I went into my stable to see what I might see,
And there I saw three horses stand, by one, by two, by three.
I call'd unto my loving wife, and "Coming Sir!" said she,
"O what do these three horses here without the leave of me?"
"Why, old fool, blind fool! can't you very well see,
That these are three milking cows my mother sent to me?"
"Hey boys! Fill the cup! Milking cows with saddles up
The like was never known, the like was never known."
Old Wichet went a noodle out, a noodle he came home.
I went into the kitchen, to see what I might see,
And there I saw three swords hung up, by one, by two, by three.
I call'd unto my loving wife, and "Coming Sir!" said she,
"O what do these three swords hang here without the leave of me?"
"Why old fool, blind fool! can't you very well see,
That these are three toasting forks, my mother sent to me?"
"Hey boys! Well done! Toasting forks with scabbards on!
The like, &c.
I went into the pantry, to see what I could see,
And there I saw three pair of boots, by one, by two, by three.
I call'd unto my loving wife, and "Coming Sir!" said she,
"O what do these three pair of boots without the leave of me?"
Why, old fool, blind fool! can't you very well see,
That these are three pudding bags, my mother sent to me?"
"Hey boys! Well done! Pudding bags with steel spurs on,
The like, &c.
I went into the dairy, to see what I might see,
And there I saw three beavers, by one, by two, by three.
I called unto my kind wife, and "Coming Sir!" said she,
"O what do these three beavers here without the leave of me?"
"Why, old fool, blind fool! can't you very well see,
That these are three milking pails, my mother sent to me?"
"Hey boys! Well done! Milking pails with ribbons on,
The like, &c.
I went into the chamber, to see what I might see,
And there I saw three men in bed, by one, by two, by three.
I called unto my kind wife, and "Coming Sir!" said she,
"O why sleep here three gentlemen without the leave of me?"
"Why old fool! Blind fool! can't you very well see,
That these are three milking maids, my mother sent to me?"
"Hey boys! Well done! Milking maids with beards on,
The like, &c.
I went about the chamber, as quick as quick might be,
I kicked the three men down the stairs, by one, by two, by three.
Without your hats and boots be off, your horses leave and flee,
Your purses 'neath your pillows left; they too belong to me.
Why old wife, blind wife! can't you very well see,
That these are three highwaymen from justice hid by thee?"
"Hey boys! purses left! knaves they be, and away are flown.
The like was never known, the like was never known!"
Old Wichet went a noodle out, a wise man he came home.
abc | midi | pdf
Source: Songs Of The West by S. Baring-Gould.
Notes:
Baring Gould notes
Taken from Thomas Darke of Whitstone, he learned it in 1835 from a fellow labourer. Sung also by James Parsons, Samuel Fone and J Woodrich. A Scottish version in Herd's collection, 1769, and in Johnson's Collection, and Bell has printed it in his "Ballads and Songs of the English peasantry"
Dr Arnold recast the song to a tune of his own in "Auld Robin Gray," 1794.
In the original English song the final line to each stanza runs---
"Old Wichet went a cuckold out
And a cuckold he came home"
I have thought it advisable to modify the last line of each stanza and to compose a last stanza, so as to give to the song a less objectionable character.
Roud: 114 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child: 274