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Title
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Old Dorrington
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Singer
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Mackie, Elizabeth Harriet Mrs.
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Song Lyrics
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Verse 1
Old Dorrington was a most terrible Turk,
As I've often heard people say;
He swore he'd do more work in an hour,
Than his wife would do in a day.
Verse 2
'Upon my word,' said the good old dame,
'I'm willing, any hour,
If thou all day in the house wilt stay,
I'll go and drive the plough.
Verse 3
But thou must feed the brindle sow,
And the little pigs in the sty,
And thou must milk old Tiny the cow,
Or Tiny will go dry.
Verse 4
And thou must watch the speckled hen,
Or she will lay astray;
And don't forget the hank of yarn,
That I spun yesterday.'
Verse 4
So the good old dame, with whip in hand,
Went out to drive the plough;
And the old man took the milking pail,
And went to milk to cow.
Verse 5
Tiny winced and bounced about,
'Whoa, Tiny,' and 'Wutt, Tiny,' and 'Drat the cow, be still!
And if ever I milk such a maggoty cow again,
'Twill be much against my will.'
Verse 6
He went to serve the brindle sow,
And the little pigs in the sty;
When he knocked his head against the post,
And nearly knocked out his eye.
Verse 7
He left the cream to stand in the churn,
While he went to fetch a clout;
And, e'er massy knew, in came the old sow,
And slushed in her snout.
Verse 8
He turned to find a whirling stick,
Surprising so to see -
'More harm thy snout will do in an hour,
Than I can mend in three.'
Verse 9
And he forgot the speckled hen,
And she went and laid astray;
And he never once thought of the hank of yarn,
The old woman had spun yesterday.
Verse 10
Just at that moment in came the old woman,
And thus in haste she spoke -
'John, John, the old horse is on his back in the pond,
And the plough and the tackle are broke.'
Verse 11
So old Dorrington swore by the sun and the moon,
And all of the green leaves on the tree;
If his wife would but take to the indoors again,
He never would grumble at she.
