The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #46931 Message #702411
Posted By: nutty
01-May-02 - 06:34 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: May Song (D Webber) and other May songs
Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAYPOLE
There are problems with the Bodleian site at present .....that's probably why the link didn't work ........so I've copied it
THE MAYPOLE
Come lasses and lads take leave of your dads, And away to the maypole high, For every he has got his she, And the fiddler's standing by; There's Willie has got his Jane, And Jerry has got his Jean, And there to jig it, jig it, jig it, Jig it up and down. Tol lol, tol lol etc.
"Begin," says Harry, "I, I," says Mary, We'll lead the Paddington Pound, "Do," says Jess, "Oh no," says Bess, We'll have St Leger's round. Then every lad took off his hat, And bowed to his lass, And the women they did curtsey, curtsey, Curtsey on the grass. Tol lol, tol lol etc
"You're out!" says Dick. "Not I!" says Nick. "'Twas the fiddler played it wrong." "'Tis true!" says Hugh, and so says Sue And so says everyone. The fiddler then began To play the tune again, And every girl did foot it, foot it, Foot it unto the men. Tol lol, tol lol etc
"Let's kiss," says Fan, " I, I," says Nan And so says every she, "How many", says Nan, "Why three," says Pat, For that's a maiden's fee; But instead of kisses three, They gave them half a score, And the men in kindness, kindness, kindness, Gave them as many more. Tol lol, tol lol etc
Then after an hour, they went to a bower, To play for wine and cake, And kisses too, what could they do, For the lasses held the stake; The women then began To quarrel with the men, And bid them give the kisses back, And take their own again. Tol lol, tol lol etc
Now they did stay there all that day, And tired the fiddler quite, With dancing and play, without any pay, From morning until night; They told the fiddler then, They'd pay him for his play, Then each payed two-pence, two pence, Two-pence, and then toddled away. Tol lol, tol lol etc
"Goodnight!" says Harry. "Goodnight!" says Mary. "Goodnight!" says Dolly to John. "Goodnight!" says Sue to her sweetheart, Hugh. "Goodnight!" says everyone. Some walked and some did run, Some loitered on the way, And bound themselves, by kisses twelve, To meet the next holiday. Tol lol, tol lol etc