Digital Tradition Mirror

The Jolly Beggar (5)

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

The Jolly Beggar (5)

There was a jolly beggar and a-beggin he had been,
wi' a foll and me doll and me dandy-o
He's left his winter quarters in a house in Aberdeen,
wi' a teer-a-noora neer-a-noora nandy-o.

He was askin' lodgin's on a Saturday for free,
wi' a foll and me doll and me dandy-o
He was askin lodgin, all for charity,
wi' a teer-a-noora neer-a-noora nandy-o.

He would nae lie in barn, he would nae lie in bier,
wi' a foll and me doll and me dandy-o
but he would lie intae the hall or by the kitchen fire,
wi' a teer-a-noora neer-a-noora nandy-o.

The auld man and the auld wife had ta'en the stranger in,
wi' a foll and me doll and me dandy-o
then they began a-crackin' and the night it did grow dim,
wi' a teer-a-noora neer-a-noora nandy-o.

A billet o' the hay by the fire they did put down,
wi' a foll and me doll and me dandy-o
then they're awa' intae their bed and left the beggar loon,
wi' a teer-a-noora neer-a-noora nandy-o.

The daughter she arose, tae bar the kitchen door
wi' a foll and me doll and me dandy-o
and there she saw the beggar standing naked on the floor.
wi' a teer-a-noora neer-a-noora nandy-o.

He's ta'en her in his arms, and tae the bed they ran,
wi' a foll and me doll and me dandy-o
Be easy wi' me now, or you'll waken our good man,
wi' a teer-a-noora neer-a-noora nandy-o.

The beggar was a cunnin' loon, ne'er a word he spak,
wi' a foll and me doll and me dandy-o
but when he got his turn done, he began to crack,
wi' a teer-a-noora neer-a-noora nandy-o.

Early in the mornin', ne'er a sight was seen,
wi' a foll and me doll and me dandy-o
they found that the beggar's ta'en awa' their daugther Jean,
wi' a teer-a-noora neer-a-noora nandy-o.

Seven years passed, seven years and two
wi' a foll and me doll and me dandy-o
and here's the beggars comin' o'er the lee wi' bairnies two,
wi' a teer-a-noora neer-a-noora nandy-o.

There was a jolly beggar and a-beggin he had been,
wi' a foll and me doll and me dandy-o
He's left his winter quarters in a house in Aberdeen,
wi' a teer-a-noora neer-a-noora nandy-o.

From an album by Celia Fisher and Artie Tresize

MO
oct97

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!