Mirth and Metre :: :: University of Virginia Library

A Taylor who cabbag'd, as taylors will do,
Not an inch from an ell, but a yard out of two;
Soho, boy, fair and softly!
Awaking one night, in a terrible fright,
Felt conscience's oozings adown his face trickle,
Lest his Cabbage should turn out a terrible pickle;
For he dream'd such a dream as was ne'er dream'd before,
And he vow'd and protested “he'd cabbage no more;”
But his wife with a hint begg'd his mind to refresh,
“What's bred in the bone won't come out of the flesh.”
And soho, &c.

He dreamt that he saw a great patchwork unroll
From the skies, made of cabbage he'd stole;
Soho, &c.
It reach'd to the ground,
Broad as long, I'll be bound,
And was made of all colours art ever invented;
So, conscience-struck, thus to his dear he lamented;
“I'll no more be a sinner and cabbage,” cried he,
“For fear that old Nick in the end cabbage me.”
But his wife, &c.

“Whenever, wife, going to cabbage am I,
Of my dream to remind me be sure that you cry,
“Soho, boy, fair and softly!”
She thus, as we hear, kept him honest a year,
Nay some folks say two, but at wonders they're spelling,
As we all know that stories lose nothing by telling;
Of his courage Snip bragg'd, for temptation was strong,
While his wife replied with the fag-end of a song,
By the way of a hint just, &c.

Of his honesty Snip to all boasted, with pride,
While in his sleeve laughing, old Belzebub cried,
“Soho, &c.”
At length a beau goes with cloth for new clothes;
“Such a texture and colour I ne'er saw;” so nimble,
Cried Snip, for egad he'd his eye on the thimble;
Old Nick whisper'd “cabbage!” Snip answer'd, “I'll shew
“How boldly I'll baffle temptation—heigh ho!”
While his wife humm'd her ditty, his, &c.

Snip cut and contriv'd, and severe was the strife
Between nature and conscience, old Nick and his wife,
Soho, &c.
“Your dream, Snip!” said she,—“I remember,” cried he,
“The patchwork I saw, tho' no doubt meant a warner,
To make it square wanted a yard at one corner;
Then this colour I thro' the whole piece couldn't meet it,
So I must, and I will have, a yard to complete it.”
Says his wife, “wa'nt I right, Snip, your mind, &c.