FSO Cyril Poacher

Once there was a maid kept an old magpie,
The parson who prayed livèd very close by,
And when she met the parson, they both stopped to talk
And often on the quiet they would go for a cosy walk.
For her lover was a sailor; he crossed the raging main,
He promised she would be his bride when he returned again,
But still she let the parson see her home from church,
Kissing and never thinking of the magpie on the perch.

Chorus:
So the maid and the magpie would talk all the day,
The maid would not believe all the magpie did say.
She said, "I love the parson. Don't you tell the tar."
And the old magpie only said, "Qua, qua."

Now when stationed at Gib-a-raltar, the sailor, so it seems,
Whilst he was sleeping in his bunk, he had a funny dream.
He dreamt the girl he'd left behind on dear old England's shore,
Whilst he was away she was flirting with a half-a-dozen more.
So he made his passage homeward as quickly as could be.
He landed safely at her house, but no maiden could he see.
When talking to the magpie who was dancing on the perch,
And the magpie told him all about the parson at the church.

Chorus:

For he then went for the parson, and unfor him did search.
He found which way the wind blew, so he hooked him from the church.
They brought the magpie into court, who told a truthful tale.
And to get what he required, of course, this maiden she did fail.

Chorus:

Now when the sailor met this maid, he passed her with disdain.
She sued a breach of promise for five thousand to obtain.
The lawyer could not find it out, so the case went on the shelf,
And the tricky little maiden had to live all by herself.


Chorus: