Songs of the sea and lays of the land :: :: University of Virginia Library

THE MUSQUITO

Said Paul unto Peter,
“I see a muskeeter,
The boat's coming over the bay.”
Said Peter to Paul,
“She is saucy, though small,
And the captain is sailing away.”

Said Paul unto Peter,
“Confound the old creetur,
The boat's coming over the bay.”
Said Peter to Paul,
“We will soon make her squall,
And the captain is sailing away.”

Said Paul unto Peter,
“We'll bang her and beat her!
The boat's coming over the bay.”
Said Peter to Paul,
“Set stun'sles and all,
And the captain is sailing away.”

Said Paul unto Peter,
“We'll give her short metre,
The boat's coming over the bay.”
Said Peter to Paul,
“Give her powder and ball,
And the captain is sailing away.”

Said Paul unto Peter,
“We'll roast her and eat her,
The boat's coming over the bay.”
Said Peter to Paul,
“We will gobble them all,
And the captain is sailing away!”

“Now, 'fore we fairly get into the Gulf,”
Said Saltonstall, “and fall into its tide,
Which swallows up so many like a wolf,
I'll sing a song about a place outside,
Where a thing once took place which was a wonder—
I mean the story of ‘Old Stand from Under.’”