Three Brothers
Performer(s): Joyce Grenfell



I had three Brothers
Harold and Robert and James
All of them tall and handsome
All of them good at games
And I was allowed to field for them
To bowl to them, to score
I was allowed to slave for them
For ever and evermore
Oh, I was allowed to fetch and carry
For my Three Brothers
Jim and Bob and Harry

All of my brothers
Harry and Jim and Bob
Grew up to be good and clever
Each of them at his job
And I was allowed to wait on them
To be their slave complete
I was allowed to work for them
And life for me was sweet
For I was allowed to fetch and carry
For my Three Brothers
Jim and Bob and Harry

Jim went out to South Africa
Bob went out to Ceylon
Harry went out to New Zealand
And settled in Wellington
And the grass grew high on the cricket pitch
And the tennis court went to hay
And the place was too big and too silent
After they went away
So I turned it into a Guest House
After our parents died
And I wrote to the boys every Sunday
And once a year they replied
All of them married eventually
I wrote to their wives, of course
And their wives wrote back on postcards 
Well... it might have been very much worse

And now I have nine nieces
Most of them home at school
I have them all to stay here
For the holidays as a rule
And I am allowed to slave for them
To do odd jobs galore
I am allowed to work for them
And life is sweet once more
For I am allowed to fetch and carry
For the children of Jim and Bob and Harry