Sir Arthur, the sinner,

Ate twelve fish for dinner,

And you may believe it’s just as I say!

For if you but knew it,

’Twas I saw him do it,

And just as it happened, sir, this was the way:

One day this tall fish

Swallowed this small fish

(He had just eaten a smaller one still);

Up came this queer one

And gobbled that ’ere one—

Didn’t he show the most magical skill?

Then came this other

And chewed up his brother,

Made but one gulp, and behold he was through!

He was a gold fish

Oh! he was a bold fish—

But before he could wink he was eaten up too!

Up came a flounder,

He was a ten-pounder,

Opened his mouth, swallowed him and was gone;

Before you could blink, sir,

Before he could shrink, sir,

This fish came by and the flounder was gone!

(Alas for my story,

’Tis getting quite gory!

So many swallows a summer might make.)

This one came smiling,

And, sweetly beguiling,

Gobbled the last like a piece of hot cake;

A cod followed after;

’Twould move you to laughter

To see in his turn how this hake came up,

Swallowed that cod, sir,

As if he were scrod, sir,

And then went by in a kind of a huff!

Last, but not least,

Came this fellow, the beast—

Down went the hake like a small pinch of snuff!

Then Cap’en Jim caught him,

And then mamma bought him,

And then Annie cooked him, served up in a dish;

And so this small sinner

Who had him for dinner—

’Twas just as I say, sir—had eaten twelve fish!