Songs

O ‘twas on the broad Atlantic,
In an equinoctial gale,
That a fine young man fell overboard
Among the shark and whale.
And he went right down so very quickly
And so quickly down went he,
That he went out of sight
Like a streak of light,
To the bottom of the deep blue sea,
Singing;

“Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves!
And Britons never, never shall be
Married to a mermaid
At the bottom of the deep blue sea.”

Then we got the boats out quickly,
And we thought to find his corpse,
When he came to the top with a bag in his hand
And a hoarse, sepulchral voice:
“O my comrades and my messmates all
O do not weep for me,
For I’m married to a mermaid
At the bottom of the deep blue sea,
Singing:

“Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves!
And Britons never, never shall be
Married to a mermaid
At the bottom of the deep blue sea.

“In my chest you’ll find my twelve-month’s pay
Wrapped round with a lock of hair,
You may take it and carry it
To my dear wife with care;
To my grandmother take my carte de visite,
Saying, ‘don’t you weep for me,
For I’m married to a mermaid
At the bottom of the deep blue sea,
Singing:

“Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves!
And Britons never, never shall be
Married to a mermaid
At the bottom of the deep blue sea.”’

Then the anchor was weighed and the sails unfurled
And the ship was running free,
When we went up to our Cap-i-tain,
And this we said to he;
Then the captain he came to the old ship’s side
And out loud bellowed he:
“Be as happy as you can with your wife, young man,
At the bottom of the deep blue sea”
Singing:

“Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves!
And Britons never, never shall be
Married to a mermaid
At the bottom of the deep blue sea.”