Origins: The Cobbler's End

Subject: Origins: The Cobbler's End
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Aug 22 - 06:11 PM

https://sussextraditions.org/sustrad/media/Painful%20Plough%20out%20takes-Text-and-Tune-BL_The_Cobbler.pdf

THE COBBLER'S END

A Cobbler there was, and he lived in a stall
Which served him for parlour, for kitchen and hall.
No coin in his pocket, nor care in his pate,
No ambition had he, nor duns at his gate.
Derry down, down, down derry down.

Vse 2. Contented he worked and he thought himself happy
If at night he could purchase a jug of brown nappy.
Now he'd laugh then, and whistle, and sing, too, most sweet
Saying, 'Just to a hair have I made both ends meet'.
Derry down, down, down, derry down.

Vse 3. But love, the disturber of high and of low,
That shoots at the peasant as well as the beau,
He shot the poor cobbler quite through the heart,
I wish he had found some more ignoble part,
Derry down, down, down, derry down.

Vse 4. It was from a cellar this archer did play
Where a buxom young damsel continually lay.
Her eyes shone so bright when she rose ev'ry day
That she shot the poor cobbler quite over the way
Derry down, down, down, derry down.

Vse 5. He sang her love songs as he sat as his work,
But she was as hard as a Jew or a Turk.
Whenever he spake, she would flounce and would fleer,
Which put the poor cobbler quite into despair
Derry down, down, down, derry down.

Vse 6. So he took up his awl that he had in the world
And to make away with himself was resolved,
He pierced through the body instead of his sole
So the cobbler he died and the bell it did toll.
Derry down, down, down, derry down.

Vse 7. So now in good-will I'll advise as a friend,
All young men take warning by this cobbler's end.
Keep your hearts out of love for we find by what's past
That love brings us all to an end at the last
Derry down, down, down, derry down.

Source: Volume 2, page 352, Popular Music of the Olden Time, by William Chappell

Roud 22797

https://mainlynorfolk.info/folk/songs/thecobblersend.html

Not in the Traditional Ballad Index

Gwyneth Tray sang this at today's Mudcat Worldwide Singaround. Here's a video of another performance by Gwyneth of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Mgdra9A7F8