Parallel Anthology lyrics

Uncle Rat Went Out to Ride (The Frog and The Mouse)

Uncle Rat went out to ride
Kitty alone, Kitty alone
Uncle Rat went out to ride
Kitty alone and I
Uncle Rat went out to ride
Sword and buckle by his side
Ma cax macari duck and a dil
Kitty alone and I

Lady Mouse, will marry me?
Kitty alone, Kitty alone
Lady Mouse, will marry me?
Kitty alone and I
Lady Mouse, will marry me?
Ask my Uncle Rat, says she
Ma cax macari duck and a dil
Kitty alone and I

Uncle Rat, will you marry Lady Mouse?
Kitty alone, Kitty alone
Uncle Rat, will you marry Lady Mouse?
Kitty alone and I
Uncle Rat, will you marry Lady Mouse?
Yes, kind sir, and half my house
Ma cax macari duck and a dil
Kitty alone and I

Lady Mouse, where will the wedding be?
Kitty alone, Kitty alone
Lady Mouse, where will the wedding be?
Kitty alone and I
Lady Mouse, where will the wedding be?
Ask my Uncle Rat, says she
Ma cax macari duck and a dil
Kitty alone and I

Uncle Rat, where will the wedding be?
Kitty alone, Kitty alone
Uncle Rat, where will the wedding be?
Kitty alone and I
Uncle Rat, where will the wedding be?
Up at the top of a holly tree
Ma cax macari duck and a dil
Kitty alone and I

Our Goodman

As I came home the other night
my darling wife to see
I seen a horse within the sty
where my old horse should be
I called my wife and said to her
You're very untrue to me
or what horse is that within the sty
Where my old horse should be

Oh you're drunk, your drunk" She said
"and still you cannot see"
"that's a little barrow-pig
your mother sent to me"
well i have travelled round
a hundred miles or more
and a saddle on a barrow-pig
I've never seen before

Oh, as I came home the other night
my darling wife to see
I seen a stick behind the door
where my old stick should be
I called my wife and said to her
You're very untrue to me,
or what stick is that behind the door
where my old stick should be?

Oh you're drunk, your drunk" she said
and still you cannot see"
That's a little podge stick (?)
well i have travelled round
a hundred miles or more
and a silver mounted podge stick (?)
I've never seen before.

As I came home the other night
my darling wife to see
I seen a head within the bed
where my old should be
I called my wife and said to her
You're very untrue to me
or what head is that within the bed
where my old head should be?

Oh you're drunk, your drunk, she said
and still you cannot see
that's your poor old mother
who came to visit me
Well I have travelled round
for a hundred miles or more
and whiskers on a woman
I never seen before.

As I came home the other night
my darling wife to see
I seen a coat within the bed
where my old coat should be
I called my wife and said to her
You're very untrue to me
or what coat is that in the bed
where my old coat should be

Oh you're drunk, your drunk, she said
and still you cannot see
that's a woollen blanket
your mother sent to me
Well I have travelled round
for a hundred miles or more
and buttons on a blanket
I never seen before.

The Devil (The Farmer's Curst Wife)

There was an old man living XXX XXX
Riteful, riteful, tilly fa lay,
There was an old man living XXX XXX
Had a XXXX a wife for most of his days
With a riteful da, falla die dal,
Falla de dal, de dal da de day.

Said he, my old man, I have come for your wife,
Riteful, riteful, tilly fa lay,
See here, my old man I have come for your wife,
For I hear she's the plague and torment of your life,
With a riteful da, falla die dal,
Falla de dal, de dal da de day.

So the devil he hoisted her up on his back,
Riteful, riteful, tilly fa lay,
So the devil he hoisted her up on his back,
And he went back to hell with old lady on his back (?)
With a riteful da, falla die dal,
Falla de dal, de dal da de day.

Now when at the finish he got to hell's gate,
Riteful, riteful, tilly fa lay,
Now when at the finish he got to hell's gate,
Said old wife "what you doing" and thump on his face (?)
With a riteful da, falla die dal,
Falla de dal, de dal da de day.

There were two little devils they were tied up in chains,
Riteful, riteful, tilly fa lay,
There were two little devils they were tied up in chains,
She lifted her stick and she XXXXX
With a riteful da, falla die dal,
Falla de dal, de dal da de day.

So the Devil he hoisted her up on his back,
Riteful, riteful, tilly fa lay,
So the Devil he hoisted her up on his back,
XXX seven years XXX and ideas coming back
With a riteful da, falla die dal,
Falla de dal, de dal da de day.

Says he, my old man, here's your wife sitting well,
Riteful, riteful, tilly fa lay,
Says he, my old man, here's your wife sitting well,
For the likes of herself we will not have in hell.
With a riteful da, falla die dal,
Falla de dal, de dal da de day.

Now I've been a devil for most of my life,
Riteful, riteful, tilly fa lay,
Now I've been a devil for most of my life,
But I've n'er was in hell and met with your wife (?)
With a riteful da, falla die dal,
Falla de dal, de dal da de day.

Now it's told that women is worse than the men,
Riteful, riteful, tilly fa lay,
Now it's told that women is worse than the men,
When they gan down to hell they are thrown out again.
With a riteful da, falla die dal,
Falla de dal, de dal da de day.

The Cuckoo

The cuckoo is a fine bird
He sings as he flies
And the more he sing cuckoo
The summer draws near
I'm a walking and a talking
And a walking XXXX
To meet my own true love
She be coming by by

If he catch you
He will rob you
to make his voice clear
And the more he sing cuckoo
The summer draws near
I'm a walking and a talking
And a walking
To meet my own true love
She be coming by by

What Shall I Wear to the Wedding John

Oh what shall I wear to the wedding, John?
Johnny my own true love

Your best black frock and xxxx
Surely the wench is mad

Can't I have something prettier, John?
Johnny my own true love

What's XXX
Surely the wench is mad

And what will you wear to our wedding, John?
Johnny my own true love

My best smock frock (?) and my gaiters (?) for sure
Surely the wench is mad

Can't you wear something smarter, John??
Johnny my own true love

What's wrong with top hat and gaiters (?) XX
Surely the wench is mad

And who should we have to the wedding, John?
Johnny my own true love

My Mother and Father and Sister, for sure
Surely the wench is mad

And can't we have someone else, John
Johnny my own true love

What's want? The Princess and Princess XXX?
Surely the wench is mad

And what shall we have for dinner, John?
Johnny my own true love

XXX and cabbage and bacon, for sure
Surely the wench is mad

And can't we have something nicer, John?
Johnny my own true love

What's want? XXX
Surely the wench is mad

And how should go to the wedding, John?
Johnny my own true love

You've got two fine legs to walk XXX
Surely the wench is mad

And can't we have carriage and pair, John?
Johnny my own true love

You'll take my arm and we'll walk like this
Surely the wench is mad

No Sir (Oh No John!)

Tell me will you, tell me truly
Tell me why you scorn me so
Tell me why when e'er I ask you
Why you always answer no?

No sir, no sir, no sir
No sir,
No sir, no sir, no sir, no

My father was a Spanish merchant
and before he went to sea
told me to be sure to answer
no to all you said to me

No sir, no sir, no sir
No sir,
No sir, no sir, no sir, no

If when walking in the garden
plucking flowers all wet with dew
Tell me would you be offended,
if I walked and talked to you?

No sir, no sir, no sir
No sir,
No sir, no sir, no sir, no

If when walking in the garden,
I should ask you to be mine.
And should tell you that I loved you
Would you then my heart decline?

No sir, no sir, no sir
No sir,
No sir, no sir, no sir, no