Nice one, Nigel!

@Georgiansilver; very cool! I think Bob Marley would like that one!

Thanks to Grishka for the comments on the Challenges; I have sometimes wondered whether anybody else actually reads them, but they're just kind of fun to do anyway! Your English reads pretty well to me - please feel free to join in and add to the fun.

The Boy in the Hood and the Sheriff of Montana

The boy in the hood to the market was bound,
With a link and a down and a day;
He said to his friend, 'I have money to spend,
Some good grass let us get for today.'

Now the boy in the hood was a foolish young boy,
And a foolish young boy was he;
For the message he sent, to Sheriff Dutton it went,
'Pray get you some good grass for me.'

'Soon granted, soon granted,' the sheriff replied,
'Some good grass I'll give unto thee,
If your dollars are real then you've got a deal,
If you'll meet in the market with me.'

And the Sheriff has called on his very best man,
And sent him out into the street;
'By the old market hall, this number do call,
So the boy in the hood you may meet.'

The sheriff's deputy put on a ragged old coat,
And off to the market he went;
And down there he stood till the boy in the hood,
Came along with his foolish intent.

Three times he called on the boy in the hood,
Three times the number called he;
And the boy in the hood he didn't feel good,
When he saw the badge of that deputy.

He turned to his friend, saying 'This is the end,'
And he fell to the ground in a swoon;
And when he came to, his dad was there too,
'Just wait, son, until we get home.'

'No grass! no grass!' said the deputy,
'No grass shall I give unto you.
I would throw you in jail without any bail,
But your father knows just what to do.'

'A warning! a warning! young boy in the hood,
A warning now take it from me;
Never more deal in grass or it may come to pass,
That next time you may not go free.'

Matthew

(Sorry but I couldn't spin it out for the traditional 400+ verses!)