Silly Old Man

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