Dey got me very soon, And dey put me in a room: Dis nigger couldn't tell what dey was after; Dey took off all my clothes, And den what does you suppose? Dey put me in a tub of boilin' water! And den dey got around, And some scrubbin'-brushes found, And said dey'd wash me whiter dan paper. Oh! dey got me in a tub, And dey all began to rub: I tell you it was a pretty sight! For, some put on de soap. And de oders dey did scrub, But dey found dey couldn't wash de nigger white. 3 De next thing dey done For to make de color run, Dey began to rub me wid sand paper: Oh! dey nearly killed me dead, But dey only made me red: I tell you it was an awful caper! Den dey whitewashed me so slick, But de lime it wouldn't stick: I, golly! I was just as black as ever! Den dey got a lot of hay, And dey rubbed and scrubbed away: Oh! dey kept at it all dat night; But den dey found, next day, Dat de job it wouldn't pay, 'Kase dey neber could wash de nigger white. 4 When I found dat dey was tired, Says I: Gemmen list to me, And you will find dat I am a right, man; De nigger will be nigger, Till de day of Jubilee; For, he nebber was intended for a white man; Den just skedaddle home, Leave de colored man alone; For, you're only makin trouble in de nation; You may fight, and you may muss, You may make a heap of fuss, But you nebber will make tings right, Until you all agree For to let de nigger be: 'Kase you'll neber, neber, neber wash him white. End of Project Gutenberg's Slavery's Passed Away and Other Songs, by Various