[PIRATE KING]
Oh, better far to live and die
Under the brave black flag I fly,
Than play a sanctimonius part,
With a pirate head and a pirate heart.
Away to the cheating world go you,
Where pirates all are well to do,
But I'll be true to the song I sing,
And live and die a Pirate King.
For I am a Pirate King!
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King.
For I am a Pirate King!
[PIRATE CHORUS]
You are! Hurrah for the Pirate King!
[PIRATE KING]
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King!
[PIRATE CHORUS]
It is! Hurrah for our Pirate King
[KING AND CHORUS]
Hurrah for the Pirate King!
[PIRATE KING]
When I sally forth to seek my prey
I help myself in a royal way;
I sink a few more ships, it's true,
Than a well-bred monarch ought to do!
But many a king on a first-cla** throne,
If he wants to call his crown his own,
Must manage somehow to get through
More dirty work than ever I do.
For I am a Pirate King!
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King.
For I am a Pirate King!
[PIRATE CHORUS]
You are! Hurrah for the Pirate King!
[PIRATE KING]
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King!
[PIRATE CHORUS]
It is! Hurrah for our Pirate King
[KING AND CHORUS]
Hurrah for the Pirate King!
[RUTH, spoken]
Oh, take me with you! I cannot live if I am left behind.
[FREDERIC, spoken]
Ruth, I will be quite candid with you. You are very dear to me, as you know, but I must be circumspect. You see, you are considerably older than I. A lad of twenty-one usually looks for a wife of seventeen.
[RUTH, spoken]
A wife of seventeen! You will find me a wife of a thousand!
[FREDERIC, spoken]
No, but I shall find you a wife of forty-seven, and that is quite enough. Ruth, tell me candidly and without reserve: compared with other women – how are you?
[RUTH, spoken]
I will answer you truthfully, master – I have a slight cold, but otherwise I am quite well.
[FREDERIC, spoken]
I am sorry for your cold, but I was referring rather to your personal appearance. Compared with other women, are you beautiful?
[RUTH, spoken]
I have been told so, dear master.
[FREDERIC, spoken]
Ah, but lately?
[RUTH, spoken]
Oh, no; years and years ago.
[FREDERIC, spoken]
What do you think of yourself?
[RUTH, spoken]
It is a delicate question to answer, but I think I am a fine woman.
[FREDERIC, spoken]
That is your candid opinion?
[RUTH, spoken]
Yes, I should be deceiving you if I told you otherwise.
[FREDERIC, spoken]
Thank you, Ruth. I believe you, for I am sure you would not practice on my inexperience. I wish to do the right thing, and if – I say if – you are really a fine woman, your age shall be no obstacle to our union!
[A chorus of girls is heard in the distance.]
Hark! Surely I hear voices! Who has ventured to approach our all but inaccessible lair? Can it be Custom House? No, it does not sound like Custom House.
[RUTH, spoken]
Confusion! it is the voices of young girls! If he should see them I am lost.
[FREDERIC, spoken]
By all that's marvelous, a bevy of beautiful maidens!
[RUTH, spoken]
Lost! lost! lost!
[FREDERIC, spoken]
How lovely, how surpa**ingly lovely is the plainest of them! What grace – what delicacy – what refinement! And Ruth – Ruth told me she was beautiful!