When Good King Arthur Ruled This Land
A Nursery Rhyme
When good King Arthur ruled this land,
He was a goodly king;
He stole three pecks of barley-meal
To make a bag-pudding.
A bag-pudding the king did make,
And stuffed it well with plum;
And in it put great lumps of fat,
As big as my two thumbs.
The king and queen did eat thereof,
And noblemen beside;
And what they could not eat that night,
The queen next morning fried.
An alternate version:
When auld Prince Arthur ruled this land,
He was a thievish king;
He stole three bolls o' barley meal,
To make a white pudding.
Chorus:
The pudding it was sweet and good,
And stored well wi' plums;
The lumps o' suet into it,
Were big as baith my thumbs'
Or...
When as King Arthur ruled this land,
He ruled it like a swine;
He bought three pecks of barleymeal
To make a pudding fine.
His pudding it was nodden well,
And stuffed right full of plums;
And lumps of suet he put in
As big as my two thumbs.
Or...
King Stephen was a worthy king
As ancient bards to sing
He bought three pucks of barley-meal
To make a bag-pudding.
Or...
Our good Quane Bess she maayde a pudden,
An' stuffed 'un vull o' plums.
An' in she put gurt dabs o' vat,
As big as my two thumbs.
Or...
When first King Henry ruled this land
He was a right generous King... etc.
And this nineteenth century parody:
When great Victoria ruled the land
She ruled it like a Queen
She had a Princess and a Prince
Not very far between.
Mmm... I can just taste this year's plum pudding...