Come all you cockers far and near
An’ I’ll tell you of a cockfight, when and where,
On ’Olbeck Moor as I’ve ’eard say,
Between the black and the bonny grey.
2
Now the first to come in were the Owdham lads,
They came with all the brass they had.
The reason was I ’eard ’em say,
Our black’s too big for the bonny grey.
3
So it’s into t’pub to tek a sup,
Yon cockfight it was soon made up.
For twenty pounds them birds will play,
The charcoal black and the bonny grey.
4
The Owdham lads stood shoutin’ around,
“I’ll lay thee a quid to ’alf a crown,
If our black cock ’e gets fair play
’E’ll mek mince-meat out o’ thy bonny grey.”
5
So the cocks they at it an’ t’grey got tossed;
Owdham lads said, “By, tha’s lost!”
Us ’Olbeck lads we turned quite pale,
An’ we wished we’d fought for a barrel of ale.
6
Then the cocks they at it one two three,
The charcoal black got stuck in t’ee.
’E picked ’im up but ’e wadn’t play,
An’ the fight it went to our bonny grey.
7
With silver breast an’ silver wings
’E’s fit to fight i’ front o’ kings.
We picked ’im up with a hip ’ooray,
An’ we carried off our bonny grey.