The adventures of the little woman, her dog and the pedlar - Anonymous

There was a little woman,

As I have heard tell,

She went to market,

Her Eggs for to sell.

She went to Market,

All on a Market day,

And she fell asleep,

On the King’s highway.

By came a Pedlar,

His name it was Stout,

And he cut her petticoats,

All round about.

He cut her Petticoats

Up to her knees,

Which made the little woman

Began for to freeze.

When this little woman,

Began to awake,

She began to shiver,

And she began to shake.

She began to shake,

And she began to cry,

“Goodness mercy on me,

Sure this is not I!”

“But if this be I,

As I hope it be,

I have a little dog at home,

And he will know me.”

“And if this be I,

He will wag his tail,

But if it’s not I,

He will bark and wail.”

When this little woman,

Came home in the dark,

Up starts the little dog,

And began for to bark.

He began to bark,

And she began to cry,

“Goodness mercy on me,

’Tis surely not I!”

The dog ceased to bark,

The woman then did cry;

“Goodness mercy on me,

Now I know this is I!”