Last time I crossed the hill,
Tari tari tari tari, ta ta,
(Repeat the first line in each verse)
I heard the jugs a-ringing,
I, a merry boatman,
I should like to tari ta ta,
I, a merry boatman,
I should like to drink.
Landlord sell me a jug of wine,
Tari tari tari tari, ta ta,
The jug was cracked at the bottom,
I, a merry boatman,
I threw it, so that it tari ta ta,
I, a merry boatman,
I threw it, so that it splintered.
And when I'd had me wine,
Tari tari tari tari, ta ta,
That landlord wouldn't let me go,
I, a merry boatman,
I hadn't any money for tari ta ta,
I, a merry boatman,
I hadn't any money for to pay.
They then stripped me naked,
Tari tari tari tari, ta ta,
They threw me into the barn,
I, a merry boatman,
There from cold I couldn't tari ta ta,
I, a merry boatman,
There from cold I couldn't last.
And as I lay there in that barn,
Tari tari tari tari, ta ta,
'Twas then that I thought,
I, a merry boatman,
If I now got the landlord's tari ta ta,
I, a merry boatman,
If I now got the landlord's daughter.
When I'd had the landlord's daughter,
Tari tari tari tari, ta ta,
How d'yer think she paid me?
I, a merry boatman,
She gave me two nice golden tari ta ta,
I, a merry boatman,
She gave me two nice golden crowns.
English translation