Laura Alexandrine Smith, Music of the Waters (London: Kegan Paul, 1888).

Either Smith or an informant seems to have glued two sets of lyrics together, the first of which belongs to the nursery rhyme "Solomon Grundy":

“‘Reuben Ranzo’ is, perhaps, the greatest favourite with the men of all the chanties. The tune is mournful and almost haunting in its monotony:

Pity Reuben Ranzo,
Chorus.- Ranzo, boys, a Ranzo,
Oh, pity Reuben Ranzo,
Chorus.- Ranzo, boys, a Ranzo.

Reuben was no sailor.
Reuben was no sailor.          [sic
By trade he was a tailor.
He went to school on Monday.
Learnt to read on Tuesday.
He learnt to write on Wednesday,
He learnt to fight on Thursday,
On Friday he beat the master.
On Saturday we lost Reuben,
And where do you think we found him?
Why down in yonder valley,
Conversing with a sailor.
He shipped on board of a whaler;
He shipped as able seamen do;
Oh, pity Reuben Ranzo.
The captain was a bad man,
He took him to the gangway.
And gave him five-and-forty.
The mate he was a good man.
He taught him navigation;
Now he's captain of a whaler.
And married the captain's daughter,
And now they both are happy.
This ends my little ditty,
This ends my little ditty.                  [sic