University of Virginia Library


157

FIDDLEDEEDEE AND THE BUMBLEBEE

'T was Fiddledeedee who put to sea
With a rollicking buccaneer Bumblebee:
An acorn-cup was their hollow boat—
A rakish craft was their acorn-boat—
And their sail a butterfly's wing;
Their mast, a bit o' the stem of an oat,—
A jaunty jib was this bit of an oat,—
And their rudder a hornet's sting,
By jing!
Their rudder a hornet's sting.
In an acorn-cup they put to sea,
Did Fiddledeedee and the Bumblebee.
“We'll sail to the Isles of Tweedledumdee,”
Quoth Fiddledeedee to the Bumblebee:
So they steered past the Isles of Cream and Ice—
Oh, cold were the Isles of Cream and Ice—
And came to the Sea of Ginger Beer;

158

And there, by the City of Sugar and Spice—
The sweet, sweet City of Sugar and Spice—
Their acorn-boat upset, my dear,
I hear
Their acorn-boat upset, my dear.
“Good-by to the Isles of Tweedledumdee,”
Said Fiddledeedee to the Bumblebee.