Aunt Martha's Sheep

Come gather all around me and I'll sing to you a tale
About the boys in Carmanville who almost went to jail
It happened on a November's night, when all hands was asleep
We crept up over Joe Tulk's hill and we stole Aunt Martha's sheep

Now if you pay attention, I know I'll make a laugh
We never went to steal the sheep, we went to steal the calf
The old cow she got angry 'cause we woke her from her sleep
We couldn't take any chances, so we had to steal the sheep

Well, we caught the wooly animal and dragged her from her pen
She said goodbye to little lamb she'd never see again
She knew that those dark strangers soon would take her life
In less than half an hour, she felt that dreadful knife

Aunt Martha she got angry when she heard about the loss
She said she'd catch the robbers no matter what the cost
Next morning just at sunrise, she to the office went
And to the RCMP a telegram she sent

Well, the Mountie got the message and he started in to read
"This is from Aunt Martha, tellin' an awful deed
Last night my sheep was stolen, by whom I cannot tell
I'd like for you to catch them and to drag them back to jail"

Well, just a short time later, about twelve o'clock that night
We had the sheep a'cookin' and everyone feelin' tight
The smell of mutton and onions, no man could ask for more
We're chug-a-luggin' Dominion when a Mountie walked in the door

Said, "Sorry boys, your party, I really don't want to wreck
I smelt the meat a'cookin' and I had to come in and check
You see the sheep is stolen and the thief is on the loose"
I said, "Come right in and join us, sir, we're havin' a piece of moose"

Well, he came right in and he sat right down and we gave him a piece of the sheep
And, "This is the finest piece of moose I knows I ever eat"
'Bout two o'clock in the mornin', he bid us all good-day
"If we gets any clues on the sheep, sir, we'll phone you right away"

He said, "Thanks a lot, you're a darn fine bunch, your promise I know you'll keep
If everyone was as good as you, she wouldn't have lost her sheep"
After he left, we had the piece we had in the oven to roast
We might have stole the sheep, boys, but the Mountie ate the most