Tip O' Derwent

by Gerald Short

Edward Frederick Brewtnall (1846-1902), And Dick the Shepherd Blows His Nail

Joe Tagg come tramping over the moor

One cold December day

To gather in his tups and yows

And bring them safe away

But snow lay thick on heather and moss

And more were coming fast

As man and dog worked on and long

All in the icy blast

Ch: Oh, Tip, come by, now Tip, come by

Why dost tha linger so?

Now old Joe's gone, tha'rt all alone

Out in the wind and snow

Old Joe now feeling tired and weak

Sat down a rest to take

But soon he slept that long cold sleep

From which you canna wake

For old Joe died there high on the moor

With Tip close by his side

And still the snow came falling down

And still the cruel wind sighed

Soon darkness spread its shadows about

O'er Howden's shoulders bare

While down below the village folk

Lay snug with never a care

And when Joe's absence was remarked

Folk thought but little of this

For hadn't Joe full many's the time

Been caught in worse than this?

But soon alarm began to spread

Folk searched by night and day

For maybe he had broke a bone

And couldna make his way

And though they searched the hills abroad

By clough and windy slough

No sign of Joe, nor Tip his dog

Was seen to give them hope

Soon the days passed into weeks

Old Joe could ne'er be found

Through weeks and months of frost and snow

Still brave Tip stood her ground

And how she lived, no one can tell

It canna be explained

Wi'out a bite, save what she caught

That faithful dog remained

The twelfth day of a December so cold

Old Joe Tagg breathed his last

And Tip, his sheepdog, stayed by him

Till fifteen weeks had passed

And when the twenty-seventh day

Of March it come around

Upon the heights of Howden Moor

Joe's corpse and Tip were found

They laid a stone to this brave dog

It stands by Derwent's shore

It tells the tale and it names the names

I canna do no more

So as you sit by a blazing fire

Both warm and full of cheer

Think on the ties that kept Tip there

All through that winter drear

This song is set in Derbyshire, England but I could not resist using the painting

by Richard Ansdell to illustrate this gripping narative

. The song was writen by by Gerald Short.. This song was recorded by Ram's Bottom.

This is a virtual songbook please do not write me trying to buy a hard copy?

Hill Shepherd Blog

No part of this website may be used for any purpose ( including using images )

without written consent from The Rams Horn

Shepherds Songbook SHEEP SHEARING Sheep Jewelry THE SHEPHERD'S DOG Bookstore	HOME \| home Ca' the Ewes to The Knowes \| Queen Among The Heather \| The Broom of Cowdenknowes \| Bonny May \| Searching for Lambs \| Heather Down the Moor \| The Shepherd's Wife \| Tarry Wool \| Stormy Winds \| Shepherd of the Downs \| The Sheep-Shearing Song \| The Sheep Shearing \| Rosebud in June \| Lincolnshire Shepherd \| Sheep Shearin \| Drink Boys, Drink \| Darby Ram \| Ewie wi' the Crookit Horn \| Master of the Sheepfold \| The Sheep Under the Snow \| The Weary Pund O' Tow \| Sheep Crook and Black Dog \| The Shearing's Nae For You \| Band of Shearers \| Twanky Dillo \| The Shepherd Lad O' Rhynie \| Laird o' Drum \| Blind Shepherd \| Canny Shepherd Laddie \| Road to the Isles \| Tip O' Derwent
	Tip O' Derwent by Gerald Short Edward Frederick Brewtnall (1846-1902), And Dick the Shepherd Blows His Nail Joe Tagg come tramping over the moor One cold December day To gather in his tups and yows And bring them safe away But snow lay thick on heather and moss And more were coming fast As man and dog worked on and long All in the icy blast Ch: Oh, Tip, come by, now Tip, come by Why dost tha linger so? Now old Joe's gone, tha'rt all alone Out in the wind and snow Old Joe now feeling tired and weak Sat down a rest to take But soon he slept that long cold sleep From which you canna wake For old Joe died there high on the moor With Tip close by his side And still the snow came falling down And still the cruel wind sighed Soon darkness spread its shadows about O'er Howden's shoulders bare While down below the village folk Lay snug with never a care And when Joe's absence was remarked Folk thought but little of this For hadn't Joe full many's the time Been caught in worse than this? But soon alarm began to spread Folk searched by night and day For maybe he had broke a bone And couldna make his way And though they searched the hills abroad By clough and windy slough No sign of Joe, nor Tip his dog Was seen to give them hope Soon the days passed into weeks Old Joe could ne'er be found Through weeks and months of frost and snow Still brave Tip stood her ground And how she lived, no one can tell It canna be explained Wi'out a bite, save what she caught That faithful dog remained The twelfth day of a December so cold Old Joe Tagg breathed his last And Tip, his sheepdog, stayed by him Till fifteen weeks had passed And when the twenty-seventh day Of March it come around Upon the heights of Howden Moor Joe's corpse and Tip were found They laid a stone to this brave dog It stands by Derwent's shore It tells the tale and it names the names I canna do no more So as you sit by a blazing fire Both warm and full of cheer Think on the ties that kept Tip there All through that winter drear This song is set in Derbyshire, England but I could not resist using the painting by Richard Ansdell to illustrate this gripping narative . The song was writen by by Gerald Short.. This song was recorded by Ram's Bottom. This is a virtual songbook please do not write me trying to buy a hard copy? Hill Shepherd Blog copyright 2002 , Jim & Beth Boyle, All Rights Reserved No part of this website may be used for any purpose ( including using images ) without written consent from The Rams Horn