Todlin’ Whoam – by Edwin Waugh
Two versions of this fine poem – or song – were published by the author. The one given below has been carefully verified with that given in vol. VIII of Edwin Waugh’s Complete Works, page 294, where it prefaces a tale of the same name. The Complete Works was published in 1889 by John Heywood.
Todlin’ Whoam
Todlin’ whoam fro’ th’ market rant;
Todlin’ whoam, content an’ cant;
Wi mi yed i’ my hat, an’ my feet i’ my shoon,
Todlin’ whoam, bi th’ leet o’ th’ moon;
I’m fain to be todlin’ whoam!
Todlin’ whoam, for fireside bliss;
Todlin’ whoam, for th’ childer’s kiss;
God bless yon little ingle-nook!
God bless yon bit o’ curlin smoke!
I’m fain to be todlin’ whoam!
Todlin’ whoam for prattlin’ tungs;
Todlin’ whoam for twitterin’ sungs;
To fondle, an’ croodle, an’ sink to rest,
Wi’ th’ wife, an’ little brids i’ th’ nest;
I’m fain to be todlin’ whoam!
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A second version occurs in Vol X, pp. 152-153 of the Complete Works and contains the following differences from that given above:
1. The spelling of the first word of the title is Toddlin’.
2. The third line of first verse is omitted (which is presumably simply a mistake).
3. The first line of the second verse is: Toddlin’ whoam, for th’ fireside bliss,
4. The third and fourth lines of the second verse are given as:
God bless yon bit o’ curlin’ smoke;
God bless yon cosy chimbly nook!
5. The first three lines of the third verse are given as:
Toddlin’ whoam for twitterin’ sungs;
Toddlin’ whoam for prattlin’ tungs;
Toddlin’ whoam, to sink to rest
A version of the poem published in My North Countrie (an anthology of poetry and prose of the northern counties) collected and arranged by Wilfred Pickles. George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1955, has been taken from the Vol. X version, and the third line in the first verse is omitted.
The poem has been set to music and was very prettily sung by Larry Kearns on the LP Owdham Edge, published by Topic Records, no. 12T204. It is currently available on a CD by the same company, entitled Deep Lancashire. Go to http://www.topicrecords.co.uk/acatalog/index2.html.