Play recording: Beggarman, The
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- Teideal (Title): Beggarman, The.
- Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 853901.
- Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number): none.
- Uimhir Roud (Roud Number): 119.
- Uimhir Laws (Laws Number): none.
- Uimhir Child (Child Number): 280.
- Cnuasach (Collection): Joe Heaney Collection, University of Washington, Seattle.
- Teanga na Croímhíre (Core-Item Language): English.
- Catagóir (Category): song.
- Ainm an té a thug (Name of Informant): Joe Heaney.
- Ainm an té a thóg (Name of Collector): Lucy Simpson.
- Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): 15/05/1979.
- Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America.
- Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): private.
- Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): unavailable.
- Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.
The night being dark and very cold
A woman took pity on a poor old soul
She took pity on a poor old soul
and she asked him to come in.
To me too-roo-roo-roo rantin’ eye,
too-roo-roo-roo rantin’ eye
Too-roo-roo-roo rantin’ eye
and high for the beggarman.
She sat him down in a chimney-nook,
She hung his clothes upon the hook
Hung his clothes upon a hook,
and merrily he did sing.
Chorus
In the middle of the night the woman arose,
She missed the beggarman with all his clothes
She clapped and clapped and clapped her hands,
‘With me daughter he has gone!’
Chorus
Three long years are past and gone,
This old man came back again
Beggin’ for a charity,
‘Would you help a poor old man?’
‘I only helped but the one,
He is with me daughter gone
He is with me daughter gone,
so away you dirty old man!’
Chorus
‘Do you want your daughter for to see,
With two babbies on her knee –
With two babbies on her knee
and another one coming on?’
Chorus
‘Yonder she sits and yonder she stands,
The finest lady in all the land
Servants there at her command,
sitting one (?) for the beggarman!’
To me too-roo-roo-roo rantin’ eye,
too-roo-roo-roo rantin’ eye
Too-roo-roo-roo rantin’ eye
and high for the beggarman.
Notes
Joe refers to this song as ‘the old form of The Gypsy Rover’ – you know, ‘the gypsy rover came over the hill, down the valley’ – an older version of The Whistling Gypsy.’ He said it was sung by a lot of people, but couldn’t remember who he got it from.
Note how he leaves out the chorus between stanzas 4 and 5. Without another performance to compare it to, it’s hard to be sure that Joe would do this every time; but if so, it would be typical of his sense of timing, given that this bit of confrontational dialogue sits at the dramatic heart of the narrative.