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Hoo great, an' yet hoo feeble's man, His life at langest's bud a span ;" His history he thus began, Wi' teears te tell ; An' if yer ears be ovvght like maane, 'Twill pleease ye weel.
" Lang sin' Ah lost mah wife," sez he, " Which wur a heavy cross te me ; An' then mah sun teeak off tot' sea, A fine young man. An' Ah neea mare his feeace mun see,. It's ten te yan.
Ah happen'd te be off yah day, A kind ov sweetheart, as they say. Com in an' teeak mah lass away, Wi' hoosin stuff; An' noo, poor thing, she's deead, they say, A lang way off.
It's noo neen yeear, an' gaain i'ten. Sin' Ah at t'bark wood joined sum men, 'Twur theer Ah fell an' leeam'd me-sen, I' spite o' care ; Ah wur foorc'd te gie up theer an' then, An' woark ne mare.
Bud t'neeaburs hez beean varry gud. Or else lang sin' Ah'd stuck i't' mud. An' seea throo them an' t'help o' God, Ah gits mah breead ; An' whooap they'll be rewarded for't, When Ah's law leead.
