The Codfish

Words:
Tune:
Source: Coeur d'Ennui Letchers Guild Songbook Edited by William Coeur du Boeuf
Note from Letchers Guild Songbook:
This is a variation of "The Sea Crab," the oldest known bawdy song that is still sung. "The Sea Crab" is included in the Percy Folio MS, 1620-1650, and an English version of something lurking in the chamber pot is recorded in story form in 1610. The earliest mention of the story is an account fo a traveller in Russia circa 1280. In the earlier version the sea crab doesn't merely jump, it jumps and uses its pinchers on the most easily accessible spot of the poor squatting woman. And when the man comes to rescue her it grabes him by the nose with the other pincer! (What a lovely image!) I used this more modern version because the versions of "The Sea Crab" I've collected are full of Anglo Saxon words, and as such, not suited for the novice letcher. This song is not in PTPM, by the way.

There was a little man, and he had a little horse;
He saddle it and bridled it and threw his leg across,

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

He rode and he rode 'till he came to a brook;
There he saw a fisherman a-baiting of his hook,

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

"Fisherman, fisherman, fisherman," said he,
"Have you a codfish for my fee?"

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

"Yes, sir, course, sir, I've got two--
There's one for me, there's one for you.

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

He took that codfish by the back bone,
And he mounted on his horse and he galloped back home.

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

But when he got home he couldn't find himself a dish,
So into the chamberpot he put a little fish!

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

All night long his old woman cries:
"The Devil's down below, I can see his beady eyes!"

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

And when in the morning she sat down to squat,
The codfish jumped up her you-know-what!

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

She yelled bloody murder: "Well,"cried she,
"There's a bloody big somthing getting up me!"

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

She hopped and she jumped and she gave a little roar,
And there was the codfish a-skating on the floor!

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

They chased that codfish all around the room;
They hit him with a brush, they banged him with a broom,

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

First they hit him on the belly, they hit him on the side,
They hit him on the arse 'till the poor bugger died!

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

The moral to this song is easy for to find:
There's none of us got his eyes on behind!

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

So better be sure before you squat
There's nothing swimming in the champber pot!

Singing: Ay tie yie, ay tie yie,
Ay tiddly, ay tiddly, ay tie yie!

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