There were three sailors of Bristol city Who took a boat and went to sea. But first with beef and captain's biscuits And pickled pork they loaded she. There was gorging Jack and guzzling Jimmy, And the youngest he was little Billee. Now when they got as far as the Equator They'd nothing left but one split pea. Says gorging Jack to guzzling Jimmy, "I am extremely hungaree." To gorging Jack says guzzling Jimmy, "We've nothing left, us must eat we." Says gorging Jack to guzzling Jimmy, "With one another we shouldn't agree! There's little Bill, he's young and tender, We're old and tough, so let's eat he. "Oh! Billy, we're going to kill and eat you, So undo the button of your chemie." When Bill received this information He used his pocket handkerchie. "First let me say my catechism Which my poor mammy taught to me." "Make haste, make haste," says guzzling Jimmy, While Jack pulled his snickersnee. So Billy went up to the main-top gallant mast, And down he fell on bended knee. He scarce had come to the twelfth commandment when up he jumps. "There's land I see: "Jerusalem and Madagascar, And North and South Amerikee; There's the British flag a-riding at anchor, With Admiral Napier, K.C.B." So when they got aboard of the admiral's, He hanged flat Jack and flogged Jimmee; But as fro little Bill he make him The Captain of a Seventy-three.
Little Billy
Opera by Michael John Hurd (1928 - 2006)
?. Little Billee  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
Text Authorship:
- by William Makepeace Thackeray (1811 - 1863), "The three sailors", appears in Sand and Canvas, first published 1849
See other settings of this text.
Published in various other editions as "Little Billee"Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Total word count: 238