I gotten for you a bit of a job, Which if you'll be so kind as to do, I gotten a summat for you in my fob." The king he took the lease in hand, To sign it, too, he was likewise willing; And the old chap to make a little amends, He lugged out his bag, and gave him a shilling. The king, to carry on the joke, Ordered ten pounds to be paid down; The farmer he stared, but nothing spoke, And stared again, and he scratched his crown. The farmer he stared to see so much money, And to take it up he was likewise willing; But if he'd a known King had got so much money, He danged his wig if he'd gi'en him that shilling! SADDLE TO RAGS |This story I'm going to sing, I hope it will give you content, Concerning a silly old man That was going to pay his rent. With a till da dill, till a dill, dill, Till a dill, dill a dill, dee, Sing fal de dill, dill de dill, dill. Fal de dill, dill de dill, dee. As he was a-riding along, Along all on the highway, A gentleman-thief overtook him, And thus unto him he did say: "O! well overtaken, old man, O! well overtaken," said he: "Thank you kindly, sir," says the old man, "If you be for my company." "How far are you going this way?" It made the old man to smile; "To tell you the truth, kind sir, I'm just a-going twa mile. "I am but a silly old man, Who farms a piece of ground; My half-year rent, kind sir, Just comes to forty pound. "But my landlord's not been at hame, I've not seen him twelve month or more; It makes my rent to be large, I've just to pay him fourscore." "You should not have told anybody, For thieves they are ganging many; If they were to light upon you They would rob you of every penny." "O! never mind," says the old man, "Thieves I fear on no side; My money is safe in my bags, In the saddle on which I ride." As they were a-riding along, And riding a-down a ghyll, The thief pulled out a pistol, And bade the old man stand still. (_ghyll_, ravine.) The old man was crafty and false, As in this world are many; He flung his old saddle o'er t' hedge, And said, "Fetch it, if thou'lt have any." This thief got off his horse, With courage stout and bold, To search this old man's bags, And gave him his horse to hold. The old man put foot in stirrup, And he got on astride; He set the thief's horse in a gallop,-- You need not bid the old man ride! "O, stay! O, stay!" says the thief, "And thou half my share shalt have;" "Nay, marry, not I," quoth the old man, "For once I've bitten a knave!" This thief he was not content, He thought there must be bags, So he up with his rusty sword, And chopped the old saddle to rags. The old man gallop'd and rode, Until he was almost spent,