Arthur Sullivan - When Frederic Was a Little Lad lyrics

[RUTH] When Fred'ric was a little lad He proved so brave and daring, His father thought he'd 'prentice him To some career seafaring. I was, alas! his nurs'ry maid, And so it fell to my lot To take and bing the promising boy Apprentice to a pilot; A life not bad for a hardy lad, Though surely not a high lot, Though I'm a nurse, you might do worse, Than make your boy a pilot! I was a stupid nurs'ry maid, On breakers always steering, And I did not catch the word aright, Through being hard of hearing; Mistaking my instructions, which Within my brain did gyrate, I took and bound this promising boy Apprentice to a pirate! A sad mistake it was to make, And doom him to a vile lot, I bound him to a pirate - you! Instead of to a pilot! I soon found out, beyond all doubt, The scope of this disaster, But I hadn't the face to return to my place, And break it to my master. A nurs'ry maid is not afraid Of what you people call work, So I made up my mind to go as a kind Of piratical maid-of-all-work. And that is how you find me now, A member of your shy lot, Which you wouldn't have found, had he been bound Apprentice to a pilot!