Punch: Punch (96.1889)

146

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [Maroh 30, 1889.

THE ELEPHANT AND THE EEL.

A Ballad of an Unequal Battle {with Apologies to Benny the Bo'sen.)

“Well, he” (Mr. Balfour) “ is rather a slippery
customer. He is like an eel. If you want to get
hold of him. you must have sand upon your hand.”
—Sir W. Sarcourt at the Lambeth Baths.

There was a Elephant,

Brave hoys!

And a lumbersome brute was he;

With tusks and a trunk
Calculated for to funk,

The pluckiest most skilful Shi-ka-ree,
Brave boys !

The pluckiest most skilful Shi-ka-ree /

There likeways was a Eel,

Brave boys!

So slithersome, and slippery, and. slim.

Now eels (for which you “ sniggle”)

Are the things to writhe and wriggle, _
But there ’s none of ’em can twisticate like
him,

Brave boys!

There’s none of ’em can twisticate like him !

Now that lollopping ElepAanfi
Brave boys!

That Eel was werry anxious for to cotch,
With a view to his spatchcocking _
(Which in course was werry shocking),
So that Elephant was always on the watch,
Brave boys!

That Elephant was always on the watch!

But that limber Eel, he likeways had a heye,
Brave boys!

And that heye was fixed upon the Elep&awfi
Says the Elephant, says he,

“I will cotch you, as you ’ll see! ”