Baskete2 Eggs and Bacon

"Landlord, landlord, can you fill our glasses,
That we tonight-o may merry be,
For in that basket you'll find some eggs
And some bacon you can fry for me".

"Young man, young man, you are much mistaken,
Instead of eggs there I've found a child.
So p'rhaps you'll give me back your answer
If you your bacon find."

Then one young sailor he sat a-weeping.
The other six said: "It's worth no while."
"For fifty pounds I will down pay to
Any fair maid that'll take this child."

Young Nancy listened and heard his story.
She said "Kind Sir, that mine ought to be.
I'll take the child and I'll tend it kindly
If the money I see downpaid."

He smiled upon her and then he said same,
"You are the girl I danced last Easter day.
So now I must fulfil my duty
And I must the fiddler pay."

So now together in wedlock join-ed
In a little church down by the sea.
The bells were ringing and sailors singing,
And there's bacon and eggs for tea

A (half-length) variant of The Basket of Eggs (filename[ BASKETEG)
Sung by Stan Steggles
Recorded by Desmond and Shelagh Herring at Rattlesden, Suffolk 1958-59
Issued by Veteran Tapes, 44 Old Street, Haughley, STOWMARKET, IP14 3NX on
"Many a Good Horseman" VTVS01/02

From an excellent double cassette of field recordings made in
mid-Suffolk between 1958 and 1993.
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