Lyr Add: Little Brown Thing

Subject: Lyr Add: LITTLE BROWN THING
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 10 Sep 00 - 07:22 PM

[from Encyclopedia of Comic Songs, p. 611, 1819]

LITTLE BROWN THING

Ye nymphs and ye swains, that adorn the gay plains,
Come listen a while to my sorrowful strains;
Oh! hear me with pity, no trifle I sing,
Of no less a loss than my little brown thing.

As my cards with my friends I play'd t'other day,
To banish dull vapours, and drive care away,
Youn Colin, as brisk as the birds in the spring,
Was playing all the while with my little brown thing.

I dream'd of no mischief, but let him enjoy
His innocent fancy, and play with my toy;
But I found when his humour was left to its swing,
He would have more than have play'd with my little brown thing.

He was smiling at something, I ask'd what it was?
He replied, with a smile, that I was the cause;
He swore he had rather, than call himself king,
Have play'd all the night with my little brown thing.

'However,' said he, 'if on terms you will treat,
Be kind, and I'll fall like a lamb at your feet;
Oh! oh! oh!' he cried, 'thus whilst round thee I cling,
Surrender one moment thy little brown thing.'

I sigh'd, and cried 'Nay,' but as well might complied,
He was fix'd to obtain what in vain I denied:
The rest of my story, oh!, how shall I sing?
In words, how he ravish'd my little brown thing!

[More bawdy, is another version, "Black Thing" on the Bodley Ballads website].