THE HEROES OF THE SEA
I'll tell you of a wonder that will stiffen up your hair,
That happened two poor fishermen convenient to Cape Clear.
They just had run their boat afloat, they'd hardly gripped an oar,
When their dog leapt in, their cat stepped in, that ne'er did so before.
Now what overcame the creatures to start from shore?
Says one brother: “What's come o'er them two, who ne'er on land agree,
To settle up their difference a-this-way on the sea?”
“I consave,” replied the other, “'tis the portent we could wish
For a powerful take of pilchard, since that same's their favourite fish.”
'Tis a symptom, for sure, of a power of fish.
Well! when the risin' moon it showed a swiftly rushin' shoal,
Their net they shot and found they'd got a purty tidy haul.
But when a dozen yards of mesh they'd plumped into the hold,
They saw their fish were fine say-rats, which made their blood run cold,
As around and around them they screeched and rolled.
But ere each rat could rip his way from out the noosin' net,
Bedad, the jaws of Towzer or the claws of Tom he met.
Then safely our two fishermen rowed home from out the bay,
And Tom and Towzer from that time were haroes you may say,
Round about the country-side, many and many a day.
