In Wellington town at the sign of the plough,
There lived a molecatcher, shall I tell you how ?
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
He'd go a-molecatching from morning to night,
And a young fellow came for to play with his wife.
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
The molecatcher jealous of this very same thing,
He hid in the washhouse to see him come in.
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
He saw the young fellow come over the stile,
Which caused the molecatcher, so crafty, to smile.
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
He knocked on the door and thus he did say,
Where is your husband, good woman, I pray ?
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
He's gone a-molecatching, you need never fear,
But little did she think the molecatcher was near.
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
She went up the stairs and gave him the sign,
And the molecatcher followed them quickly behind.
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
And while the young fellow was up to his frolics,
The molecatcher caught him quite fast by the elbow. *
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
The trap it squeezed tighter, which caused him to smile,
Saying, Here's the best mole that I've caught in a while.
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
I'll make you pay dearly for tilling my ground,
And the money it'll cop you no less than ten pound.
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
Ten pound, says the young fellow, that I don't mind,
It only works out about twopence a grind.
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
So come all you young fellows and mind what you're at,
And don't get 'em caught in the molecatcher's trap.
Chorus:
Singing too-rel-i-day,
Fol de lie lad-die lie, lad-die di day
* Yes, I know it doesn't rhyme. But, in a live
performance, it's funnier this way - trust me !