> Joseph Taylor > Songs > Dean Robinson: T'owd Yowe Wi' One Horn

Dean Robinson: T'owd Yowe Wi' One Horn

[Trad.]

Sung by Dean Robinson on Unto Brigg Fair, from a cylinder recorded in 1908 by Percy Grainger. The LP sleeve notes said:

Mr Robinson's version of this humorous song appears to be unique. A published version, VWLP and PGPS, was based on the transcription made at Brigg in 1905, ie. before Grainger phonographed this version in 1908.

Lyrics

There was an owd yowe an' she had but one horn,
O dear Johnny.
And she picked up her living amongst the green corn,
So turn the wheel round so bonny.

One day said the pindar to his man,
O dear Johnny.
I pra' thee go and pin yon owd yowe if tha' can,
So turn the wheel round so bonny.

So off this man went for to pin this old yowe,
O dear Johnny.
She knocked him three times down amongst the green corn,
So turn the wheel round so bonny.

Then the butcher was sent for to kill this old ewe,
Fifty naw me nonny.
Ah up butcher comes a-whetting his knife
"O now", says t'owd yowe, "I must fight for me life"
So turn the wheel round so bonny.

T'owd yowe she started a-whetting her pegs,
O dear Johnny.
She run at t'owd butcher and brok' both his legs,
So turn the wheel round so bonny.

The owd yowe was sent to fight for the king,
O dear Johnny.
She killed horsemen and footmen just as they came in,
So turn the wheel round so bonny.

Acknowledgements

Transcribed by Garry Gillard.