WHY woonce, at Chris'mas-tide, avore once

The wold year wer a-reckon'd out, old

The humstrums here did come about,

A-soundèn up at ev'ry door.

But now a bow do never screäpe

A humstrum, any where all round,

An’ zome can't tell a humstrum's sheäpe,

An’ never heärd his jinglèn sound.

As ing-an-ing did ring the string,

As ang-an-ang the wires did clang.

The strings a-tighten'd lik’ to crack

Athirt the canister's tin zide, across

Did reach, a glitt'rèn, zide by zide,

Above the humstrum's hollow back.

An’ there the bwoy, wi’ bended stick,

A-strung wi’ heäir, to meäke a bow,

Did dreve his elbow, light'nèn quick, drive

Athirt the strings from high to low.

As ing-an-ing did ring the string,

As ang-an-ang the wires did clang.

The mother there did stan’ an’ hush

Her child, to hear the jinglèn sound,

The merry maïd, a-scrubbèn round

Her white-steäv'd païl, did stop her brush. -hooped

The mis'ess there, vor wold time's seäke, old

Had gifts to gi'e, and smiles to show, give

An’ meäster, too, did stan’ an’ sheäke

His two broad zides, a-chucklèn low,

While ing-an-ing did ring the string,

While ang-an-ang the wires did clang.

The plaÿers’ pockets wer a-strout, stretched out

Wi’ wold brown pence, a-rottlèn in,

Their zwangèn bags did soon begin, swinging violently

Wi’ brocks an’ scraps, to plim well out. broken pieces of food, fill

The childern all did run an’ poke

Their heads vrom hatch or door, an’ shout wicket-gate

A-runnèn back to wolder vo'k. older folk

Why, here! the humstrums be about!

As ing-an-ing did ring the string,

As ang-an-ang the wires did clang.