The  Lazy  Wife

(From “The Maid of Ballalonna”)

Once there was a wife and lazy was she,

What a lazy wife, what a lazy wife !

Couldn’t cook the dinner, wouldn’t make the tea,

Such a lazy wife, such a lazy wife !

One day her good man brought her wool to spin,

But she’d no idea just how to begin.

She asked of the fairies to save her precious skin;

Did that lazy wife, did that lazy, lazy, lazy wife.

 

Thus the Fairy Spinner whom she did ask –

What a loony wife, what a loony wife !

Promised to get busy on such a nightly task –

What a loony wife, what a loony wife !

And for his fee did boldly proclaim

That she should discover his very secret name;

If not, he would take all her wool, that was his game !

What a loony wife, oh, what a loony, loony, loony wife !

 

When the wool was spun great was her despair,

What a lucky wife, what a lucky wife !

Coming home one evening her husband passed his lair,

What a lucky wife, what a lucky wife !

Loud sang the Spinner, beginning to rejoice,

And shouting his name at the top of his voice;

She found what it was, so robbed him of choice –

Did that lucky wife, did that lucky, lucky, lucky wife !

 

Weekly Times     19.7.63