A poor old man
Came riding by.
And we say so,
And we know so.
O, a poor old man
Came riding by,
O, poor old man.

Says I, "Old man,
Your horse will die."
And we say so,
And we know so.
And if he dies
we'll tan his hide.
O, poor old man.

And if he don't,
I'll ride him again.
And we say so,
And we know so.
And I'll ride him
'Til the Lord knows when,
O, poor old man.

He's dead as a nail
In the lamp room door,
And we say so,
And we know so.
And he won't come
Worrying us no more
O, poor old man.

We'll use the hair of his tail
To sew our sails
And we say so,
And we know so.
And the iron of his shoes
To make deck nails,
O, poor old man.

Drop him down
With a long long rope
And we say so,
And we hope so.
Where the sharks have his body
And the devil takes his soul!
O, poor old man.