NurseryRhymes.info
One Man Went To Mow
19th Century 
England Lyrics
One man went to mow,
Went to mow a meadow,
One man and his dog, Spot,
Went to mow a meadow.
Two men went to mow,
Went to mow a meadow,
Two men, one man and his dog, Spot,
Went to mow a meadow.
Three men went to mow,
Went to mow a meadow,
Three men, two men, one man and his dog, Spot,
Went to mow a meadow.
Four men went to mow,
Went to mow a meadow,
Four men, three men, two men, one man and his dog, Spot,
Went to mow a meadow.
(The song continues in this cumulative pattern, adding one more man with each verse, potentially going up to ten or more.)
Went to mow a meadow,
One man and his dog, Spot,
Went to mow a meadow.
Two men went to mow,
Went to mow a meadow,
Two men, one man and his dog, Spot,
Went to mow a meadow.
Three men went to mow,
Went to mow a meadow,
Three men, two men, one man and his dog, Spot,
Went to mow a meadow.
Four men went to mow,
Went to mow a meadow,
Four men, three men, two men, one man and his dog, Spot,
Went to mow a meadow.
(The song continues in this cumulative pattern, adding one more man with each verse, potentially going up to ten or more.)
History and Meaning
The origins of this traditional folk work song are lost to time, as it was passed down by generations by ear rather than written down. It belongs to a category known as cumulative songs, where each new verse builds upon the last, adding another element, in this case, another man joining the mowing crew. This structure served both as a memory aid and potentially as a way to keep rhythm during communal labour like haymaking.