"Mother Goose Songs" lyrics - BURL IVES

As I did walk by Hampstead Fair
I came upon Mother Goose - so I turned her loose -
She was screaming
And a foreign student said to me -
Was it really true there are elephants and lions too
In Piccadilly Circus?

Walked down by the bathing pond
To try and catch some sun
Saw at least a hundred schoolgirls sobbing
Into handkerchiefs as one
I don't believe they knew
I was a schoolboy

And a bearded lady said to me -
If you start your raving and your misbehaving -
You'll be sorry
Then the chicken-fancier came to play -
With his long red beard (and his sister's weird:
She drives a lorry)

Laughed down by the putting green -
I popped 'em in their holes
Four and twenty labourers were labouring -
Digging up their gold
I don't believe they knew
That I was Long John Silver

Saw Johnny Scarecrow make his rounds
In his jet-black mac (which he won't give back) -
Stole it from a snowman