I'm surprised nobody has mentioned THE RABBIT TRAPPERS SONG (posted by John in Brisbane in 1998); the words are apparently from the oral tradition, recorded by Dave de Hugard. 1. Oh, my traps are all a-jangle, At an easy swinging tangle, I'm setting in a circle Keeping round a fringe of trees; Although I'm mud and gory spattered, And my clobber's torn and tattered I'm as carefree as the bunnies Till they fall for one of these. 2. Oh, I'm under no man's orders And I recognise no borders, There's a welcome everywhere for me And my old dungarees; I am a rabbit trapper, And a canny bunny snapper, And I whistle through the bushland, Though I'm wet up to the knees. 3. While you guys are courting tabbies, I'm out among the rabbies, I can hear them bucking, squealing, Oh, a dozen traps ahead, And again while you are flirting At the last trap I am certain To be bagging up my bunnies, Keeping tally as I tread. So Ginger make the railway early, There's a shy and dinkum girlie Let's me juggle with the cream cans As she write cheques out for me. I'm told Dave de Hugard wrote the tune to which it has been most commonly sung (in the Top End, with the audience doing "chorus" actions) for the last 20 odd years and, apparently, got so tired of hearing it that he wrote another. Cheers, Rowan
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