She says, “Twere folly quite, Willow! For me to wed a wight, Willow! Whose lot is cast before the mast;” And possibly she’s light, Willow![26] His skipper (Captain Joyce) He gave him many a rating, And almost lost his voice From thus expostulating: “Lay out, you lubber, do! What’s come to that young man, Joe? Belay!――’vast heaving! you! Do kindly stop that banjo!” “I wish, I do――oh, lor! You’d shipped aboard a trader: _Are_ you a sailor, or A negro serenader?” But still the stricken cad, Aloft or on his pillow, Howled forth in accents sad His aggravating “Willow!” Stern love of duty had Been Joyce’s chiefest beauty―― Says he, “I love that lad, But duty, damme! duty!” “Twelve years blackhole, I say, Where daylight never flashes; And always twice a day Five hundred thousand lashes!” But Joseph had a mate. A sailor stout and lusty, A man of low estate, But singularly trusty. Says he, “Cheer hup, young Joe! I’ll tell you what I’m arter, To that Fust Lord I’ll go And ax him for his darter. “To that Fust Lord I’ll go And say you love her dearly.” And Joe said (weeping low), “I wish you would, sincerely!” That sailor to that Lord Went, soon as he had landed, And of his own accord An interview demanded. Says he, with seaman’s roll, “My captain (wot’s a Tartar), Guv Joe twelve years’ black hole, For lovering your darter. “He loves Miss Lady Jane (I own she is his betters), But if you’ll jine them twain, They’ll free him from his fetters. “And if so be as how You’ll let her come a-boardship, I’ll take her with me now”―― “Get out!” remarked his Lordship. That honest tar repaired To Joe upon the billow, And told him how he’d fared: Joe only whispered, “Willow!” And for that dreadful crime (Young sailors learn to shun it) He’s working out his time: In ten years he’ll have done it. _Fun._ October 12, 1867. ―――― _The Bab Ballads_ have been often imitated (it is scarcely possible to _parody_ them successfully), but the imitations are for the most part very inferior to the originals, besides which they are generally very long, so that only a few examples can be quoted. The three following appeared in a prize competition in _The World_, the subject selected by the editor being:―― KING THEEBAW OF BURMAH. FIRST PRIZE. (_Model: “Sir Guy the Crusader.”_)