In the matter o' catching a Whale,
Brave boys!
In the matter o' catching a Whale.

He'd inwented a new harpoon,
Brave boys
As was shaped on a whoppingish sca-a-a-le
And he thought with delight,
(The "magnanimous" mite!)
He was _going_ to catch that Whale,
Brave boys!
He made cocksure o' catching that Whale!

There were several Whales about,
Brave boys!
Here and there a twitching a ta-a-a-il;
And he thinks, thinks he,
"I will catch all three,
But pertikler that big black Whale,
Brave boys!
Most pertikler that big black Whale."


Enraptured with his bit of a boat,
Brave boys!
He set forth to sea in a g-a-a-a-le;
Which was altogether
The wrong sort o'weather
For a novice to capture a Whale,
Brave boys!