 | The Five Notions |  |
40
THE VOLUNTEER
There was a little man—
A stocky little man—
And o' nights, when his day's work was done, done, done,
He would steadfastly repair
To a certain cindered square,
And learn to throw a chest and use a gun, gun, gun—
And learn to throw a chest and use a gun.
A stocky little man—
And o' nights, when his day's work was done, done, done,
He would steadfastly repair
To a certain cindered square,
And learn to throw a chest and use a gun, gun, gun—
And learn to throw a chest and use a gun.
His tunic didn't fit,
And his helmet wouldn't sit,
His bayonet hit against him with a flog, flog, flog.
And whenever he went out
Evil-minded boys would shout:
“Look 'ere, old man, you know you shot that dog, dog, dog—
Between ourselves, you really shot that dog!”
And his helmet wouldn't sit,
His bayonet hit against him with a flog, flog, flog.
And whenever he went out
Evil-minded boys would shout:
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Between ourselves, you really shot that dog!”
The neighbours said, “My eye!
Now ain't he just a guy?”
That is what the neighbours said, said, said,
And the drill instructor swore
He had never met before
A person with so adipose a head, head, head—
A person half so fat about the head.
Now ain't he just a guy?”
That is what the neighbours said, said, said,
And the drill instructor swore
He had never met before
A person with so adipose a head, head, head—
A person half so fat about the head.
But the little man was wise,
And he learnt his exercise,
Till he done it with a little bit in hand, hand, hand;
And he took the public ways
All the dusty Saturdays,
Content that he might walk behind the band, band, band—
Content that he might step it to the band.
And he learnt his exercise,
Till he done it with a little bit in hand, hand, hand;
And he took the public ways
All the dusty Saturdays,
Content that he might walk behind the band, band, band—
Content that he might step it to the band.
His chance has come at length,
He is going upon the strength,
He is fairly in the middle of the swim, swim, swim;
And that “second army corps”
Won't be heard of any more,
For the Government's a-falling back on him, him him—
O the Government's a-falling back on him!
He is going upon the strength,
He is fairly in the middle of the swim, swim, swim;
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Won't be heard of any more,
For the Government's a-falling back on him, him him—
O the Government's a-falling back on him!
| The Five Notions | |