Posted by peter on December 10, 1997 at 12:58:07:
There's a bit in one of the Lake books, where Mother warns the children about the "Raggle-taggle Gypsy-o" [Which book?]
I found the original source, here in Japan on a friend's The Waterboys [British, er Isles --they might be Irish-- folk band] CD:
There were three old Gypsies came to our hall door
They came brave and boldly-o
And one sang high and the other sang low
and the other was a raggletaggle Gypsy-o
It was upstairs downstairs the Lady went
Put on her suit of leather-o
And there was a cry from around the door
She's away with the raggletaggle Gypsy-o
It was late that night when the Lord came in
Enquiring for his Lady-o
And the servant girl she said to the Lord
She's away with the raggle-taggle Gypsy-o
And another half dozen verses.
A bit like Amsterdam, they get more interesting.
Jolly good dancy rythm and fiddle bits.