Sunday 10 January 2010

THE MERMAID'S WEDDING

"WAYLAND was the smith god of the Anglo Saxons. The son of a sailor and a mermaid, he was renowned for making coats of mail and swords." ' Arthur Cotterell's Encyclopaedia of Mythology.

This little song, then, is dedicated to my all but namesake, WAYLAND SMITH, his mum and dad.


He carried his love down the aisle to the rails.
O what a wonderful, wonderful tail!
And the front of his tunic was covered in scales
And O what a wonderful tail!

His buttons were polished. They shone like the stars.
O what a wonderful, wonderful tail!
His left eye was Venus. His right eye was Mars.
And O what a wonderful tail!

He propped her beside him. She stood on her tips.
O what a wonderful, wonderful tail!
He planted a kiss on her bright coral lips.
And O what a wonderful tail!

"Heave to!" cried the sailor. "We've come for to splice."
O what a wonderful, wonderful tail!
"My, my!" said the parson and "Isn't that nice!"
And "O what a wonderful tail!"

"Who giveth this mermaid? Who giveth the bride?"
O what a wonderful, wonderful tail!
"Why, none but King Neptune." the sailor replied
And O what a wonderful tail!

"Do you take this mermaid to your wedded wife?"
O what a wonderful, wonderful tail!
"I do." said the sailor, "I'll love her for life."
And O what a wonderful tail!

And all of the fishes came up on the tide
O what a wonderful, wonderful tail!
to sing pretty songs to the groom and the bride.
And O what a wonderful tail!

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