The Old Gray Duck

Sung by Charlie Bate of Padstow

The tune is that of a well known carol "The Seven Good Joys"

The old grey duck she stole her nest
And laid down in the fields
And when the young ones they came forth
They had no tails nor beals
They had no tails nor beals,
They had no tails nor beals
And when the young ones they came forth
They had no tails nor beals.

Two eggs were addled and one was broke
And they were thrown away
The young ones couldn’t clunk nor swim
They all died that same day
They all died that same day
They all died that same day
The young ones couldn’t clunk nor swim
They all died that same day

Next time we'll put her in the barn
And tie her by the heels
The young ones they may have the chance
To grow their tails and beals
To grow their tails and beals
To grow their tails and beals
The young ones they may have the chance
To grow their tails and beals

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Here is a Cornish Dialect version

Ar ol grae duck she stawl er nest
An laed out en tha feels:
An wen tha young wauns ded cum foath
They ad noa tayls nur beels.
They ad noa tayls nur beels,
They ad noa tayls nur beels.
An wen tha young wauns ded come foath
They ad noa tayls nur beels.

Two eggs woz addle, an wan woz broak
An they we thraw’d away;
Tha young wauns cudn clunk nur swem -
They oll dyd that saem day.

Nex tym we’ll put er up en tha baarn
Er tye er by tha eels:
Tha young wauns then may av a chance
Ta graw ther tayls an beels.