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I am a little beggarman, a-begging |
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I have been |
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For three score or more in this little isle of green |
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I'm known from the |
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Liffey down to |
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SegueAnd I'm known by the name of old |
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Johnny Dhu |
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Of all the trades that's going, |
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I'm sure begging is the best |
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For when a man is tired, he can sit down and rest |
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He can beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to do |
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Only cut around the corner with his old rig-a-doo |
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I slept in the barn right down at |
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CaurabawnA wet night came on and |
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I slept until the dawn |
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With holes in the roof and the rain coming through |
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And the rats and the cats, they were playing peek-a-boo |
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When who did |
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I waken but the woman of the house |
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With her white spotty apron and her calico blouse |
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She began to frighten, |
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I said, "BooAra, don't be afraid, ma'am, it's only Johnny Dhu" |
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I met a little flaxy-haired girl one day"Good morning, little flaxy-haired girl," |
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I did say"Good morning, little beggarman, and how do you doWith your rags and your tags and your old rig-a-doo?" |
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I'll buy a pair of leggings and a collar and a tie |
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And a nice young lady |
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I'll fetch by and by |
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I'll buy a pair of goggles, |
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I'll color them blue |
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And an old-fashioned lady |
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I will make her, too |
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Over the road with me pack on me back |
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Over the fields with me great, heavy sack |
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With holes in me shoes and me toes peeping through |
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Singing, "Skinny-me-rink-a-doodle-o and old Johnny Dhu" |
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I must be going to bed for it's getting late at night |
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The fire's all raked and out goes the light |
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So now you've heard the story of me old rig-a-doo"It's good-bye and God be with you," says old |
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Johnny Dhu1 |