The Crocodile Songtext
von Benjamin Britten

Now listen, you landsmen, unto me
To tell you the truth I′m bound
What happened to me by going to sea
And the wonders that I found
Shipwrecked I was once off Peru's
And cast upon the shore
So then I did resolve to roam
The country to explore
′Twas far I had not scouted out
When close alongside the ocean
I saw something move, which at first I thought
Was all the world in motion
But steering up close alongside
I found 'twas a crocodile
And from his nose to the tip of his tail
He measured five hundred mile
'Twas a crocodile, I pray ye could see
He was not of a common race
For I was obliged to climb a high tree
Before I could see his face


And when he lifted up his jaw
Though perhaps you may think ′tis a lie
He reached above the clouds for miles threescore
And almost touched the sky
While up aloft the wind was high
It blew a gale from the south
I lost my hold and away did fly
Right into the crocodile′s mouth
He quickly closed his jaws on me
And thought he'd got a victim
But I ran down his throat, dear see
And that′s the way I tricked him
I travelled on for a month or two
Till I got into his maw
Where I found of rum casks not a few
And a thousand fat bullocks in store
Of life I banished all my care
For of food I was not stinted
And in this crocodile I lived ten years
And very well contented
This crocodile being very old
One day alas he died
He was ten long years a-getting cold
He was so long and wide
His skin was eight vile feet, I'm sure
Or very near about
For I was full ten years or more
A-cutting my way out
And now I am once more got on earth
I vow no more to roam
In a ship that passed I got a berth
And now I′m safe at home
And if my story you should doubt
Should you ever travel the Nile
It's ten to one you′ll find the shell
Of the wonderful crocodile