Classic Poem

All you that pass along, give ear unto my song,
Concerning a Youth that was young, young, young;
And a maiden fair, few with her might compare,
But alack, and alas! she was dumb, dumb, dumb.

She was beauteous, fresh, and gay, like the pleasant flowers in May,
And her cheeks were as round as a plum, plum, plum,
She was neat in every part, and she stole away his heart;
But alack, and alas! she was dumb, dumb, dumb.

At length this Country Blade wedded this pretty Maid,
And he kindly conducted her home, home, home.
Thus in her beauty bright lay all his whole delight;
But alack, and alas! she was dumb, dumb, dumb.

Now will I plainly show what work this maid could do,
Which a pattern may be for girls young, young, young.
O she, both day and night, in working took delight,
But alack, and alas! she was dumb, dumb, dumb.

She could brew and she could bake, she could wash, wring, and shake,
She could sweep the house with a broom, broom, broom,
She could knit, and sew, and spin, and do any such like thing,
But alack, and alas! she was dumb, dumb, dumb.

But at last this man did go, the doctor's skill to know,
Saying, " Sir, can you cure a woman of the dumb, dumb, dumb? "
" O it is the easiest part that belongs unto my art,
For to cure any woman of the dumb, dumb, dumb . "

To the doctor he did her bring, and he cut her chattering-string,
And he quickly set her tongue on the run, run, run.
In the morning she did rise, and she filled his house with cries,
And she rattled in his ears like a drum, drum, drum .

To the doctor he did go, with his heart well filled with woe,
Crying, " Doctor, I am certainly undone, done, done!
Now she's turned a scolding wife, and I'm weary of my life,
Nor I cannot make her hold her tongue, tongue, tongue! "

The doctor thus did say, " When she went from me away,
She was perfectly cured of the dumb, dumb, dumb;
But it's beyond the art of man, let him do the best he can,
For to make a scolding woman hold her tongue, tongue, tongue . "