Mrs. McGrath

'Ah, misses mcgrath', the sergeant said

'Would you like to make a soldier out of your son ted

With a scarlet coat and a big cocked hat

And misses mcgrath, wouldn't you like that?

Wid yer toori al fol the diddle ah

Toori oori oori ah

Wid yer toori al fol the diddl eah

Toori oori oori ah

Well mrs mcgrath lived by the seashore

For the space of seven long years or more

Till she saw a big ship sailing into the bay

'Here's my son ted, will ye clear the way?'

'Ah captain dear, and where have you been?

Have you been in the mediterranean?

Will ye tell me the news of my son ted?

Is the poor lad living now or is he dead?'

Ah, well up comes ted without any legs

And in their place he had two wooden pegs

Well she kissed him a dozen times or two

Saying: 'glory be to God, sure it couldn't be you'

'Ah then were ye drunk or were ye blind

That ye left yer two fine legs behind?

Or was it while walking on the sea

A big fish ate yer legs from the knees away?'

'Well I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind

When I left my two fine legs behind

But a big cannonball on the fifth of may

Flow my two fine legs from the knees away'

'Ah teddy me boy', the poor widow cried

'Yer two fine legs were yer mummy's pride

Them old stumps of a tree wouldn't do at all

Why didn't ye run for the big cannonball?'

'Well all foreign wars I do proclaim

Between don john and the king of spain

And by herrings I'll make them rue the time

That they shot the legs from a child of mine'