DICK DARBY THE COBBLER
(learned at folk song parties in 1960; attributed by Tommy Makem)
Oh, me name is Dick Darby, I'm a cobbler;
I served me time at Old Camp;
Some say I'm an old agitator;
But me I have vowed to repent.
With me ingtwing of an ingthing of an idoo,
With me ingtwing of an ingthing of an iday,
With me roo-boo-boo, roo-boo-boo, rendy,
Me labstone keeps beatin' away.
Me father was hung for sheep-stealing,
Me mither was burned as a witch;
Me sister's a dandy housekeeper,
And I'm a mechanical switch.
With me ingtwing of an ingthing (etc.)
For forty long years I have traveled,
All by the contents of me pack;
Me hammers, me awls, and me pincers,
I carry them all on me back.
With me ingtwing of an ingthing (etc.)
Me wife, she's humpy, she's lumpy;
Me wife, she's a divil, she's black;
No matter what I do with her
Her tongue it goes clickety-clack.
With me ingtwing of an ingthing (etc.)
It was earl one fine summer's morning,
A little before it was day;
I dipped her three times in the water
And carelessly bid her good-day!
With me ingtwing of an ingthing (etc.)
(from miriam berg's folksong collection)