Laughable Lyrics | Page 3

Cranes,?Leaving the Nile for stranger plains;?And away they flew in a gathering crowd?Of endless birds in a lengthening cloud.
Ploffskin, Pluffskin, Pelican jee!?We think no Birds so happy as we!?Plumpskin, Ploshkin, Pelican jill!?We think so then, and we thought so still!
And far away in the twilight sky?We heard them singing a lessening cry,--?Farther and farther, till out of sight,?And we stood alone in the silent night!?Often since, in the nights of June,?We sit on the sand and watch the moon,--
She has gone to the great Gromboolian Plain,?And we probably never shall meet again!?Oft, in the long still nights of June,?We sit on the rocks and watch the moon,--?She dwells by the streams of the Chankly Bore.?And we probably never shall see her more.
Ploffskin, Pluffskin, Pelican jee!?We think no Birds so happy as we!?Plumpskin, Ploshkin, Pelican jill!?We think so then, and we thought so still!
[Illustration: Sheet Music--The Yonghy Bonghy Bò]
THE COURTSHIP OF THE YONGHY-BONGHY-Bò.
[Illustration]
I.
On the Coast of Coromandel
Where the early pumpkins blow,?In the middle of the woods?Lived the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.?Two old chairs, and half a candle,?One old jug without a handle,--
These were all his worldly goods:?In the middle of the woods,?These were all the worldly goods?Of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò,?Of the Yonghy-Bonghy Bò.
II.
Once, among the Bong-trees walking
Where the early pumpkins blow,?To a little heap of stones?Came the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.?There he heard a Lady talking,?To some milk-white Hens of Dorking,--
"'Tis the Lady Jingly Jones!?On that little heap of stones?Sits the Lady Jingly Jones!"?Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò,?Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
III.
"Lady Jingly! Lady Jingly!
Sitting where the pumpkins blow,?Will you come and be my wife?"?Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.?"I am tired of living singly--?On this coast so wild and shingly,--
I'm a-weary of my life;?If you'll come and be my wife,?Quite serene would be my life!"?Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò,?Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
IV.
"On this Coast of Coromandel
Shrimps and watercresses grow,?Prawns are plentiful and cheap,"?Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.?"You shall have my chairs and candle,?And my jug without a handle!
Gaze upon the rolling deep?(Fish is plentiful and cheap);?As the sea, my love is deep!"?Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò,?Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
V.
Lady Jingly answered sadly,
And her tears began to flow,--?"Your proposal comes too late,?Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!?I would be your wife most gladly!"?(Here she twirled her fingers madly,)
"But in England I've a mate!?Yes! you've asked me far too late,?For in England I've a mate,?Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!?Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!
VI.
"Mr. Jones (his name is Handel,--
Handel Jones, Esquire, & Co.)?Dorking fowls delights to send,?Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!?Keep, oh, keep your chairs and candle,?And your jug without a handle,--
I can merely be your friend!?Should my Jones more Dorkings send,?I will give you three, my friend!?Mr. Yonghy-Bongy-Bò!?Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!
VII.
"Though you've such a tiny body,
And your head so large doth grow,--?Though your hat may blow away,?Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!?Though you're such a Hoddy Doddy,?Yet I wish that I could modify
the words I needs must say!?Will you please to go away??That is all I have to say,?Mr. Yongby-Bonghy-Bò!?Mr. Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò!"
VIII.
Down the slippery slopes of Myrtle,
Where the early pumpkins blow,?To the calm and silent sea?Fled the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.?There, beyond the Bay of Gurtle,?Lay a large and lively Turtle.
"You're the Cove," he said, "for me;?On your back beyond the sea,?Turtle, you shall carry me!"?Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò,?Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
[Illustration]
IX.
Through the silent-roaring ocean
Did the Turtle swiftly go;?Holding fast upon his shell?Rode the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.?With a sad primaeval motion?Towards the sunset isles of Boshen
Still the Turtle bore him well.?Holding fast upon his shell,?"Lady Jingly Jones, farewell!"?Sang the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò,?Sang the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
X.
From the Coast of Coromandel
Did that Lady never go;?On that heap of stones she mourns?For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.?On that Coast of Coromandel,?In his jug without a handle
Still she weeps, and daily moans;?On that little heap of stones?To her Dorking Hens she moans,?For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò,?For the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
THE POBBLE WHO HAS NO TOES.
[Illustration]
I.
The Pobble who has no toes
Had once as many as we;?When they said, "Some day you may lose them all;"
He replied, "Fish fiddle de-dee!"?And his Aunt Jobiska made him drink?Lavender water tinged with pink;?For she said, "The World in general knows?There's nothing so good for a Pobble's toes!"
II.
The Pobble who has no toes,
Swam across the Bristol Channel;?But before he set out he wrapped his nose
In a piece of scarlet flannel.?For his Aunt Jobiska said, "No harm?Can come to his toes if his nose is warm;?And it's perfectly known that a Pobble's toes?Are safe--provided he minds his nose."
III.
The Pobble swam fast and well,
And when boats or ships came near him,?He tinkledy-binkledy-winkled a bell
So that all the world could hear him.?And all the Sailors and Admirals cried,?When they saw him nearing the further side,--?"He has gone to fish, for his Aunt Jobiska's?Runcible Cat with crimson whiskers!"
IV.
But before he touched the shore,--
The shore of the Bristol Channel,?A sea-green Porpoise carried away
His wrapper of scarlet flannel.?And when he came to observe his feet,?Formerly garnished with toes so neat,?His face at once became forlorn?On perceiving that all his toes were gone!
V.
And nobody ever knew,
From that dark day to the present,?Whoso had taken the Pobble's toes,
In a manner so far from pleasant.?Whether the shrimps or crawfish gray,?Or