The young man kindly answered them: ‘It might be Lot or Methusalem, Or it might be Moses (a man I hate), Whereas it is Pharaoh surnamed the Great.
‘Your glazing is new and your plumbing’s strange, But otherwise I perceive no change, And in less than a month if you do as I bid I’d learn you to build me a Pyramid.’
II.
The Sailor:— I tell this tale which is stricter true, Just by way of convincing you How very little since things was made Things have altered in the shipwright’s trade.
In Blackwall Basin yesterday A China barque re-fitting lay, When a fat old man with snow-white hair Came up to watch us working there.
Now there wasn’t a knot which the riggers knew But the old man made it—and better too; Nor there wasn’t a sheet, or a lift, or a brace, But the old man knew its lead and place.
Then up and spake the caulkyers bold, Which was packing the pump in the after-hold: ‘Since you with us have made so free, Will you kindly tell what your name might be?’
The old man kindly answered them: ‘It might be Japhet, it might be Shem, Or it might be Ham (though his skin was dark), Whereas it is Noah, commanding the Ark.
‘Your wheel is new and your pumps are strange, But otherwise I perceive no change, And in less than a week, if she did not ground, I’d sail this hooker the wide world round!’