In years gone by, in certain parts of England, to ask a maid if you could go ‘milking with her’ was tantamount to a marriage proposal.
This rhyme appears to be a cleaned up version of an old Tudor song about a milkmaid and a man with dishonorable intentions towards her.
“Where Are You Going, My Pretty Maid” Lyrics
“Where are you going to, my pretty maid?”
“I’m going a-milking, sir,” she said.
“May I go with you, my pretty maid?”
“You’re kindly welcome, sir,” she said.
“Say, will you marry me, my pretty maid?”
“Yes, if you please, kind sir,” she said.
“What is your father, my pretty maid?”
“My father’s a farmer, sir,” she said.
“What is your fortune, my pretty maid?”
“My face is my fortune, sir,” she said.
“Then I can’t marry you, my pretty maid.”
“Nobody asked you sir,” she said.