Rattlin' Bog Story and History

Santa was walking down the hall from Claus Mansion towards the workshop and heard some great Irish music and clapping coming from the cafeteria. He thought he would take a little detour to go and see what all of the excitement was about. Ask he entered the doors, right in the center of the room he saw Lucky the Leprechaun singing this traditional Irish tune surrounded by some of the workshop elves playing along and clapping the the music. He decided to go over and join them. and found out they were singing the Rattlin' Blog.

About the Song

"The Rattlin' Bog" is an Irish folk song and game. It is a version of an internationally distributed folk song type. The adjective rattlin' means "splendid" in the context of this song. It is a cumulative song, similar to "The Twelve Days of Christmas", as it has a list at the end of each verse which grows throughout the piece. Since it is a folk song, it has been transmitted over generations orally so many versions coexist and it may be impossible and even nonsensical to seek a single authoritative version of the song's lyrics. The song can change at any time, or any time it is sung; however, the course of the song is always the same.

Song Lyrics

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
A Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

Well in the bog there was a hole,
A rare hole and a rattlin' hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

Well in that hole there was a tree,
A rare tree and a rattlin' tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

On that tree there was a branch,
A rare branch and a rattlin' branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

On that branch there was a twig,
A rare twig, a rattlin' twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

Well on that twig there was a nest,
A rare nest and a rattlin' nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

In that nest there was a egg,
A rare egg a rattlin' egg,
And the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

And in the egg there was a chick,
A rare chick a rattlin’ chick,
And the chick in the egg,
And the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

And on the chick there was a feather,
A rare feather a rattlin’ feather,
And the feather on the chick,
And the chick in the egg,
And the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

On the feather there was a flea,
A rare flea, a rattlin’ flea,
And flea on the feather,
And the feather on the chick,
And the chick in the egg,
And the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

And on that flea there was some legs,
Rare legs, rattlin’ legs,
And the legs on the flea,
And flea on the feather,
And the feather on the chick,
And the chick in the egg,
And the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

And on the leg there were some shoes,
Some rare shoes, some rattlin’ shoes,
And the shoes on the legs,
And the leg on the flea,
And flea on the feather,
And the feather on the chick,
And the chick in the egg,
And the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

On those shoes there were some heels,
Some rare heels, some rattlin’ heels,
And the heels on the shoes,
And the shoes on the legs,
And the leg on the flea,
And flea on the feather,
And the feather on the chick,
And the chick in the egg,
And the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valleyo.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valleyo.

On that heel there was a nail,
A rare nail, a rattlin’ nail,
And the nail on the heel,
And the heels on the shoes,
And the shoes on the legs,
And the leg on the flea,
And flea on the feather,
And the feather on the chick,
And the chick in the egg,
And the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the twig,
And the twig on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.

Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.

Let us know down in the comments if you sang along this song with your friends or family.