As “Tom Was A Walking” was originally published as a Dialect song by William Sandys in 1846. It was set to music by Ralph Dunstan in 1929 and there is also a version in the manuscript of Edwin J Williams.  According to Baring Gould,  William Sandys stated that  “This song, said to be translated from the Cornish, ‘was taken down,’ from the recital of a modern Corypheus, or leader of a parish choir,’ who assigned to it a very remote, but indefinite, antiquity.”

William Sandys’ Dialect Poem:

As Tom was a walking one fine summer’s mom.

When the dazies and goldcups the fields did adorn;

He met cozen Mal, with the tub on her head.

SaysTom, “Cosen Mal, thee might speak ifyou we’d.”

But Mal, stamp’d along, and appear’d to be shy;

And Tom sing’d out, ” Zounds, I’ll knaw of thee why.”

So back he tore a’ter in terrible fuss.

And ask’d cozen Mal, ” What’s the reason of thus ?”

” Tom Trelore,” cried out Mal, ” I’ll nothing do wi’ee,

Go to Fanny Trembath, she do knaw how I’m shy :

Tom there’s here t’other daa, down the hill thou didst stap,

And dab’d a great doat fig in Fan Trembaa’s lap.”

“Why Mal, cozen Mail,” cried Trelore, ” ‘tes a shaame,

Thee we’st leave me, and cried like I’d ca’ald thee bad naame,

But, blame me, I’d heave thee stam bang in the detch,

Efthe roads wain’t so slottery, thee stramming young wretch.

” As for Fanny Trembaa, I ne’er talk’d with her twice,

And giv’d her a doat fig they sure ai*e so nice!

So, I’ll tell thee, I went to the Fear t’other day.

And the doat figs I boft, I saved them away.”

Says Mai, ” Tom Trelore, ef that be the caase.

May the Lord bless for ever thy sweet pretty faace,

Ef thee’st give me thy doat figs thee’st boft in the Fear,

I’le swear to thee now, thee shu’st marry me here

As Adapted by Ralph Dunstan:

From the Manuscript of Edwin J Williams:

Notes

William Sandys writing as Uncle Jan Trenoodle, Specimens of Cornish Provincial Dialect,(London,John Russel Smith, 1846) p36.

Ralph Dunstan, Lyver Canow Kernewek, Cornish Songbook(London, Reid Bros, 1929)

The CNMA wishes to record its thanks to Alison England, Edwin Williams’ granddaughter, for granting permission for this arrangement to be included here