THE BEGGAR MAN
I am a little beggar-man, a beggin' I have been
I been three-score or more in this little Isle of green,
And I'm known from the Liffey, down to Segume,
And I'm known by the name of old Johnny Dhu!
Of all the things a-goin', sure the beggin' is the best
When an old man is tired he can sit down and rest
Beggin' for his dinner, he has nothin' else to do
Than to lie around his parlor on his old rig-a-doo!
I slept in a barn down at Currabawn
A wet night came on and I slept till the dawn
With holes in the roof, and the rain a-comin' thru
And the rats and the cats, they was playin' peek-a-boo!
When who should awaken, but the woman of the house,
With her white spotty apron and her calico blouse
She became frightened, and I said "Boo!
Arrah! Don't be afraid, ma'am, it's only Johnny Dhu!"
I met a little flaxey-haired girl one day,
"Good mornin' little flaxey-haired girl," I did say;
"Well, good mornin' little beggar-man, and how do y'do?
Wi' your rags and your tags and your old rig-a-doo?"
I'll buy a pair of buckles, and a collar and a tie,
And a nice young lady I will fetch, by and by,
Buy a pair of stockings and I'll color them blue
And an old fashioned lady I will make of you!
Over the road with me pack on me back
Over the fields wi' me great heavy sack!
With holes in me shoes, and the toes a-peekin' thru
Singin' skin-a-ma-rink-a-doodle-dum for old Johnny Dhu!
I must be goin' t'bed, for it's gettin' late at night
And the fires all banked, and out goes the light
Now you've heard the story of me old rig-a-doo,
It's goodbye and God be with ya, says old Johnny Dhu!
(Note: the melody is known also as "The Little Red-Haired Boy")
