Behold, I am a soldier, bold and only twenty-five years old.
A braver warrior never was seen, from Inverness to Gretna Green.
When I was young, my father said he would pet me to a decent trade,
but I didn't like that job at all, so I went and joined the Forte d'Ois.
The wind may blow, the cock may crow, the rain may rain and the snow may snow,
but you will never reckon Jock McGraw, he's the stoutest man in the Forte d'Ois.
The sergeant, when he lasted me, he winked his E and then says he,
a man like you is stout and tall, can ne'er be killed by a cannonball.
The captain then, when he come roon, he looked me up and looked me doon,
then turning to the sergeant, why you scamp, you've lasted the bleach-filled Ooton Tramp.
The wind may blow, the cock may crow, the rain may rain and the snow may snow,
but you will never reckon Jock McGraw, he's the stoutest man in the Forte d'Ois.
At our last fecht across the sea, the general, he sends after me,
when I get there in my big gun, of course, the battle, it was won.
The enemy are on o'er, they were feared at the legs of Jock McGraw,
a man like me, sit tall and neat, you can yourself, you could never be beat.
The wind may blow, the cock may crow, the rain may rain and the snow may snow,
but you will never reckon Jock McGraw, he's the stoutest man in the Forte d'Ois.
The king then held a grand review, we numbered a thousand and sixty-two,
the kilty lads come marchin' past and Jock McGraw come marchin' last.
The royal party grabbed their sticks and I begun to stretch their necks,
cries the king to the colonel upon my soul, I took that man for a telegraph pole.
The wind may blow, the cock may crow, the rain may rain and the snow may snow,
but you will never reckon Jock McGraw, he's the stoutest man in the Forte d'Ois.