Source: Norman Douglas, London Street Games (London: The St. Catherine Press, 1916) (public domain).
More rhymes like this
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Up came an engine and broke Piggy’s bones…ChantsPrinted 1916I'll Tell MaI’ll tell Ma when I get home
That the boys won’t leave me alone…ChantsPrinted 1916Sweet, Sweet CarolineSweete, sweet Carroline,
Dipt her face in Terpentine…ChantsPrinted 1916Pounds, Shillings and PencePounds, shillings and pence,
The monkey jumped over the fence…ChantsPrinted 1916Mrs. Brown Went to TownMrs. Brown went to town,
Riding on a pony…ChantsPrinted 1916Sally Go Round the MoonSally go round the moon, Sally,
Sally go round the sun…
Up came an engine and broke Piggy’s bones…ChantsPrinted 1916I'll Tell MaI’ll tell Ma when I get home
That the boys won’t leave me alone…ChantsPrinted 1916Sweet, Sweet CarolineSweete, sweet Carroline,
Dipt her face in Terpentine…ChantsPrinted 1916Pounds, Shillings and PencePounds, shillings and pence,
The monkey jumped over the fence…ChantsPrinted 1916Mrs. Brown Went to TownMrs. Brown went to town,
Riding on a pony…ChantsPrinted 1916Sally Go Round the MoonSally go round the moon, Sally,
Sally go round the sun…
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