[Verse 1]
Oh, come and I'll sing you a song of intent
Concerning a silly old man
Who went off to pay to the landlord his rent
And into some trouble he ran

[Verse 2]
For as he was riding along the green way
A gentleman thief passed him by
"I'm company, sir, do you need me to stay?"
"Oh no," was the old man’s reply

[Verse 3]
"For as you can see I'm a silly old man
I farm but a parcel of ground
To the landlord I go," said the silly old man
"To pay up my rent forty pounds"

[Verse 4]
"But what if you meet with a highway man here?
Their numbers are many, I will bid"
"Oh, I will not worry and I will not fear
For inside my saddle it's hid"

[Verse 5]
And the two of them rode then as fast as they can
Till the gentleman thief up he sped
Saying, "Stand and delivеr, you silly old man
You should have stayed home in your bеd"
[Verse 6]
But the old man was crafty and cunning and sly
And long on this earth he had been
His saddle he tossed o'er the hedge with a cry
Saying, "Fetch it yourself, you young fiend"

[Verse 7]
And the thief being thirsty for silver and gold
Was eager to get to the bags
And he drew out his rusty old sword then so bold
Chopped up the saddle to rags

[Verse 8]
And the old man he jumped off his tired old horse
And mounted the thief's horse astride
And he gave her a kick to a gallop of course
And away to the town he did ride

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 9]
When he came to the landlord's he came with good cheer
But never the story he told
And the thief's bag he opened to buy them some beer
It was brimming with silver and gold
[Verse 10]
And the rent it was settled, the debt was made good
The silly old man journeyed back
And there in the lane his old mare she stood
With nought but the hair on her back

[Verse 11]
Oh, he loosened the mare then from where she was tied
And gave her a slap with his whip
Saying, "Come along home now and stay by my side"
And off down the lane they did trip

[Verse 12]
And when he was home there was joy and delight
His daughter she dressed like a queen
And his old wife she danced an old jig through the night
So much money she never had seen