A Bit Of Foolish Doggerel

 

Sing a song of sixpence,

A pocket full of rye,

Four and twenty blackbirds

Baked in a pie.

The boys have been sowing rye all day, rye all day and rye all day!

The wind is long and black and sere, my dears.

I had my great wide green skirt on with the many petticoats. I had my fine pale linen apron too. I’d twitched my bodice tight to show my pretty waist, so trim. And in my bosom I kept all my secrets hid. It’s true! And a great green shawl to cover it all, my dears.

I went to sing them a song you know, song you know, but only one for true. For Jerry is my true love, though he mightn’t know. I sang so close I got pelted with rye. It filled my all pockets you know.

I sang a song both loud and sweet and made the blackbirds fly. I made the blackbirds fly, you know!

Donald came up with grin on his face and tossed a sixpence in. He tossed a sixpence in my bosom with gall and he wished to go fishin’ an’ all. For the song he said. For the song.

Jerry ran up like a knight of the rye and knocked him one in the nose. In the nose, it’s the truth! My heart leapt up and I dropped the pie, with four and twenty black currants among the apples white. The pie that was meant for their lunch, my dears, for their lunch, it was made for their lunch.



When the pie was opened

The birds began to sing—

Wasn't that a dainty dish

To set before the king?

Oh, bother and damn, it fell out of my hands, and in pieces it lay on the ground, my dears, all upon the ground.

The birds gathered near, so many they were, black wings all aflap, and with cluckings and chirpings they sang for their supper alright. They sang for their supper alright! I sat on the grass and I wept, I confess, for the wretchedness of it all, my dears.

Such a fine dish to set before him whom I want for my king, my dears. My king, in sooth, so I wish. It was on the ground all a’smash!



The king was in the counting-house

Counting out his money,

The queen was in the parlor

Eating bread and honey,

Jerry has gone to get paid for his work and came to me counting his money. My king who must work for his money, my dears.

He’s said shall we wed so you’ll sleep in my bed and be no more bothered by Donny?

I stood as you’ll guess and I answered him yes, I answered him yes, oh yes!

We went to my mother, and we placed all our plans before her, my dears, we told her our plans for our lives! Her joy was complete, then we’d something to eat, though only bread and honey, it was only bread and honey!

The maid was in the garden

Hanging out the clothes.

Along came a blackbird

And snipped off her nose.



My dears, I have a little sister. She was out in the garden working away with the washing, working away at the washing!

Hanging it out on the bushes to dry, was she. And mightily wroth was she too when she heard of the news of the day, the day, my dears, this day!

For she fancied the man for herself, she did! She did, oh she did, the wench! Though he does not love her, she fancied the man for herself!

I have heard it said not to be unequally wed, so she ought to be glad I’ve freed her. For both must be into the bargain, one will never do, my dears, one cannot do it alone.

Her nose is quite out of joint, my dears. The blackbirds are laughing at her! Though I expect she’ll come around by summer!