Once a jolly swagman

Once a jolly swagman sat beside the billabong,

Under the shade of a coulibah tree,

And he sang as he sat and waited by the billabong

You'll come a waltzing matilda with me

Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda

You'll come a waltzing matilda with me

And he sang as he sat and waited by the billabong

You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Down came a jumbuck to drink beside the billabong

Up jumped the swagman and seized him with glee

And he sang as he tucked the jumbuck in his tuckerbag

You'll come a waltzing matilda with me

Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda

You'll come a waltzing matilda with me

And he sang as he sat and waited by the billabong

You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Down came the stockman, riding on his thoroughbred,

Down came the troopers, one, two, three.

"where's the jolly jumbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?

You'll come a waltzing matilda with me

Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda

You'll come a waltzing matilda with me

And he sang as he sat and waited by the billabong

You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Up jumped the swagman and plunged into the billabong,

"You'll never catch me alive," cried he

And his ghost may be heard as you ride beside the billabong,

You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Aussie Slang used in the

Waltzing Matilda song

Waltzing - walking along a bush track

Matilda - a bedroll

Swagman - an unemployed drifter

Billabong - Aboriginal word for a waterhole

Coolibah - Aboriginal word for a type of Australian tree

Billy - a tin with a wire handle used for boiling water and heating food

Jumbuck - Aboriginal word for sheep

Tucker Bag - bag containing food (tucker)

Squatter - a landowner

Troopers - Policemen

An Aussie Swagman

Well a modern day one!

"Watzing Matilda"

Listen to the tune above link

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  A modern day Aussie Swagman