The Slaughter of the Graceful Swan | ||
John the mon what shot the Swan | ||
Away to the Cape they say he’s gone | ||
He dardent stop in his native town | ||
For the ghost of the Swan was a hunting him down |
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Oh the Swan the beautiful Swan |
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Shot by a naughty Auster mon. |
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He had used to come when the mon was at rest |
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And settle his’self just a top of his breast |
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And then with outstretched wings and all |
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Right into his face his woe did fall |
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Oh the Swan the beautiful Swan |
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Shot by a naughty Auster mon. |
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Look at the mud on me noble crest |
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Look at the bloody blud on me breast |
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With a no.6 shot straight through me eyes |
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With shattered pinions how can I rise |
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Or paddle the limped waters through |
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With both legs broken all done by you |
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Oh the Swan the beautiful Swan |
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Shot by a naughty Auster mon. |
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I’ll always haunt you in this here room |
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And now I am going to pronounce your doom |
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You shall never catch trout on the Arrow or Alne |
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For me ghost shall gobble up all your spawn |
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You shall sit all day without getting a bite |
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And the folk’s shall all say "Sarves him right" |
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You may try him with worms or the grubs of flies |
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But no not a blessed fish shall rise |
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And when on the banks of the river you roam |
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You shall never here nothing but this here moan |
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Oh the Swan the beautiful Swan |
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Shot by a naughty Auster mon. |
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The mon woke up in a dreadful fright |
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For he’d suffered martyrdom all that night |
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And said as he hurriedly put on his clothes |
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I’ll finish the job so now here goes |
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He smashed his gun stock lock and barrel |
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His fly fishing rod broke off at the ferule |
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The rest of his tackle though almost new |
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Into the blazing fire he threw |
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Then off to the river he did fly |
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Resolved that very hour to die |
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He stuck his hat on a little ridge |
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And drowned himself by Oversley bridge |
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And that was the end of the beautiful Swan |
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And to the naughty Auster mon. |
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Reproduced by John Finnemore, Walcote Farm, Walcote. | ||
www.walcotefarm.co.uk |