| "The Fool Who Sails" | |
| A lad looked out to sea one day And said, "That life's for me! I'll fish the shores, the shoals, the bay As Poseidon's protg. I'll not be home again, my friends I'll not be settling down I'll see the world, and where it ends I'll live with great renown." The foolish lad said, "Good-bye, Rome!" Then walked the Appian Way He told all ears the sea was home And he'd been on holiday At last he saw Brindisium, The port to Greece and more From what he'd read at athenaeum 'Twas a place of sailing lore Sing lo, sing lo, to the sailor proud Sing hi, sing hi, to the deadly gales Sing lo, sing lo, to the empty shroud Sing out for the fool who sails! He found a ship both tall and proud And boldly spoke his piece "Captain, sir, may I be allowed To sail with you to Greece?" The Captain shook his golden locks And pointed down the pier "It would be quite unorthodox For a lub to serve on here." From boat to boat did he clamber Disappointment at each try 'Til a ship without much glamour Finally caught his eye To a mangy man with one peg leg The lad made his demand "Dear sir, I fear that I must beg Please get me off the land." [Chorus] So aboard the rotting trawler Called "Princess of the Sea" The lad was a net hauler And happy as can be But four days out, disaster struck A squall came up too fast The valiant crew was out of luck The Princess lost her mast She floundered on an angry wave Then capsized in a blink The sea became the Princess's grave The crew was in the drink Yet still the lad would not give in He shouted for his god "Poseidon, please, it's me, your kin The lad who'd left the sod." [Chorus] When one by one the sailors drowned The lad was now alone Wishing he'd not left the ground And life that he had known 'Twas no one there to see him slip Beneath the stormy sea Had he been on a different ship A sailor he would be So take this lesson to your heart All lads who want to sail Stay at home, don't e'er depart For here's the telling tale: 'Twas in Poseidon's belly They found his mangled corpse. His blood had turned to jelly His bones, a shark's first course [Chorus] | |