3. The Courtship of Samwise Gamgee

This rollicking tune, written in pencil on a tablecloth stained with wine and other foodstuffs, was reputed to be composed and sung at Samwise and Rosie's wedding by Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. (The fact that it was raining drink as well as snowing food might account for certain historical inaccuracies in the lyrics.) This treasure, found in the Mathom House in Michel Delving under a pile of papers, was nearly lost during Spring Cleaning, but for the alertness of one of the staff.

The Courtship of Samwise Gamgee

Words by Meriadoc Brandybuck
Tune by Peregrin Took

Come now all ye young lasses and lads, and lads,
Ye must listen to yer mums and yer dads, yer dads
If ye want to be wise, just open yer eyes
And I'll tell ye of Samwise Gamgee, Gamgee,
Of the courtship of Samwise Gamgee.

Well, Samwise was gone wi' his master, his master,
And he couldn't get back any faster, any faster,
He got back so late, but his Rosie did wait,
And she was so glad him to see, to see,
She was glad to see Samwise Gamgee

When young Samwise came back from the War, the War,
We all knew he loved Rosie full sore, full sore,
Though she waited a week,
He had yet to speak
And she worried he'd wait ever more.
She worried he'd wait ever more.

He'd crossed over rivers and peaks, and peaks,
But to Rosie he just couldn't speak, oh, no!
He could not meet her eye,
The poor lad was so shy,
So poor Rosie did wait and did wait, poor lass!
For her Samwise to find nerve to ask.

Mayor Frodo he had an idee, idee,
He said, 'Rosie, lass, listen to me, to me!'
With a wink of his eye, he said, 'Cook us some pie!'
'And we'll give your poor Samwise a tweak, a tweak,
'Yes we'll help him find courage to speak.'

Mayor Frodo and Peregrin Took, young Took
And handsome young Merry Brandybuck, yes, him too!
All sat down to eat, pie of mushrooms and meat,
And poor Samwise was eating that pie, that pie,
But he couldn't look Rose in the eye.

Then Merry he took him a bite, a bite
And his face was all spread with delight, delight
And he sang to the sky, with a gleam in his eye,
'Tis the finest pie ever could be, could be,
'Come, dear Rosie lass, marry me!'

Captain Merry, he turned then to Sam, to Sam
And he said, 'I'll advise ye, my lamb, my lamb!
'Better speak to her soon, beneath the full moon,
'Or soon she'll be married to me, to me,
'Better take warning, Samwise Gamgee!'

By the light of the harvest-time moon, the moon,
Ye can hear the band playing a tune, a tune,
They are making quite fine, with good food and good wine,
At the wedding of Rosie and Sam, poor Sam,
Rosie got him to speak, the poor lamb!

Come now all ye young lasses and lads, and lads,
Ye must listen to yer mums and yer dads, yer dads
If ye want to be wise, just open yer eyes
And I'll tell ye of Samwise Gamgee, Gamgee,
Of the courtship of Samwise Gamgee.

For the tune, click here: Music

[A/N Please remember that this music is protected by copyright law.]