The first verse of this very old song is sometimes used to amuse and dandle babies.

Both verses are used for a ring game. The mysterious words derive from an older song game called Bab at the Bowster. This was played by young people and involved kneeling on a cushion and kissing. A bowster is a cushion.

Bee baw babbity,
Babbity, babbity.
Bee baw babbity,
A lassie or a wee laddie?

Choose, choose who you'll tak,
Who you'll tak, who you'll tak.
Choose, choose who you'll tak,
A lassie or a wee laddie?

The players stand in a circle. If there are up to 12 people, one goes in the middle.

While Choose, choose is sung, the person points around the circle, then chooses someone. That person comes into the circle and the two inside dance for the first verse. At Choose, choose, the second person chooses a third person to join the first two, and so on.

If there are more than 12 people in the circle, you can start with two people in the middle, each choosing a partner, so that the game goes faster.

Another version of this song is called Babbity Bowster. The words are:

Wha learned ye tae dance, Babbity Bowster, Babbity Bowster?
Wha learned ye tae dance, Babbity Bowster brawly?

Ma mither learned me tae dance, Babbity Bowster, Babbity Bowster,
Ma mither learned me tae dance, Babbity Bowster brawly.

There is also another version of the game song that begins Who'll come in tae ma wee ring?

For the history of this song, see the book Doh Ray Me, When Ah Wis Wee (McVicar, 2007).

Bee Baw Babbity performed by Ewan McVicar From Scottish Songs for Younger Children, Gallus recordings.