"Shine and the Titanic is a popular toast in African American folklore. Its glowing African American hero uses his wit and physical ability to save himself from the destruction of the Titanic.

SHINE AND THE TITANIC

It was a hell of a day in the merry month of May

When the great Titanic was sailing away.

The captain and his daughter was there, too,

And old black Shine, he didn't need no crew.

Sine was downstairs eating his peas

When the…water came up to his knees.

He said, "Captain, Captain, I was downstairs eating my peas

When the water came up to my knees."

He said, "Shine, Shine, set your black self down.

I got ninety-nine pumps to pump the water down."

Shine went downstairs looking through space.

That's when the water came up to his waist.

He said, "Captain, Captain, I was downstairs looking through space,

That's when the water came up to my waist."

He said, "Shine, shine, set your black self down.

I got ninety-nine pumps to pump the water down."

Shine went downstairs, he ate a piece of bread

That's when the water came above his head.

He said, "Captain, Captain I was downstairs eating my bread

And the…water came above my head."

He said "Shine, Shine, set your black self down.

I got ninety-nine pumps to pump the water down."

Shine took his shirt, took a dive. He took one stroke

And the water pushed him like it pushed a motorboat.

"I'll give you more money than any black man see."

Shine said, "Money is good on land or sea.

Take off your shirt and swim like me."

And Shine swam on.

Shine met up with the whale.

The whale said, "Shine, Shine, you swim mighty fine,

But if you miss one stroke, your black self is mine."

Shine said, "You may be the king of the ocean, king of the sea,

But you got to be a swimming son-of-a-gun to out-swim me."

And Shine swam on.

Now when the news got to the ocean port, the great Titanic has sunk,

You won't believe this, but old Shine was on the corner damn near drunk.

(as quoted in Saloy 1999)

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