You`ve `eard `ow young Albert Ramsbottom
At the zoo up at Blackpool one year
With a stick with an `orse`s `ead `andle
Gave a lion a poke in the ear?
The name of the lion was Wallace,
The poke in the ear made `im wild
And before you could say `Bob`s yer uncle`
E`d upped and `e`d swallowed the child.
`E were sorry the moment `e done it;
With children `e`d always been chums,
And besides, `e`d no teeth in his muzzle,
And `e couldn`t chew Albert on`t gums.
`E could feel the lad movin` inside `im
As `e lay on `is bed of dried ferns;
And it might `ave been little lad`s birthday-
E wished `im such `appy returns.
But Albert kept kickin` and fightin`-
And Wallace got up, feelin` bad.
Decided `twere time that `e started
To stage a comeback for the lad.
Then puttin` `ead down in one corner,
On `is front paws `e started to walk;
And `e coughed, and `e sneezed, and `e gargled
`Till Albert shot out - like a cork!
Now Wallace felt better directly
And `is figure once more became lean.
But the only difference with Albert
Was, `is face and `is `ands were quite clean.
Meanwhile Mr. and Mrs. Ramsbottom
`Ad gone back to their tea, feelin` blue.
Ma said, `I feel down in the mouth, like.`
Pa said, `Aye, I bet Albert does, too.`
Said Mother, `It just goes to show yer
That the future is never revealed;
If I`d thowt we was goin` to lose `im,
I`d `ave not `ad `is boots soled and `eeled.`
`Let`s look on the bright side,` said Father,
`Wot can`t be `elped must be endured;
Each cloud `as a silvery lining,
And we did `ave young Albert insured.`
A knock on the door came that moment
As Father these kind words did speak.
`Twas the man from Prudential - `e`d come for
Their tuppence per person per week.
When Father saw `oo `ad been knockin`,
`E laughed, and `e kept laughin` so -
The man said ``Ere, wot`s there to laugh at?`
Pa said `You`ll laugh and all when you know!`
`Excuse `im for laughing,` said Mother,
`But really, things `appen so strange -
Our Albert`s been et by a lion;
You`ve got to pay us for a change!`
Said the young man from the Prudential:
`Now, come, come, let`s understand this-
You don`t mean to say that you`ve lost `im?`
Pa said `Oh, no, we know where `e is!`
When the young man `ad `eard all the details,
A purse from `is pocket he drew
And `e paid them with interest and bonus
The sum of nine pounds, four and two.
Pa `ad scarce got `is `and on the money
When a face at the window they see-
And Mother cried `Eee, look, it`s Albert!`
And Father said `Aye, it would be.`
Albert came in all excited,
And started `is story to give;
And Pa said `I`ll never trust lions
Again, not as long as I live.`
The young man from the Prudential
To pick up the money began
But Father said ``ere, wait a moment,
Don`t be in a `urry, young man.`
Then giving young Albert a shilling,
`E said ``Ere, pop off back to the zoo;
Get your stick with the `orse`s `ead `andle-
Go and see wot the tigers can do!`
@recitation @animal @kids
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