Poem by William Barnes

Third Collection. The Fancy Feäir at Maïden Newton

The Frome, wi’ ever-water’d brink,
Do run where shelvèn hills do zink
Wi’ housen all a-cluster’d roun’
The parish tow’rs below the down.
An’ now, vor woonce, at leäst, ov all
The pleäcen where the stream do vall,
There’s woone that zome to-day mid vind,
Wi’ things a-suited to their mind.
    An’ that’s out where the Fancy Feäir
    Is on at Maïden Newton.

An’ vo’k, a-smarten’d up, wull hop
Out here, as ev’ry traïn do stop,
Vrom up the line, a longish ride,
An’ down along the river-zide.
An’ zome do beät, wi’ heels an’ tooes,
The leänes an’ paths, in nimble shoes,
An’ bring, bezides, a biggish knot,
Ov all their childern that can trot,
    A-vlockèn where the Fancy Feäir
    Is here at Maïden Newton.

If you should goo, to-day, avore
A Chilfrome house or Downfrome door,
Or Frampton’s park-zide row, or look
Drough quiet Wraxall’s slopy nook,
Or elbow-streeted Catt’stock, down
By Castlehill’s cwold-winded crown,
An’ zee if vo’k be all at hwome,
You’d vind em out—they be a-come
    Out hither, where the Fancy Feäir
    Is on at Maïden Newton.

Come, young men, come, an’ here you’ll vind
A gift to please a maïden’s mind;
Come, husbands, here be gifts to please
Your wives, an’ meäke em smile vor days;
Come, so’s, an’ buy at Fancy Feäir
A keepseäke vor your friends elsewhere;
You can’t but stop an’ spend a cwein
Wi’ leädies that ha’ goods so fine;
    An’ all to meäke, vor childern’s seäke,
    The School at Maïden Newton.

1. Second Collection. The Linden on the Lawn
2. Second Collection. When Birds be Still
3. First Collection. Summer. Week’s End in Zummer, in the Wold Vo’k’s Time
4. Second Collection. I know Who
5. Third Collection. Went vrom Hwome

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