The Shark
Oh! blithe and merrily sang the shark,
As he sat on the house-top high:
A-cleaning his boots, and smoking cheroots,
With a single glass in his eye.
With Martin and Day he polished away,
And a smile on his face did glow,
As merry and bold the chorus he trolled
Of “Gobble-em-upsky ho!”
He sang so loud, he astonished the crowd
Which gathered from far and near.
For they said, “Such a sound, in the country round,
We never, no, never did hear.”
He sang of the ships that he’d eaten like chips
In the palmy days of his youth.
And he added, “If you don’t believe it is true,
Pray examine my wisdom tooth!”
He sang of the whales who’d have given their tails
For a glance of his raven eye.
And the swordfish, too, who their weapons all drew,
And swor’d for his sake they’d die.
And he sang about wrecks and hurricane decks
And the mariner’s perils and pains,
Till every man’s blood up on end it stood,
And their hair ran cold in their veins.
But blithe as a lark the merry old shark,
He sat on the sloping roof.
Though he said, “It is queer that no one draws near
To examine my wisdom toof!”
And he carolled away, by night and by day,
Until he made every one ill.
And I’ll wager a crown that unless he’s come down,
He is probably carolling still.