And thumped him on the head . His accents mild took up the tale : He said `` I go my ways , And when I find a mountain-rill , I set it in a blaze ; And thence they make a stuff they call Rolands ' Macassar Oil -- Yet twopence-halfpenny is all They give me for my toil . '' But I was thinking of a way To feed oneself on batter , And so go on from day to day Getting a little fatter . I shook him well from side to side , Until his face was blue : `` Come , tell me how you live , '' I cried , `` And what it is you do ! '' He said `` I hunt for haddocks ' eyes Among the heather bright , And work them into waistcoat-buttons In the silent night . And these I do not sell for gold Or coin of silvery shine But for a copper halfpenny , And that will purchase nine . `` I sometimes dig for buttered rolls , Or set limed twigs for crabs ; I sometimes search the grassy knolls For wheels of Hansom-cabs . And that 's the way '' -LRB- he gave a wink -RRB- `` By which I get my wealth -- And very gladly will I drink Your Honour 's noble health . '' I heard him then , for I had just Completed my design To keep the Menai bridge from rust By boiling it in wine . I thanked him much for telling me The way he got his wealth , But chiefly for his wish that he Might drink my noble health . And now , if e'er by chance I put My fingers into glue Or madly squeeze a right-hand foot Into a left-hand shoe , Or if I drop upon my toe A very heavy weight , I weep , for it reminds me so , Of that old man I used to know -- Whose look was mild , whose speech was slow , Whose hair was whiter than the snow , Whose face was very like a crow , With eyes , like cinders , all aglow , Who seemed distracted with his woe , Who rocked his body to and fro , And muttered mumblingly and low , As if his mouth were full of dough , Who snorted like a buffalo -- That summer evening , long ago , A-sitting on a gate . ' As the Knight sang the last words of the ballad , he gathered up the reins , and turned his horse 's head along the road by which they had come . ` You 've only a few yards to go , ' he said , ` down the hill and over that little brook , and then you 'll be a Queen -- But you 'll stay and see me off first ? ' he added as Alice turned with an eager look in the direction to which he pointed . ' I sha n't be long . You 'll wait and wave your handkerchief when I get to that turn in the road ? I think it 'll encourage me , you see . ' ` Of course I 'll wait , ' said Alice : ` and thank you very much for coming so far -- and for the song -- I liked it very much . ' ' I hope so , ' the Knight said doubtfully : ` but you did n't cry so much as I thought you would . ' So they shook hands , and then the Knight rode slowly away into the forest .
` It wo n't take long to see him OFF , I expect , ' XXXXX said to herself , as she stood watching him .
A-sitting Alice Hansom-cabs Menai Queen evening first haddocks mountain-rill waistcoat-buttons