Tom the Piper's Son

Origin
"Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son" is a popular English language nursery rhyme.

Modern versions of the rhyme include:


 * Tom, Tom, the piper's son,
 * Stole a pig, and away did run;
 * The pig was eat
 * And Tom was beat,
 * And Tom went crying [or "roaring", or "howling", in some versions]
 * Down the street.

The 'pig' mentioned in the song is almost certainly not a live animal but rather a kind of pastry, often made with an apple filling, smaller than a pie.

Another version of the rhyme is:


 * Tom, Tom, the piper's son,
 * Stole a pig, and away he run.
 * Tom run here, Tom run there,
 * Tom run through the village square.

This rhyme is often conflated with a separate and longer rhyme:


 * Tom, he was a piper's son,
 * He learnt to play when he was young,
 * And all the tune that he could play
 * Was 'over the hills and far away';
 * Over the hills and a great way off,
 * The wind shall blow my top-knot off.


 * Tom with his pipe made such a noise,
 * That he pleased both the girls and boys,
 * They all stopped to hear him play,
 * 'Over the hills and far away'.


 * Tom with his pipe did play with such skill
 * That those who heard him could never keep still;
 * As soon as he played they began for to dance,
 * Even the pigs on their hind legs would after him prance.


 * As Dolly was milking her cow one day,
 * Tom took his pipe and began to play;
 * So Dolly and the cow danced 'The Cheshire Round',
 * Till the pail was broken and the milk ran on the ground.


 * He met old Dame Trot with a basket of eggs,
 * He used his pipe and she used her legs;
 * She danced about till the eggs were all broke,
 * She began for to fret, but he laughed at the joke.


 * Tom saw a cross fellow was beating an ass,
 * Heavy laden with pots, pans, dishes, and glass;
 * He took out his pipe and he played them a tune,
 * And the poor donkey's load was lightened full soon.