TOM, TOM THE PIPER'S SON
Original rhyme (one version)

Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son
Stole a pig and off he run.
The pig was eat and Tom was beat,
And Tom went crying down the street.

It is thought that the pig mentioned in this rhyme is cake and not a pig.

Another version of this rhyme is longer:

Tom, Tom, he was a piper's son,

He learned to play when he was young.

And all the tune that he could play

Was over the hills and far away;

Over the hills is a great way off.

The wind shall blow my top-knot off.

Tom with his pipe made such a noise,

That he pleased both the girls and boys,

And they all stopped to hear him play,

'Over the hills and far away'.

Tom with his pipe did play with such skill

That those who heard him could never keep still;

As soon as he played they began for to dance,

Even the pigs on their hind legs would after him dance.

As Dolly was milking her cow one day,

Tom took his pipe and began to play;

So Dolly and the cow danced 'The Cheshire Round',

Till the pail was broken and the milk ran on the ground.

He met old Dame Trot with a basket of eggs,

He used his pipe and she used her legs;

She danced about till the eggs were all broke,

She began for to fret, but he laughed at the joke.

Tom saw a cross fellow was beating an ass,

Heavy laden with pots, pans, dishes, and glass;

He took out his pipe and he played them a tune,

And the poor donkey's load was lightened full soon.

Another version:

Jockey was a Piper's Son,

And fell in love when he was young;

But all the Tunes that he could play,

Was, o'er the Hills, and far away,

And 'Tis o'er the Hills, and far away,

'Tis o'er the Hills, and far away,

'Tis o'er the Hills, and far away,

The Wind has blown my Plad away.

( a Plad is a kilt) 

Please note: Legends are historical stories within the category of folklore in which the "facts" are not verified. Some might be true, other facts might not. 

It is not certain when any of these versions first appeared, but the verse in some form seems to stem from the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

One legend is that the last version might have been adapted to encourage  young men to volunteer for the Duke of Marlbourgh's campaigns.