Twoz ov Champeeuns bold
They rasseld fer tummals ov gold,
An oll tha cry woz Well Trefry
That ee shud wen tha dae.
Soa Well Trefry Huzaa!
Tha maeds oll claap theer ands an cry
Trefry, Trefry Huzaa!

Then hup sprang liddel Jaan,
A hondursized maan.
An I well giv ee sum bel tink
Wer ee da staan
Soa well I fite weth ee.
I’ll let ee nawed I can do soa
Tadae I’ll fite weth ee.

 They raasd oan tha grown;
Es match Trefry ad fown,
An back ta back ee bore
Ee felt ez foors giv wae.
Soa liddel Jaan huzaa
Soa sum ded sae - but oathurs nae -
Trefry, Trefry, Huzaa!

Then weth desperaet toss
Well shawd tha flyen oss,
An Jaan, ee fell ta tha grown
An Jaan seesd to moav.
Aw liddel Jaan - alack!
Tha maeds say Aw woe’s tha dae
Aw liddel Jaan - alack!

Ef kelld ee habm been
A widen therd av been.
But Jaan died aajd aeteen
Leeven ez luv behind.
Aw! liddel Jaan - halas
Tha maeds wint en moornen oll
Fer liddel Jaan - halas.
 
This song was noted for Songs and Ballads of the West by the pioneering collector Revd. Sabine Baring Gould, from one of his prime sources: James Olver, a Launceston tanner.

This song mentions the ‘flying hoss’ – a famous Cornish wrestling term that sounds very nasty! The following Dialect substitutions have been made from the text in Hengan; tummals for a sum, ee for he, maeds for ladies, sum bel tink for conqueror, ee for thee.

 

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