From the 1900 comic opera “Foxy Quiller”.
Words by Harry B. Smith.
Music by Reginald de Koven.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
1. There once was a pedlar, a jolly old pedlar
Who travelled from town to town
Who travelled from town to town
With bargains a’ stack in his pack on his back
For bargains he had renown
For bargains he had renown
It’s rarely you’d meet so complete an old cheat
His victims in vain would complain
He jogged right along with a jovial song
And this was its tuneful refrain
Refrain:
Bargains a lot, here I have got
All are cheap, cheap
I never beat, I never cheat
My word I keep, I lose cash
Every time I sell a thing
I’ll in the poor house weep
I’m an honest elf, and I cheat myself
My prices they are never steep
Come buy, this is an opportunity
Walk up and buy bargains so cheap
2. ‘Twas hey for the pedlar, the cheating old pedlar
One day when the sun was hot
One day when the sun was hot
He came to a nook, by the side of a brook
“I’ll rest here” he said, “Why not?”
“I’ll rest here” he said, “Why not?”
So lulled by the breeze as it sang in the trees
He slept as if snugly in bed
The crickets and frogs from the neighboring bogs
Came round and the crickets all said
Refrain:
We never knew how pretty you look when asleep
Rest for a while, peacefully smile
Watch we will keep, sleep on
Bargains we will examine them, we will take a peep
In the pedlar’s pack that’s on your back
While you are wrapped in slumber deep
Come all, here is an opportunity
Even the crickets say cheap
It was so! They sang, the crickets and frogs
All of a summer day, summer day