The Cork Leg

A comic song from around 1832
This reprinted publication is undated (1906?).
Words by T. Hudson.
Music by J. Blewitt.

The sheet music:

The-Cork-Leg – Sheet MusicDownload

Accompaniment by Ross Boyle:

The-Cork-Leg – MIDIDownload

Lyrics

  1. A tale I tell now without any flam
    In Holland dwelt Mynheer Von Clam
    Who every morning said, “I am
    The richest merchant in Rotterdam”

Chorus
Ri too ral too ral too ral too ral
Too ra lal too ral ri tol tu ral lay

  1. One day, he had stuff’d till full as an egg
    When a poor relation came to beg
    But he kick’d him out without broaching a keg
    And in kicking him out he broke his leg
  2. A surgeon, the first in his vocation
    Came and made a long oration
    He wanted a limb for Anatomization
    So finish’d his jaw by amputation
  3. Said mynheer when he’d done his work
    “By your knife I lose one fork
    “But upon crutches I’ll never stalk
    “For I’ll have a beautiful leg of Cork,”
  4. An Artist in Rotterdam t’would seem
    Had made Cork legs his study and theme
    Each joint was as strong as an iron beam
    The springs a compound of clockwork and steam
  5. The Leg was made and fitted right
    Inspection the Artist did invite
    The fine shape gave Mynheer delight
    As he fix’d it on and screw’d it tight
  6. He walk’d thro’ squares and past each shop
    Of speed he went at the very top
    Each step he took with a bound and a hop
    And he found his leg he could not stop
  7. Horror and fright were in his face
    The neighbours thought he was running a race
    He clung to a post to stay his pace
    But the Leg remorseless kept up the chase
  8. Then he call’d to some men with all his might
    Oh stop me or I’m murder’d quite
    But tho’ they heard him aid invite
    He in less than a minute was out of sight
  9. He ran o’er hill and dale and plain
    To ease his weary bones he fain
    Did throw himself down but all in vain
    The Leg got up and was off again
  10. He walk’d of days and night a score
    Of Europe he had made the tour
    He died but tho’ he was no more
    The Leg walk’d on the same as before
  11. In Holland sometimes it comes in sight
    A Skeleton on a Cork Leg tight
    No cash did the Artists skill requite
    He was never paid and it serv’d him right
  12. My tale I’ve told both plain and free
    Of the richest merchant that could be
    Who never was buried tho’ dead we see
    And I have been singing his L, E, G.