Henry Formby: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

What shall we have for Dinner

Henry Formby

“What shall we have for Dinner” as printed in A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853).

Henry Formby: Collected Lyrics Text 13 1853 · historical text
Public domainHymnSacred song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from A First Series of Hymns and Songs, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

What shall we have for dinner, Mistress Bond?

There's beef in the larder, and ducks in the pond.

Dill, ill, ill, ill, ill, ill, ill, ill, dill'd,

Come here and be kill'd.

Dill, ill, ill, ill, ill, ill, ill, ill, dill'd,

Come here and be kill'd.

Verse 2

Send us the beef first, good Mistress Bond;

Then get your ducks dress'd out of the pond.

Dill, ill, &c.

Verse 3

John Ostler, go and kill a duck or two;

Ma'am, says John Ostler, I'll try what I can do.

Dill, ill, &c.

Verse 4

I've been to the ducks that are in the pond.

But they will not come to be kill'd, Mistress Bond.

Dill, ill, &c.

Verse 5

Mistress Bond then flies to the pond in a rage,

With plenty of onions and plenty of sage.

Dill, ill, &c.

Verse 6

And cries, Little wagtails, come here and be kill'd,

For you must be stuff'd, and my customers fill'd.

Dill, ill, &c.

Credits

Written by Henry Formby

Words by Henry Formby. Historical text published in A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853), “What shall we have for Dinner”

Every text in this 1853 collection is by Henry Formby (1816-1884), who died more than 140 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

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Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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