There came a flash of lightning bright, And an awful thunder’s roar, And the box and the sailor went clean out o’ sight, And we never beheld ’em more. And all to ashes and all to wreck Went our clothes, and we looked forlorn, For there we were standing on the deck As naked as we were born! And this is the lesson short and small, Which we learned from our liberal friend, That the things which cost you nothing at all Never come to any good in the end. And when the laugh at this had died away, Mose Brown of Bristol in the whaling line Said: “Mermaids are the witches of the sea, Which in good looks are really superfine. And on this subject I will give a song, Which I daresay you all already know, But anyway it isn’t very long, Though it was made a hundred years ago, I guess that mermaids were much plentier then; Perhaps they’re scared of steamboats and the swell Which drives the fish as foxes do a hen— So like the steamers I will now propel.” THE MERMAID One Friday morning we set sail[3] It was not far from land, When I espied a fair mermaid, With a comb and a glass in her hand. _Chorus._ And the raging winds do blow, blow, blow, And the raging winds do blow; And we poor sailors climbing up aloft, And the land lubbers lying down below. Then up spoke the boy of our gallant ship And a well-spoken boy was he: “I’ve a mother and father in London town, And this night they will weep for me.” Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship, And a well-spoken man was he: “I’ve a wife who is living in Liverpool town, A wife whom I never shall see.” “My wife who is living in Liverpool town This night will be looking for me; She may look till the sun no more goes down, She may look to the bottom of the sea.” Then three times around went our gallant ship, And three times around went she; And three times around was the end of her trip, When she sank to the bottom of the sea. ----- [3] There may be a few readers to whom it is necessary to point out that this first ballad of the “Mermaid” is an old song, here used as introduction to a second by me, which is of the same nature. THE MERMAN Then another man said when that song was sung: There are men like you and me, Who will sometimes come ashore and get sprung, Yet who live at the bottom of the sea. For I myself knew one of that folk (I believe he still lives and thrives), And I’ll tell you the truth without any joke How we saved one another’s blest lives. I was walking one night in New York town, And the moon shone bright and clear, When I thought I heard a singular sound That came from a board-yard near.