{The Derby Ram.}

[1]

As I was going to Darby, Sir,

All on a market day,

I met the finest Ram, Sir,

That ever was fed on hay.

Daddle-i-day, daddle-i-day,

Fal-de-ral, fal-de-ral, daddle-i-day.

[2]

This Ram was fat behind, Sir,

This Ram was fat before,

This Ram was ten yards high, Sir,

Indeed he was no more.

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[3]

The Wool upon his back, Sir,

Reached up unto the sky,

The Eagles made their nests there, Sir,

For I heard the young ones cry.

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[4]

The Wool upon his belly, Sir,

It dragged upon the ground,

It was sold in Darby town, Sir,

For forty thousand pound.[Note 1]

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[5]

The space between his horns, Sir,

Was as far as a man could reach,

And there they built a pulpit

For the Parson there to preach.

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[6]

The teeth that were in his mouth, Sir,

Were like a regiment of men;

And the tongue that hung between them, Sir,

Would have dined them twice and again.

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[7]

This Ram jumped o'er a wall, Sir,

His tail caught on a briar,

It reached from Darby town, Sir,

All into Leicestershire.

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[8]

And of this tail so long, Sir,

'Twas ten miles and an ell,

They made a goodly rope, Sir,

To toll the market bell.

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[9]

This Ram had four legs to walk on, Sir,

This Ram had four legs to stand,

And every leg he had, Sir,

Stood on an acre of land.[Note 2]

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[10]

The Butcher that killed this Ram, Sir,

Was drownded in the blood,

And the boy that held the pail, Sir,

Was carried away in the flood.[Note 3]

Daddle-i-day, &c,

[11]

All the maids in Darby, Sir,

Came begging for his horns,

To take them to coopers,

To make them milking gawns.[Note 4]

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[12]

The little boys of Darby, Sir,

They came to beg his eyes,

To kick about the streets, Sir,

For they were football [Note 5] size.

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[13]

The tanner that tanned its hide, Sir,

Would never be poor any more,

For when he had tanned and retched [Note 6] it,

It covered all Sinfin Moor.[Note 7]

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[14]

The Jaws that were in his head, Sir,

They were so fine and thin,

They were sold to a Methodist Parson,

For a pulpit to preach in.[Note 8]

Daddle-i-day, &c.

[15]