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Oh, the fish are all caught and the squids are all jigged,
The traps are caught up and the schooner's unrigged;
All hands on the counter are driving the smoke,
Where Jacob is splicing some left-handed rope.
Squarin'-up time beside the big shop,
The clerks are kept busy and write on the top.
"Look sharp now then sonny, attend to my needs,
A pack of those raisins without any seeds."
Skipper John Wilson strolled into the line,
If his credit was good for a few slips of twine;
He got such a fright when they gave him a ram,
That he bought a bologna for Aunt Mary Ann.
Uncle Nick Nicholas he squared up his bill,
He took up the ballast in Joe Rootan's pail;
Got a loan of a pipe from young Tommy Hayes,
He smoked till his whiskers went in a blue blaze.
When he found out his merchant had no Gillette Lye,
Which his woman had to ask Grandpa Maurice to buy,
The way that old codger took on was a sin;
Just at that moment the parson walked in.
All hands they were laughing at grandfather's prank,
Were quiet as mice when they saw Parson Bank;
And Billy O'Toole he was frightened so bad,
That he swallowed the last chew of 'baccy he had.
The parson said grandpa looked sheepish enough,
I guess I'll think you were cutting up rough;
And Billy O'Toole had the tooth-ache all day,
And Big Eye was trying to charm it away.
There's five dollars coming to you Mr. Knee,
I don't want it sit, that's no good to me;
Share it up between the parson and Dr. Carrew,
Because I want to keep on the good side of them, too.
Published in Art Scammell's book, My Newfoundland, pp.118-119 (Harvest House, Montreal, 1966). Also collected in 1952 from Gerard Mahoney of Stock Cove, NL, by Ken Peacock and published in Songs Of The Newfoundland Outports, Volume 1, pp.98-99, by The National Museum Of Canada (1965) Crown Copyrights Reserved.
See more songs by Arthur J. Scammell.
Kenneth Peacock noted that this native ditty is an almost perfect re-creation of the atmosphere of a traditional outport general store. The fishing season is over, and all the men gather to square up their debts and accounts.
