Little Fisherman

Collected by Bob Copper in about 1954, from Victor 'Turp' Brown, of Cheriton, Hants: see Chapter Eighteen, pp. 151-168, of Songs and Southern Breezes for the details; and the appendix for these words.

There was a little fisherman down by a little brook,
He went a-fishing with a little hook.
Ry-ti-i, Ry-ti-i, Ry-tiddly-i-tiddly-i-ty-i.

Fisherman, oh fisherman, oh fisherman, says he,
Have you got a cod fish that you could sell to me?
Chorus

Yes sir, oh yes sir, I've got two,
One for me and the other for you.
Chorus

So he caught that cod fish by the back bone,
He chucked it up his shoulder and buggered offhome.
Chorus

He went upstairs to get into bed,
And he saw the bloody cod fish poke up his head.
Chorus

Husband, oh husband, oh husband, she cried,
The devil's in the jerry and I can see his eye.
Chorus

One got the scrubber, the other got the broom,
And they chased that bloody cod fish all round the room.
Chorus

They hit him in the head, they hit him in the side,
They kicked him in the guts and the poor bugger died.
Ry-ti-i, Ry-ti-i, Ry-tiddly-i-tiddly-i-ty-i.