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The Cluster of Nuts

Collected from oral tradition in Dorset, England, and from a 19th century broadside.


    In Liverpool lived a merchant
    A wealthy merchant man.
    He had a handsome prentice boy
    As ever the sun shone on,
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    He was proper tall and handsome
    And everything being right
    Said he could sleep with a pretty girl
    And kiss her twelve times a night
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    His mistress being standing by
    And hearing him say so, She says,
    Jack I'll hold a wager that
    You don't perform it so
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    Five pounds is the wager
    And twelve times is the bet
    And I myself will be the judge
    When we are both in bed
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    His master being from home that night
    And everything being right
    He slipped into bed to his mistress
    Ans kissed her twelve times that night
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    One of them being drowsy, which
    There was no virtue in, it
    Caused his mistress for to say,
    The wager I did win
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    If I didn't win the wager,
    As I suppose you'd like,
    I'll leave it to my master
    When he comes home at night
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    Be off, you saucy fellow,
    Would you let your master know ?
    Indeed upon my honour, ma'am,
    I do intend it so
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    When his master came home that night
    And at his table sat,
    Says Jack unto his master,
    Sir, I'm like to lose a bet,
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    As your wife and I was walking
    Down by the greenwood side,
    And I upon your mare's back,
    A cluster of nuts I spied,
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    I said there were twelve of them,
    She said there were eleven,
    Then I shoved them in her apron
    And there were five and seven,
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    Five and seven is a dozen,
    As I've heard people say,
    So Jack you won the wager, and
    Your mistress must you pay,
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    His mistress being standing by
    And hearing him say so,
    She clinked down the wager, and
    Was glad to get off, you know,
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o

    When his master is from home
    She continually stuffs his guts
    And she claps him on the shoulder, saying
    Jack remember the nuts !
    Singing
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o
         Fal de lal, Lal de ral, Li gee o


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