Tom he was a piper’s son,
He learned to play when he was young;
But all the tune that he could play,
Was “Over the hills and far away.”
Now Tom with his pipe made such a noise,
That he pleased both the girls and the boys,
And they all stopped to hear him play
Over the hills and far away.
Tom with his pipe did play with such skill,
That those who heard him could never stand still;
Whenever they heard him they began to dance,
Even pigs on their hind legs would after him prance.
He met old Dame Trot with a basket of eggs,
He used his pipe and she used her legs;
She danced about till the eggs were all broke,
She began to fret, but he laughed at the joke.
He saw a cross fellow was beating an ass,
Heavy laden with pots, pans, dishes and glass;
He took out his pipe and played them a tune,
And the jackass’s load was lightened full soon.