The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #790   Message #776428
Posted By: Bonnie Shaljean
03-Sep-02 - 06:36 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Pretty Peg (from The Bothy Band)
Subject: Lyr Add: PRETTY PEG
Here are the bits I can remember:

PRETTY PEG

When Pretty Peg walked down the street
Some fresh fish for to buy
The wee town clerk followed after her
And he kissed her by and by.

With my tiddy right faladiddle daddy, etc.

Oh, how can I get to your chamber, love,
How can I get to your bed
When your daddy goes to sleep at night
With a keen eye on his head.

I ALWAYS HEARD THIS AS:
"WITH THE KEY LYING UNDER HIS HEAD" (i.e. under his pillow?)

Oh, go and get a ladder, love
Of thirty steps and three
And a creel all on the top of that
And come down in the lum to me

(Creel = a large basket; lum = chimney)

So he's went and got a ladder
Of thirty steps and three
***MEMORY LAPSE HERE***

[?? Not sure] AND PUT IT UP TO THE CHIMNEY TOP
{???] AND CAME DOWN IN THE LUM TO SHE

No peace nor ease could the old wife get
With dreams running through her head
"I'll lay on me life, said the gay old wife
There's a boy in our daughter's bed!"

The old man crept.....*ANOTHER MEMORY LAPSE HERE*

[My memory's not much better… ???
UP THE STAIRS THE OLD MAN CREPT
TILL HE WOULD RISE AND SEE
Silence reigned throughout the house
. . .

"My curse attend thee Father,
What brought ye up so soon?
To put me through my evening prayers,
And I just lying down."

He's gone back to his gay old wife,
He's gone back to she
"She has the prayer book in her hand
And she's prayin' for you and me."

No peace nor ease could the old wife get
Til she's gone up to see
*****(Damn; when your memory goes, forget it)
BUT SHE CAME ON A STUMBLING-BLOCK
And into the creel went she

Oh, hi I rocked her, HO I ROCKED HER
Didn't I rock her well?
For if any old wife begrudge me her daughter,
I'll rock her into hell