C.D. Warner, et al., comp. The Library of the World’s Best Literature.
An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
Little Billee
By William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–1863)
T
Who took a boat and went to sea.
But first with beef and captain’s biscuits
And pickled pork they loaded she.
And the youngest he was little Billee.
Now when they got as far as the Equator
They’d nothing left but one split pea.
“I am extremely hungaree.”
To gorging Jack says guzzling Jimmy,
“We’ve nothing left, us must eat we.”
“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.
So undo the button of your chemie.”
When Bill received this information
He used his pocket-handkerchie.
Which my poor mammy taught to me.”
“Make haste, make haste,” says guzzling Jimmy,
While Jack pulled out his snickersnee.
And down he fell on his bended knee.
He scarce had come to the twelfth commandment
When up he jumps. “There’s land I see:
And North and South Amerikee;
There’s the British flag a-riding at anchor
With Admiral Napier, K.C.B.”
He hanged fat Jack and flogged Jimmee;
But as for little Bill he made him
The captain of a seventy-three.