trad 1700s
The earliest known publication circa 1790. The song is associated with a mumming custom called The Old Tup involving a ram character, similar to Mari Lwyd in Wales, the Old ‘Oss, and Hobby Horses.
Chorus Wasn’t he a big one boys Wasn’t he a big one boys Wasn’t he a big one boys ‘Til the butcher cut him down As I was going to Darby, Sir, All on a market day, I met the finest Ram, Sir, That ever was fed on hay. The horns on this ram sir They reached up to the moon A boy went up in January And he didn’t come down till June The Wool upon his back, Sir, Reached up unto the sky, The Eagles made their nests there, Sir, For I heard the young ones cry. He had four feet to walk, sir, Her had four feet to stand, And every foot he had, sir, Covered an acre of land. It took all the men in Darby To carry away its bones It took all the women in Darby To roll away its stones The Butcher that killed this Ram, Sir, Was drownded in the blood, And the boy that held the pail, Sir, Was carried away in the flood.