John Langstaff
The Swapping Boy
When I was a little boy I lived by myself
And all the bread and cheese I had I kept up on the shelf
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

The rats and the mice they lead me such a life
I had to go to London to get me a wife
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

The creeks were so wide and the lanes were so narrow
I had to bring her home in an old wheelbarrow
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

My foot did slip and I got a fall
And down came my wheelbarrow, wife and all
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

I swapped my wheelbarrow, got me a mare
And then I rode from fair to fair
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

I swapped my mare and I got me a cow
And then to milk her I didn't know how
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

I swapped my cow and I got me a calf
And in that trade I just lost half
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

I swapped my calf and I got me a mule
And then I rode like a doggone fool
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

I swapped my mule and I got me a sheep
And then I rode 'til I went to sleep
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

I swapped my sheep and I got me a goat
And when I got him he would not tote
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

I swapped my goat and I got me a pig
And the poor little thing it never grew big
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

I swapped my pig and I got me a hen
Oh, what a pretty thing I had then
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

I swapped my hen and I got me a cat
When she went to sleep she slept in my hat
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

I swapped my cat and I got me a mole
And the silly old thing went straight to its hole
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home

And now the songbook's back on the shelf
If you want any more you can sing it yourself
To my wing-wong-waddle
To my Jack Straw-straddle
To my Johnny's got his fiddle
And he's gone on home