THE ARAB STEED

I gave the‘ orse‘ is evenin’ feed,

And bedded of‘ im down,

And went to‘ ear the sing-song

And one young feller spoke a piece

As told a kind of tale,

About an Arab man wot‘ ad

A certain‘ orse for sale.

I‘ ave no grudge against the man & -

I never‘ eard‘ is name,

But if he was my closest pal

I'd say the very same,

For wot you do in other things

Is neither‘ ere nor there,

But w'en it comes to‘ orses

You must keep upon the square.

Now I'm tellin’ you the story

Just as it was told last night,

And if I wrong this Arab man

Then‘ e can set me right;

But s'posin’ all these fac's are fac's,

Then I make bold to say

That I think it was not sportsmanlike

To act in sich a way.

For, as I understand the thing,

‘ E went to sell this steed & -

Which is a name they give a‘ orse

Of some outlandish breed & -,

And soon‘ e found a customer,

A proper sportin’ gent,

Who planked‘ is money down at once

Without no argument.

Now when the deal was finished

And the money paid, you'd think

This Arab would‘ ave asked the gent

At once to name‘ is drink,

Or at least‘ ave thanked‘ im kindly,

An’ wished‘ im a good day,

And own as‘ e'd been treated

In a very‘ andsome way.

But instead o’ this‘ e started

A-talkin’ to the steed,

And speakin’ of its “braided mane”

An’ of its “winged speed,”

And other sich expressions

With which I can n't agree,

For a‘ orse with wings an’ braids an’ things

Is not the‘ orse for me.

The moment that‘ e‘ ad the cash & -

Or wot‘ e called the gold,

‘ E turned as nasty as could be:

Says‘ e, “You're sold! You're sold!”

Them was‘ is words; it's not for me

To settle wot he meant;

It may‘ ave been the‘ orse was sold,

It may‘ ave been the gent.

I've not a word to say agin

His fondness for‘ is‘ orse,

But why should‘ e insinivate

The gent would treat‘ im worse?

An’ why should‘ e go talkin’

In that aggravatin’ way,

As if the gent would gallop‘ im

And wallop‘ im all day?

It may‘ ave been an’‘ arness‘ orse,

It may‘ ave been an‘ ack,

But a bargain is a bargain,

An’ there ai n't no goin’ back;

For when you've picked the money up,

That finishes the deal,

And after that your mouth is shut,

Wotever you may feel.

Supposin’ this‘ ere Arab man

‘ Ad wanted to be free,

‘ E could‘ ave done it businesslike,

The same as you or me;

A fiver might‘ ave squared the gent,

An’ then‘ e could‘ ave claimed

As‘ e'd cleared‘ imself quite‘ andsome,

And no call to be ashamed.

But instead‘ o that this Arab man

Went on from bad to worse,

An’ took an’ chucked the money

At the cove wot bought the‘ orse;

‘ E'd‘ ave learned‘ im better manners,

If‘ e'd waited there a bit,

But‘ e scooted on‘ is bloomin’ steed

As‘ ard as‘ e could split.

Per'aps‘ e sold‘ im after,

Or per'aps‘ e‘ ires‘ im out,

But I'd like to warm that Arab man

Wen next‘ e comes about;

For wot‘ e does in other things

Is neither‘ ere nor there,

But w'en it comes to‘ orses

We must keep‘ im on the square.