To Bellman
Will you raise up your glasses to Bellman
and bid that old hound dog adieu,
for it's many's the time in the height of his prime
he has thrilled us by running to view.
Chorus
So let's bid farewell to our Bellman,
his voice you all used to know,
and it's hounds of his kind they are very hard to find
and he's gone where the good doggies go.
On the very worst morning in winter
through the hail and the rain you would try
and the other dogs would have just followed after
for his nose never told him no lie.
Now a gallant old hound were our Bellman,
why, he'd chase any fox and could climb,
and the only wrong deed that he'd done us
was when he laid his old pelt down and died. Now his offspring did follow their
father,
why, there's Bowler and there's Bashful and so grand
and they're like their noble old father
why they'll chase any fox from the land.
Now some people use guns to kill foxes
and they says that it's far more humane.
But the fox that got nipped by our Bellman
Why he'd laid down and he'd not rise again.
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Transcribed from the singing of The Watersons by Wolfgang Hell
JC
apr00
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!