When Fredrick Was A Little Lad by Gilbert And Sullivan (original lyrics)

When fredrick was a little lad
he proved so brave and daring
his father thought he'd 'prentice him
to some career sea-faring.
I was, alas, his nursery maid,
and so it fell to my lot
to take and bind this promising boy
apprentice to a pilot.
A life not bad for a hardy lad.
though surely not a high lot.
though i'm a nurse,
you might do worse,
than make your boy a pilot.
I was a stupid nursery maid,
on breakers always steering.
and i did not catch the word a'right
for being hard of hearing.
Mistaking my instructions, which
within my brain did gyrate,
i took and bound thhis promising boy
apprentice to a pirate.
A sad mistake
it was to make!
and doom him to your vile lot!
i bound him to
a pirate - you! (points to pirate king)
instead of to a pilot!