Hey hey (jane, jane), my lord and lord (jane, jane)
I'm a gonna buy (jane, jane), three mockin' birds (jane, jane)
One for to whistle (jane, jane), one for to sing (jane, jane)
One for to do (jane, jane) most any little thing (jane, jane)

Chorus:
Children go where I send thee, how shall I send thee
Hey hey, my lord and lord

Well I'm gonna send thee three by three
Three for the hebrew children
Two for the paul and silas
One for the little-bitty baby
That's born, born, born in bethlehem

Hey hey, my lord and lord
I'm a gonna buy three hunting dogs
One for to run, one for to shout,
One for to talk to when I go out

(chorus)

Well I'm gonna send thee six by six,
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the five that stayed alive
Four for the four that stood at the door
Three for the hebrew children
Two for the paul and silas
One for the little-bitty baby
That's born, born, born in bethlehem

Hey hey, my lord and lord
I'm gonna buy three muley cows
One for to milk,
One to plow my corn
One for to pray on christmas morn

(chorus)

Well I'm gonna send thee nine by nine
Nine for the nine that dressed so fine
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that came from heaven
Six for the six that never got fixed
Five for the five that stayed alive
Four for the four that stood at the door
Three for the hebrew children
Two for the paul and silas
One for the little-bitty baby
That's born, born, born in bethlehem

Hey hey, my lord and lord,
I'm a-gonna buy three little blue birds
One for to weep,
One for to mourn,
One for to pray when I am gone.