Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
An Old Man Came Over the Lea

An Old Man Came Over the Lea

An Old Man Came Over the Lea

[and old man came over the lea...for to court me...]

My mother she told to me te gie him a chair
Ah-ha but I wouldnae ha'e him
I gied him a chair
And he slipped on the flair
With his grey beard newly shaven

My mother she told to me tae gie him a drink
Ah-ha but I wouldnae ha'e him
I gied him a drink
And he began to wink
With his grey beard newly shaven

My mother she told to me tae gie him a kiss
Ah-ha but I wouldnae ha'e him
If you like him so weel, you can kiss him yersel'
With his grey beard newly shaven

sung by Jeannie Robertson on Caedmon series of The "Folksongs of Britain: Songs
of Courtship". Peter Kennedy recorded the song form Jeannie. I think all the son
gs on this album should be published in Kennedy's" Folksongs of Britain and Irel
and".
I recall Peggy Seeger recorded an American version "His Old Grey Beard Kept Wagg
ing" on a compilation with Ewan MacColl of Matching Songs of Britain and America
.

PX
oct99