The Derby Ram, 1867

{The Derby Ram.}

[1]

As I was going to Darby, Sir,
All on a market day,
I met the finest Ram, Sir,
That ever was fed on hay.
Daddle-i-day, daddle-i-day,
Fal-de-ral, fal-de-ral, daddle-i-day.

[2]

This Ram was fat behind, Sir,
This Ram was fat before,
This Ram was ten yards high, Sir,
Indeed he was no more.
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[3]

The Wool upon his back, Sir,
Reached up unto the sky,
The Eagles made their nests there, Sir,
For I heard the young ones cry.
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[4]

The Wool upon his belly, Sir,
It dragged upon the ground,
It was sold in Darby town, Sir,
For forty thousand pound.[Note 1]
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[5]

The space between his horns, Sir,
Was as far as a man could reach,
And there they built a pulpit
For the Parson there to preach.
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[6]

The teeth that were in his mouth, Sir,
Were like a regiment of men;
And the tongue that hung between them, Sir,
Would have dined them twice and again.
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[7]

This Ram jumped o'er a wall, Sir,
His tail caught on a briar,
It reached from Darby town, Sir,
All into Leicestershire.
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[8]

And of this tail so long, Sir,
'Twas ten miles and an ell,
They made a goodly rope, Sir,
To toll the market bell.
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[9]

This Ram had four legs to walk on, Sir,
This Ram had four legs to stand,
And every leg he had, Sir,
Stood on an acre of land.[Note 2]
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[10]

The Butcher that killed this Ram, Sir,
Was drownded in the blood,
And the boy that held the pail, Sir,
Was carried away in the flood.[Note 3]
Daddle-i-day, &c,

[11]

All the maids in Darby, Sir,
Came begging for his horns,
To take them to coopers,
To make them milking gawns.[Note 4]
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[12]

The little boys of Darby, Sir,
They came to beg his eyes,
To kick about the streets, Sir,
For they were football [Note 5] size.
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[13]

The tanner that tanned its hide, Sir,
Would never be poor any more,
For when he had tanned and retched [Note 6] it,
It covered all Sinfin Moor.[Note 7]
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[14]

The Jaws that were in his head, Sir,
They were so fine and thin,
They were sold to a Methodist Parson,
For a pulpit to preach in.[Note 8]
Daddle-i-day, &c.

[15]

Indeed, Sir, this is true, Sir,
I never was taught to lie,
And had you been to Darby, Sir,
You'd have seen it as well as I.[Note 9]
Daddle-i-day, daddle-i-day,
Fal-de-ral, fal-de-ral, daddle-i-day.