Silbury Hill

Ol' Nick one fine morning did set out to pay
a visit to Marlborough so's I've 'eard say
when he gets to this spot where Zilbury 'ill be
a shepherd some sheep and a dog he do see

Nick says to this shepherd "and 'ow do ee do?"
""Earty", says shepherd, "'n hope thee be too"
and w'ere be thee going to at this time o' day?"
"To Marlborough" sez Nick "but I can't find me way"

Now, lucky like, shepherd did spy 'ol Nicks tail
and knowing who t'were put 'n on the wrong trail
when Nick had gone off shepherd did belt
to tell Marlborough folk what he'd seen, 'eard and smelt.

They was near scared to death until a wise man
said he'd stop Nick a-coming, he'd got a good plan
"What plan 'as thee got, they ask 'n says marry
bring I all the old boots and shoes I can carry.

So they bought he a gnashing gert lot in a sack
and he says heft the lot upon me back
which they did, he goes off and met Nick who did say,
"'ow far aff be Marlborough, d'you see the main way?"

"Ar, ar" says this wise man flinging down his gert sack
I can't tell 'ow far tis but miles and miles back
when I came from Marlborough these boots was all new
but I wore 'em all out coming this far, 'sknow you.

"Oh Lor" says Ol' Nick if it be far as that
then Marlboroughs a place I shall never be at
I bin goin' around in a zircle, zays he
'Cos it must ahve been here where some shepherd I see.

Off 'e goes, this ol' wise man had done Nick by his craft
'E near split 'is sides by the manner he laughed
and them boots and them shoes what he'd flung from his sack
he looks all and around they weren't worf taking back

So he left that gert pile lying there you would know
'Ow in five thousand years shoe tackle do grow
and them boots and them shoes be a-lying there still
which, with dirt and with gravel, do make Zilbury 'ill.

One of my party pieces which I first heard as a mere lass of 15 years old.