Nuts in May (rhyme)

For the play, see Nuts in May.

"Nuts in May" Roud #6308
Written by	Traditional
Published	1894-8
Written	England
Language	English
Form	Nursery rhyme

"Nuts in May" is a nursery rhyme often sung as a game with the aim of pairing a boy and girl from within the singers. It has a Roud index number of 6308.

Lyrics

Replace "[name]" by a boy's and a girl's name from within the group singing and select between him/her according to the gender of the first selected person. Some versions replace the phrase "On a cold and frosty morning," with "so early in the morning"

Here we go gathering nuts in May,

Nuts in May, nuts in May,

Here we go gathering nuts in May,

On a cold and frosty morning.

Who will you have for nuts in May,

Nuts in May, nuts in May,

Who will you have for nuts in May,

On a cold and frosty morning.

We'll have [name] for nuts in May,

Nuts in May, nuts in May,

We'll have [name] for nuts in May,

On a cold and frosty morning.

Who will you have to fetch him/her away,

Fetch him/her away, fetch him/her away,

Who will you have to fetch him/her away,

On a cold and frosty morning.

We'll have [name] to fetch him/her away,

Fetch him/her away, fetch him/her away,

We'll have [name] to fetch him/her away,

On a cold and frosty morning.

Origins

The rhyme is first recorded by Alice Gomme in The Traditional Games of England, Scotland and Ireland (1894-8). It is a variant of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush", with which it shares a tune and closing line.^[1]

See also

Children's literature portal

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush

Notes

1. ^ A. Gomme, The Traditional Games of England, Scotland and Ireland vol i, (London, 1894), pp. 424-33.