I heard from an uncle this wonderful story about two donkeys that lived on the Forth Road in the forties. It’s true they lived in the front garden, until one severe winter when one of them died and the owner decided to move the remaining beast indoors, where it lived happily for many years, they really were named Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Here’s a tale of two donkeys that lived in our street
The funniest couple that ever you’ll meet
One was a filly called Jerusalem
The other a boy, Ah! The bold Bethlehem
They lived in a garden down Ravensdale way
Feeding on carrots and sleeping in hay
Delighting the children when they would pass
All wanting to look at the donkey and ass
TOORALIE-OORALIE-OORALIE-OE
SHE LOVED HIM DEARLY THE WAY DONKEYS DO
TOORALIE-OORALIE-OORALIE-AYE
THAT FINE PAIR OF ASSES, DOWN RAVENSDALE WAY
Now she was right handsome and came from good stock
Her father pulled barges along Castleknock
When they got married she walked proud and tall
And they started a business down in East Wall
But he was a chancer and hauler by trade
He gambled away all the carrots they made
And when he got home from the pub Saturday
He’d force the poor filly to roll in the hay
TOORALIE-OORALIE……
But it was on a Christmas he went a bit far
He left her alone to be tugging the car
He went off drinking along by the docks
And she swore be de hokey she’d flatten his rocks
It was long after dark when he finally got home
Weak from the gargle he staggered around
She waited to ambush him down by the shed
And smacked him a wallop with a plank on the head
He fell in a heap and she dragged him away
And covered him up with a pile of old hay
They found him next morning all covered in snow
And all said “Exposure’s a fierce way to go”
His master was shocked by the loss of his steed
And his wife put it down to ignorance and greed
To avoid a repeat to her husband she said
“Sure here in the parlor we’ll make her a bed”
The sitting room table was moved up the stairs
And they shifted the sideboard and two of the chairs
They gave her old blankets to wear as a coat
For company the bought her a white Billy-goat
Now whoever said that crime doesn’t pay?
She’s snug in the parlor since that very day
So remember when drinking with mates in the bar
That even with donkeys you can go too far!