Now the childer drew back just to look at the fun
And to watch if old Peggy would soon make him run
And no one went near him, his can nor his cart
For Peggy had won each young innocent heart.
And the lad he stood there where he was for a while
Putting up with the threats and he trying to smile
Until out shot the weight with a long-arm swing
That on the tin can made a terrible ring.
The pony made off with a start at the noise
And the laughter and cheers of the girls and the boys
When they saw wee Balcoo fall into the can
Could be heard at Ballard and in Ummericam.
And Peggy laughed too when she saw his wee legs
Seeking up ou’r the can in the air dancing jigs
And she started a lilting ‘The Rakes of Kildare’
Keeping time with the legs and the galloping mare.
And when Peggy had routed the wee yellow man
Himself and his cart and his cream and his can
She talked to the childer and said ’twas but right
For to chase all the foreign-made stuff out of sight.
‘It’ud poison the devil himself, sure it would
Troth a’d give him a good dose myself if I could –
But for boys and wee girls like yourselves it’s no stuff
For it’s all made of chalk, bog-water and snuff!
But look at them apples and pears and sweet cake
And see if there’s anything better would make
A garsun or girsha dance reel or slip-jig
Why, I wouldn’t give thon stuff he has, to a pig!
Let us ate our own fruit and be healthy and strong
And we’ll dance and we’ll sing and live merry and long,
For meself I never be tired of atein’
The home-grown stuff that can never be batin’.
So ate up, me childer, they’re all fresh and new
You’ll live to a hundred and more if you do:
A penny a-piece the large oranges all –
Hurry up! Hurry up! There’ll be none left at all!!