Jenny Jenkins and Marisol the Doll

For the past few days, we’ve all been ill with some general, nameless malaise. Lucia could have been teething, but where does that leave Bede and me? We all seem better today. Lucia has a brand new rag dolly named “Marisol,” created from fabric remnants, felt, and leftover black merino yarn with which I used to knit a hat for Ulric. (By the way, the dolly does indeed have an embroidered nose and mouth, but the camera flash washed them out.) Lucia requested a polka-dotted dress and green gloves for her new dolly, but I have not had a chance to fit clothes for Marisol. The dolly has been instrumental in helping Lucia go to sleep, and I don’t want to mess with a good thing. I write this, Lucia is singing, “Good night, Marisol!” and "Marisol, do you want to shake hands?" May the good luck hold. And hold.

Speaking of clothes, one of Lucia’s favorite songs right now is “Jenny Jenkins.” It just so happens that I’ve learned the chords for a version of the song. The rhymes are mostly my own, but I’ve nicked a couple from David Grisman’s/ Jerry Garcia’s version, as well as Sharon, Lois and Bram’s. You are welcome to use any of the rhymes or make up your own. “Jenny Jenkins” is a folk song, after all. It belongs to all of us.

D                             G           A7
Will you wear (yellow) oh my dear, oh my dear,
D                        A7
Will you wear (yellow) Jenny Jenkins?
         D                        
No, I won’t wear yellow,
                  G
it’ll make me bellow,
      D                                           
I’ll buy me a fildy-foldy, tildy-toldy,
                   A7
rildy-roldy roll,
               D
Jenny Jenkins roll.

More rhymes before the last verse:

Green—makes me feel mean
Red— it’ll go to my head
Blue—rather eat my shoe
Purple— make me burp-le
Pink—I think it might stink
Peach—it’ll make me screech
Beige—shows my age.
Black—get a lot of flack
Brown—makes me frown
White—color’s too bright
Grey—that’s all I’ll say
Orange—“No, orange I won’t wear, and it rhymes, so there!”
*Chartreuse—look like a goose
*Vermillion—‘cos it costs a billion
*Cyan—‘cos I’m not a fan

*Somebody’s going to be a smarty-pants, and I want to be prepared.

Last verse:

Then what will you wear, oh my dear, oh my dear,
What will you wear Jenny Jenkins?
Oh, what do you care if I just go bare!
I’ll buy me a fildy-foldy, tildy-toldy, rildy-roldy roll,
Jenny Jenkins roll.