A smith had an apprentice once
Who was not very fa-a-a-a-ast,
Of all the workers in the crew
He always was the last
But this is what he did at noon
When lunch was served for all;
He was the first one in the line,
He never missed the call

Hallee halloh, halloh hallee,
We're just as gay as we can be
Hallee halloh, halloh hallee,
There's none as gay as we
Tra la la, tra la la,
As gay as we can be
Tra la la, tra la la,
As gay as we

The blacksmith said to him,
"My boy, I wonder, yes I do-o-o-o-o
I always thought that 'slow at work'
Meant 'slow at eating' too
With you, it doesn't work that way,
You save your hands and feet
At work, you're slow and lazy,
But you hurry when you eat"

Hallee halloh, halloh hallee,
We're just as gay as we can be
Hallee halloh, halloh hallee,
There's none as gay as we
Tra la la, tra la la,
As gay as we can be
Tra la la, tra la la,
As gay as we

"You wonder, well, I'll tell you!"
Said the young man with a ro-o-o-o-oar,
"We eat a mere one-hour lunch,
But work for FOURTEEN more
Now, if I'd use those fourteen hours
To lunch instead of work,
I'd eat as slowly as could be,
But work I would not shirk!"

Hallee halloh, halloh hallee,
We're just as gay as we can be
Hallee halloh, halloh hallee,
There's none as gay as we
Tra la la, tra la la,
As gay as we can be
Tra la la, tra la la,
As gay as we