As I was a jawing to the gav yeck divvus I met on the drom miro Romany chi; I pootch"d las whether she come sar mande, And she penn"d tu sar wafo rommadis; O mande there is kek wafo romady, So penn"d I to miro Romany chi, And I"ll kair tute miro tatcho romadi If you but pen tu come sar mande.
MY ROMAN La.s.s
As I to the town was going one day My Roman la.s.s I met by the way; Said I: Young maid, will you share my lot?
Said she: Another wife you"ve got.
Ah no! to my Roman la.s.s I cried: No wife have I in the world so wide, And you my wedded wife shall be If you will consent to come with me.
AVA, CHI
Hokka tute mande Mande pukkra bebee Mande shauvo tute - Ava, Chi!
YES, MY GIRL
If to me you prove untrue, Quickly I"ll your auntie tell I"ve been over-thick with you - Yes, my girl, I will.
THE TEMESKOE RYE
Penn"d the temeskoe rye to the Romany chi, As the choon was d.i.c.king prey lende dui: Rinkeny tawni, Romany rawni, Mook man choom teero gudlo mui.
THE YOUTHFUL EARL
Said the youthful earl to the Gypsy girl, As the moon was casting its silver shine: Brown little lady, Egyptian lady, Let me kiss those sweet lips of thine.
CAMO-GILLIE
p.a.w.nie birks My men-engni shall be; Yackors my dudes Like ruppeney shine: Atch meery chi!
Ma jal away: Perhaps I may not d.i.c.k tute Kek komi.
LOVE-SONG
I"d choose as pillows for my head Those snow-white b.r.e.a.s.t.s of thine; I"d use as lamps to light my bed Those eyes of silver shine: O lovely maid, disdain me not, Nor leave me in my pain: Perhaps "twill never be my lot To see thy face again.
TUGNIS AMANDE
I"m jalling across the pani - A choring mas and morro, Along with a bori lubbeny, And she has been the ruin of me.
I sov"d yeck rarde drey a gran, A choring mas and morro, Along with a bori lubbeny, And she has been the ruin of me.
She pootch"d me on the collico, A choring mas and morro, To jaw with lasa to the show, For she would be the ruin of me.
And when I jaw"d odoy with lasa, A choring mas and morro, Sig she chor"d a rawnie"s kissi, And so she was the ruin of me.
They lell"d up lata, they lell"d up mande, A choring mas and morro, And b.i.t.c.h"d us dui pawdle pani, So she has been the ruin of me.
I"m jalling across the pani, A choring mas and morro, Along with a bori lubbeny, And she has been the ruin of me.
WOE IS ME
I"m sailing across the water, A-stealing bread and meat so free, Along with a precious harlot, And she has been the ruin of me.
I slept one night within a barn, A-stealing bread and meat so free, Along with a precious harlot, And she has been the ruin of me.
Next morning she would have me go, A-stealing bread and meat so free, To see with her the wild-beast show, For she would be the ruin of me.
I went with her to see the show, A-stealing bread and meat so free, To steal a purse she was not slow, And so she was the ruin of me.
They took us up, and with her I, A-stealing bread and meat so free: Am sailing now to Botany, So she has been the ruin of me.
I"m sailing across the water, A-stealing bread and meat so free, Along with a precious harlot, And she has been the ruin of me.
THE RYE AND RAWNIE
The rye he mores adrey the wesh The kaun-engro and chiriclo; You sovs with leste drey the wesh, And rigs for leste the gono.
Oprey the rukh adrey the wesh Are chiriclo and chiricli; Tuley the rukh adrey the wesh Are pireno and pireni.
THE SQUIRE AND LADY
The squire he roams the good greenwood, And shoots the pheasant and the hare; Thou sleep"st with him in good green wood, And dost for him the game-sack bear.
I see, I see upon the tree The little male and female dove; Below the tree I see, I see The lover and his lady love.
ROMANY SUTTUR GILLIE