Early Verse
799
THE TWO BROTHERS
(1853)
(1853)
There were two brothers at Twyford school,
And when they had left the place,
It was, "Will ye learn Greek and Latin?
Or will ye run me a race?
Or will ye go up to yonder bridge,
And there we will angle for dace?"
And when they had left the place,
It was, "Will ye learn Greek and Latin?
Or will ye run me a race?
Or will ye go up to yonder bridge,
And there we will angle for dace?"
"I'm too stupid for Greek and for Latin,
I'm too lazy by half for a race,
So I'll even go up to yonder bridge,
And there we will angle for dace."
I'm too lazy by half for a race,
So I'll even go up to yonder bridge,
And there we will angle for dace."
He has fitted together two joints of his rod,
And to them he has added another,
And then a great hook he took from his book,
And ran it right into his brother.
And to them he has added another,
And then a great hook he took from his book,
And ran it right into his brother.
Oh much is the noise that is made among boys
When playfully pelting a pig,
But a far greater pother was made by his brother
When flung from the top of the brigg.
When playfully pelting a pig,
But a far greater pother was made by his brother
When flung from the top of the brigg.
The fish hurried up by the dozens,
All ready and eager to bite,
For the lad that he flung was so tender and young,
It quite gave them an appetite.
All ready and eager to bite,
For the lad that he flung was so tender and young,
It quite gave them an appetite.
Said he, "Thus shall he wallop about
And the fish take him quite at their ease.
For me to annoy it was ever his joy.
Now I'll teach him the meaning of 'Tees'!"
And the fish take him quite at their ease.
For me to annoy it was ever his joy.
Now I'll teach him the meaning of 'Tees'!"
