Over the River and Through the Wood

Background

The poem was originally published as "The New-England Boy's Song about Thanksgiving Day" in Child's Flowers for Children. It celebrates the author's childhood memories of visiting her Grandfather's House. Lydia Maria Child was a novelist, journalist, teacher, and poet who wrote extensively about the need to eliminate slavery.

The poem was eventually set to a tune by an unknown composer. The song version is sometimes presented with lines about Christmas, rather than Thanksgiving. For instance, the line "Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!" becomes "Hurrah for Christmas Day!". As a Christmas song, it has been recorded as "A Merry Christmas at Grandmother's". Although the modern Thanksgiving holiday is not always associated with snow (snow in late November occasionally occurs in the northern states and is rare at best elsewhere in the United States), New England in the early 19th century was enduring the Little Ice Age, a colder era with earlier winters.

Poem

The original piece had twelve stanzas, though only four are typically included in the song.

Over the river, and through the wood, To Grandfather's house we go; the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow. Over the river, and through the wood, to Grandfather's house away! We would not stop for doll or top, for 'tis Thanksgiving Day. Over the river, and through the wood— oh, how the wind does blow! It stings the toes and bites the nose as over the ground we go. Over the river, and through the wood— and straight through the barnyard gate, We seem to go extremely slow, it is so hard to wait! Over the river, and through the wood— When Grandmother sees us come, She will say, "O, dear, the children are here, bring a pie for everyone." Over the river, and through the wood— now Grandmother's cap I spy! Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done? Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

The following verses appear in a "long version":

Over the river, and through the wood, with a clear blue winter sky, The dogs do bark, and children hark, as we go jingling by. Over the river, and through the wood, to have a first-rate play. Hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ding!", Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day! Over the river, and through the wood, no matter for winds that blow; Or if we get the sleigh upset into a bank of snow Over the river, and through the wood, to see little John and Ann; We will kiss them all, and play snow-ball and stay as long as we can. Over the river, and through the wood, trot fast, my dapple-gray! Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound! For 'tis Thanksgiving Day. Over the river, and through the wood, Old Jowler hears our bells. He shakes his pow, with a loud bow-wow, and thus the news he tells.

Legacy

A children's book, Over the River—A Turkey's Tale, recasts the poem as a humorous tale of a family of turkeys on their way to a vegetarian Thanksgiving; the book was written by Derek Anderson, and published by Simon & Schuster in 2005.