The Cetch in the Creel (Aroor Riah)
Source: The Stone Fiddle by Paddy Tunney
Location: New Edition, page 108 / 109
As I went down through Newry Town some fresh fish for to buy,
Whom did I spy but a pretty fair main and on her I cast the glad eye.
Courant:
With my roor riha foldi-dee-a-da
Aroor riha foldol did-di-do.
“How do I get to your chamber lover, how do I get to your bed?”
“My father keeps the door locked, and the keys lie under his head.”
Courant
“Get a ladder newly made, of forty steps-and-three
And you come up to the chimney-top and come down in a creel to me.”
Courant
No peace or rest could the old woman get with dreams running through her head:
“I’ll lay my life”, said the gay old wife, “there’s a boy in our daughter’s bed"!”
Courant
Up the stairs the old man crept and into the room did steal.
Silence lay where the damsel slept, and he never twigged the creel.
Courant
“My curse upon you father, what brought you up so soon
To put me through my evening prayers and I just lying down.”
Courant
He went back to his gay old wife; he went back to she
“She has her prayer-book in her hands, and she’s praying for you and me.”
Courant
No peace or rest could the old hag get, till she would arise and see.
She came on the stumbling block and into the creel went she
Courant
The lad being on the chimney-top he gave the creel a hawl,
Broke three ribs in the old woman’s side and her arse came against the wall!
Courant