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DICK DARBY THE COBBLER

(learned at folk song parties in 1960; attributed by Tommy Makem)

staff with melody

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)