The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BUCKET

1. THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BUCKET, DEAR IVAN, DEAR IVAN,
THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BUCKET, DEAR IVAN, A HOLE.
2. THEN PATCH IT DEAR LIZA, DEAR LIZA, DEAR LIZA,
THEN PATCH IT DEAR LIZA, DEAR LIZA, PATCH IT.
3. WITH WHAT SHALL I PATCH IT, DEAR IVAN, DEAR IVAN?
WITH WHAT SHALL I PATCH IT, DEAR IVAN, WITH WHAT?
4. WITH A STICK, DEAR LIZA ,ETC.
5. BUT THE STICK IS TOO LONG, DEAR IVAN, ETC.
6. THEN CHOP IT DEAR LIZA, ETC.
7. WITH WHAT SHALL I CHOP IT, DEAR IVAN, ETC.
8. WITH THE AX, DEAR LIZA,ETC.
9. BUT THE AX IS TOO DULL, DEAR IVAN, ETC.
10. THEN SHARPEN IT, DEAR LIZA, ETC.
11. WITH WHAT SHALL I SHARPEN IT, DEAR IVAN, ETC.
12. WITH THE STONE, DEAR LIZA, ETC.
13. BUT THE STONE IS TOO DRY, DEAR IVAN, ETC.
14. THEN WET IT, DEAR LIZA, ETC.
15. WITH WHAT SHALL I WET IT, DEAR IVAN, ETC.
16. WITH WATER, DEAR LIZA, ETC.
17. WITH WHAT SHALL I FETCH IT, DEAR IVAN, ETC.
18. WITH THE BUCKET, DEAR LIZA, ETC.
19. THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BUCKET, DEAR IVAN, ETC.
ETC...........

Submitter comment:

THIS CAMPFIRE SONG IS ONE OF THOSE CYCLIC SONGS THAT END WHERE THEY
BEGAN AND SO GO FOREVER.

Remembered from the days when I was a Boy Scout.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; BOY SCOUTS ; REMEMBERED

Keyword(s): CIRCULAR FORM