| Come and I’ll sing you a song of intent, |
| Concerning a silly old man, |
| Who went off to pay to the landlord his rent, |
| And into some trouble he ran. |
| For as he was riding along the green way, |
| A gentleman thief passed him by, |
| «I'm company sir, do you need me to stay?» |
| «Oh no"was the old man’s reply. |
| «For as you can see I’m a silly old man, |
| I farm but a parcel of ground, |
| To the landlord I go"said the silly old man, |
| «To pay up my rent forty pound» |
| «But what if you meet with a highway man here, |
| Their numbers are many I’ll bid», |
| «Oh I will not worry and I will not fear, |
| For inside my saddle it’s hid». |
| And the two of them rode then as fast as they can, |
| 'Til the gentleman thief up he sped, |
| «Oh stand and deliver you silly old man, |
| You should have stayed home in your bed». |
| But the old man was crafty and cunning and sly, |
| And long on this earth he had been, |
| His saddle he tossed o’er the hedge with a cry, |
| Saying «fetch it yourself you young fiend». |
| The thief being thirsty for silver and gold, |
| Was eager to get to the bags, |
| And he drew out his rusty old sword then so bold, |
| And chopped up the saddle to rags. |
| And the old man he jumped off his tired old horse, |
| And mounted the thief’s horse astride, |
| And he gave her a kick to a gallop of course, |
| And away to the town he did ride. |
| When he came to the landlords he came with good cheer, |
| And never the story he told, |
| And the thief’s bag he opened to buy them some beer, |
| It was brimming with silver and gold. |
| And the rent it was settled, the debt was made good, |
| The silly old man journeyed back, |
| And there in the lane his old mare she stood, |
| With nought but the hair on her back. |
| He loosened the mare then from where she was tied, |
| And gave her a slap with his whip, |
| Saying come along home now and stay by my side, |
| And off down the lane they did trip. |
| And when he was home there was joy and delight, |
| His daughter she dressed like a queen, |
| And his old wife she danced an old jig through the night, |
| So much money she never had seen. |