THE MILLER OF DEE (Jolly Miller)
There was a jolly miller once
Lived on the river Dee ;
He work'd and sang from morn till night,
No lark more blithe than he.
And this the burden of his aong
Forever used to be-
I care for nobody, no, not I,
If nobody cares for me.
The reason why he was so blithe,
He once did thus unfold-
The bread I eat my hands have earn'd;
I covet no man's gold ;
I do not fear next quarter-day;
In debt to none I be.
I care for nobody, etc.
A coin or two I've in my purse,
To help a needy friend ;
A little I can give the poor,
And still have some to spend.
Though I may fail, yet I rejoice,
Another's good hap to see.
I care for nobody, etc.
So let us his example take,
And be from malice free;
Let every one his neighbour serve,
As served he'd like to be.
And merrily push the can about
And drink and sing with glee;
If nobody cares a doit for us,
Why not a doit care we.
From Popular Music of the Olden Time, Chappell
Found (in 1857) writtten on a flyleaf of a 1716 collection of
Dryden's poems.
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filename[ MILLDEE2
play.exe MILLDEE
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