Well, I've said before I'm not sure if lis-link is the best place for
full-text queries of this sort! But the text Charles Davis has found
differs a bit from the version I know and love on my old Stanley Holloway
record (and has some obvious typos too). I'm sure the correct text will
have been published somewhere but leave it to others to say where.
Tom French
Head of Modern British Collections
The British Library
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
Tel: 0171-412 7623
Fax: 0171-412 7557
Email: [log in to unmask]
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Albert and the lion
Author: Charles Davis <[log in to unmask]> at Internet
Date: 02/06/1999 15:04
From
http://www.lancashire-online.co.uk/auto/poe/poem.html
Albert And The Lion
Well, this a famous seaside town they call
Blackpool,
Thats noted for fresh air and fun,
And Mr and Mrs Ramsbottom
Went there with young Albert, their son.
A grand liitle lad were young Albert,
All dressed in his best, quite a swell
e ad a stick wi an orses ead andle
Twer finest that Woolworths could sell.
Nah, thi didnt think much to thocean
The waves they were fiddlin and small
There was no wrecks and nobody drownded,
I fact there were nowt much to laugh at at
all.
So, seeking for further amusement,
They paid and went into the zoo,
Where theyd lions and tigers and camels
Old ale and sandwiches too.
Now there were one old Lion they called
Wallace;
His nose were all covered with scars-
and he lay in a somnolent posture,
With the side of his face on the bars.
Now Albert had heard all about Lions,
How they was ferocious and wild-and
To see Wallace lying so peaceful,
Well it didnt seem right to the child,
So straightaway the brave little feller,
Not showing a morsel of fear,
Took stick....wi thorses ead andle
And he poked it in Wallaces ear.
Well you could see as Lion dint like it
For giving a kind of a roll,
He pulled Albert inside the cage with im
And swallowed the little lad ole.
Then, Pa who had seen the occurrence,
And didnt know what to do next,
Said, and I qoute:- "Mother! Yon Lions ett our
Albert,
And Mother said "Eeh ah am vexed!"
Then Mr and Mrs Ramsbottom....
Quite rightly, when alls said and done
Complained to the Animal keeper
That the Lion had etten their son.
Now the keeper was quite nice about it,
He said "what a nasty mishap,
are you sure its thy boys hes etten?"
Pa said "Am I sure? theres his cap!"
Well the Manager had to be sent for
He came and he said "Whats to do?"
Pa said "Yon Lions ett our Albert,
and him in his Sunday best too."
Then Mother said "Rights right young
feller,
I think its a shame and a sin
For a lion to go and eat Albert
And, after we,ve paid to come in."
The Manager he wanted no trouble
He took out his purse right away,
Saying "how much to settle the matter?"
And Pa said "What do you usually pay?"
But Mother had turned right awkward
When she thought where her Albert had gone.
She said "No! someones got to be summonsed!"
So that was decided upon
Then off they went to the Police station,
In front of the magistrate chap,
They told im what happened to Albert,
And proved it by showing his cap.
The magistrate gave his opinion
That no-one was really to blame
And he said that he "hoped the Ramsbottoms
would have further sons to their name."
At thta Mother got proper blazing,
And "thank you, sir kindly", said she,
"What waste all mi life rearing childer?
To feed ruddy Lions? NOT ME"
----------------------
Charles Davis
Preservation and Conservation Department
Room 303
Bodleian Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG
Tel. + 44 (0)1865 277076
Fax. + 44 (0)1865 277182
Webpage: http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/boris/conservation/world/homewww.htm
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