“Pat and the Gauger”

Description

Paddy lands with a 6-gallon whisky keg. A gauger asks to see his permit. Says Pat, "It's unconvenient to show it." The gauger takes the "smuggled" keg and sweats lugging it toward Customs House. At his own house Pat shows the permit and takes the keg

Supplemental text

Pat and the Gauger
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

From Helen Creighton, Folksongs from Southern New Brunswick,
#78, pp. 166-168. Collected from Scott Stuart, St. Andrews, N.B.

In a town that's not far from the sea where Paddy in midsummer came,
And prudence between you and me prevents me from telling his name,
A gauger he soon did espy, the keg on his napper he bore,
Six gallons of whisky or nigh, now where is the nob can bear more?

Chorus
  Rum the diddle orral die orral,
  Die rum the diddle orral die aye.
  Rum the diddle orral die orral die,
  Paddy was met by the gauger.

(4 additional stanzas plus spoken interludes)

Notes

I repeat Bob Waltz's comment from "The Gauger": It appears, in this case, that "gauger" is used in its sense of "revenue officer," though the secondary sense of one who is very aware of his own interests also fits. - BS

References

1. Creighton-SNewBrunswick 78, "Pat and the Gauger" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. ST CrSNB078 (Partial)
3. Roud #2765
4. BI, CrSNB078