The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #143235   Message #3304657
Posted By: Artful Codger
08-Feb-12 - 10:17 PM
Thread Name: Lyr ADD: Two Farmers (lived by the mill)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Two Farmers (lived by the mill)
Much obliged. Then here's what I have as a transcription:


Two Farmers
   as sung by Mike Waterson

1. Two farmers lived by the mill, if they're not dead, they live there still.
Each had a special skill breeding fat birds.

2. Now the first farmer's name was Swan, breeding ducks brought him fame,
breeding ducks brought in gain, Swan he bred ducks.

3. And the next farmer's name was Duck, breeding geese brought him luck
and great cartloads of goose muck, Duck he bred geese.

4. Now the young lad sat by the pond, willow wand in his hand,
he being the keeper of both geese and ducks.

5. And the schoolmaster he rode by, new to the district he,
casting envious eyes upon both geese and ducks.

6. "Whose ducks are these?" he said, pointing down with his hand.
The lad smiled and turned and said, "Them ducks is Swan's."

7. Now schoolmaster shook his head, turning a little red,
turned round once more and said, "Whose geese is these?"

8. The lad smiled, he turned his head: "You'll not find better bred:
them geese is all corn-fed and them geese is Duck's."

9. "Young lad you are a fool sitting here by the pool;
better to be at school learning about ducks."

10. The lad turned, he smiled and said, "Them that can, do," he said,
"Them that can't, teach instead. I know my ducks!

11. "And them ducks is Swan's," he said, "you'll not find better bred.
As for the geese," he said, "them geese is Duck's."