THE DEVILS ARE THE DEALERS
Oh, these devils are the dealers that I mind of long ago,
You could not buy a beast at all from lads you used to know,
For no matter how they capered & looked lively at the fair
Bring them home and it is crippled with the cruppers they are there.
I once bought a cow from Cassidy at Ballyconnel Fair
You'd take your oath she was the cream of all the cattle there,
But when I got her home with her hide as soft as silk
You couldn't grease a gimlet with all the butter was on her milk.
She took a fit of thieving somewhere in the month of June
And the cabbage of the country it was faded very soon,
She evicted all the drumheads that belonged to Barney Quinn
And an acre field of turnips by her was taken in.
Ah then run, says I to Peggie, and put sport into your race
Put her out the devil, she is doing depredation in the place,
I cannot run, I'm crippled with the rheumatism of late,
But that red thief will eat the country if she goes on at this rate.
I brought her over the Dowra the very coming Fair
Had the bargain almost finished with a hero that was there,
When old Cassidy walked over, winked his wicked eye at me,
"The red thief of the world, are you selling her?" said he.
"Give no gab" says I to Cassidy and spat upon my stick,
The jobber at these words was walking very quick,
He must have been, for certain, a lad from Donegal
For when he heard old Cassidy he didn't wait at all.
Hold you hand out says Cassidy & he took me by the hand
Here's the money you were offered, seven guineas I understand!
And before one half an hour they were swearing up and down
That a better cow for butter never walked through Dowra Town,