I Dyed My Petticoat Red 

Nova Scotia version of an English traditional song

 

I dyed my petticoat I dyed it red, 

And around the world I begged my bread, 

Friends and relations think me dead, 

Call the cat, the kid-a-lee-ack, the low.

 

Chorus: Shoal, shoal, shoal the back-er-ol,

Shoal the ramsack call and the pocatoo, 

While they call the cat the kid-a-lee-ack, 

The willikey willikey wum, 

'Till they niddle-e-ack, niddle-e-ack night night night.

 

Chorus

 

I wish and I wish and I wish in vain, 

I wish I was a young maid again, 

A maid again I never shall be,

'Till cherries grow on an apple tree. 

 

Chorus

 

I churned my butter with a bullikin boot,

I churned it round with a muddy old scoot, 

Friends and relations think it cute,

Call the cat the kiddle-e-ack the low.