Sir Patrick Thistle

Oh the King sat in Hunstanton town,

Drinking of the watery beer;

"Where can I find me a good scotch whisky,

And who'll take me away from here?

Well up then spake a boney boy,

Sitting right on the King's left knee;

"Sir Patrick Thistle is the very worst sailor

Who ever sank all in the sea".

So the King has written a narrow letter,

And sealed it up with his own long tongue,

Sending word unto Sir Patrick,

Telling him he need not come.

"Oh an enemy me then this must be,

To go in for such slanderous chatter,

For I am an extremely good sailor -

Came fifth in the Firth of Forth Regatta".

Sir Patrick's writ a letter full,

And sealed it up with his own pet seal;

Saying "I will be most dutiful,

And at the same time duty free".

Oh long may my lady stand,

On a horse with a hawk in her hand,

Before her husband she will see,

For Patrick Thistle's away to Dundee.

They had not sailed upon the sea an hour,

An hour, but barely two,

When loud and boistrous grew the King

And loud and noisy grew the crew.

Last night I saw a mermaid fair,

With the old moon in her hair,

And that is a sign, if there are any,

That I've had several drams too many.

Long may my lady stand

Watching for those sailor men,

They sailed past twice an hour ago,

Oh look, now there they go again.

Well, they say the ship you still may see

Trying to round Berwick on Tweed,

And at the helm of this ghostly yacht,

The man they call the Flying Scot.

Copyright Chris Sugden 1988