The Old Sow

Lyrics

1
T’ awd sow’s getten mezzles an’ she’s deed, poor thing, (mezzles = measles)
Deed, poor thing, deed, poor thing.
T’ awd sow’s getten mezzles an’ she’s deed, poor thing,
All of a Monda’ mornin’.

2
What will ye deea wiv ’er poor awd ’eead,
Poor awd ’eead, poor awd ’eead?
Mek as fine a oven as ivver baked bread,
All of a Tuesda’ mornin’.

3
What will ye deea wiv ’er poor awd skin,
Poor awd skin, poor awd skin?
Mek as fine a blanket as ivver man lay in,
All of a Wensda’ mornin’.

4
What will ye deea wiv ’er poor awd legs,
Poor awd legs, poor awd legs?
Mek as fine a bedprops as ivver propped beds,
All of a Thosda’ mornin’.

5
What will ye deea wiv ’er poor awd tail,
Poor awd tail, poor awd tail?
Mek as fine a ’ammer-shaft as ivver dhrov’ a nail,
All of a Frida’ mornin’.

6
What will ye deea wiv ’er poor awd snout,
Poor awd snout, poor awd snout?
Mek as fine a pepper pot as ivver was set out,
All of a Saturda’ mornin’.

7
What will ye deea wiv ’er poor awd lugs,
Poor awd lugs, poor awd lugs?
Mek as fine a bedflops as ivver flopped bugs,
All of a Sunda’ morning?

8
(Repeat first stanza)

This is a traditional song

Provenance

Obviously this enumerative catalogue song is closely related to its coastal equivalent ‘The Herrings Head’ (TYG31), which, unlike this one, is often cumulative. Which one came first is now impossible to say. The Herring’s Head is very popular along the east and south coasts of England but ‘The Dead Pig’, as it is sometimes called, first appeared in print in F W Moorman’s ‘Yorkshire Dialect Poems’, 1916, p114. Though quite a scarce song it has turned up in Scotland and North America.