Intro Verse In Thornaby Woods in Nottinghamshire Thornaby Woods in Nottinghamshire Three game-keepers' houses stood three-square About a mile from each other they were Their orders they were to look out for the deer Long, long the day Verse Me and the dogs went out one night The moon and stars were shining bright O'er hedges, ditches, fields and stiles With my three dogs running close by me heels To catch a fat buck down in Thornaby fields Long, long the day Verse That very first night, I had bad luck For one of me very best dogs got shot He came to me all bloody and lame Right sorry was I for to see the same And not being able to follow the game Long, long the day Long, long the day Long, long the day Long, long the day In Thornaby Woods In Thornaby Woods In Thornaby Woods In Thornaby Woods Instrumental Verse I looked at his wounds and found them slight 'Twas done by some keeper out of spite I'll take a right stick all in me hand And I'll search the woods till I find that man I'll tan his old hide, right well, if I can Long, long the day Verse Then I went home and went to bed And Limping Jack went out in me stead He searched the woods around at length 'Til he found a buck rough lying dead the ground 'Twas my little dog that gave him his death wound Long, long the day Long, long the day Long, long the day Long, long the day In Thornaby Woods In Thornaby Woods In Thornaby Woods In Thornaby Woods Instrumental Verse He got a butcher to skin the game And likewise another to sell the same The very first joint that he offered for sale It was to an old woman who sold bad ale She had us all up in Nottingham gaol Long, long the day Verse The Nottingham assizes are over and past And we three chaps got free at last The bucks and does shall never roam free For a poacher's life is the life for me A poacher I will always be Long, long the day Long, long the day Long, long the day Long, long the day In Thornaby Woods In Thornaby Woods In Thornaby Woods In Thornaby Woods Outro