(Soudan Expeditionary Force)
We've
fought with many men
acrost the seas,
An' some of 'em was
brave an' some was not:
The
Paythan an' the Zulu an' Burmese;
But the
Fuzzy was the
finest o' the lot.
We
never got a ha'porth's
change of 'im:
'E
squatted in the
scrub an' 'ocked our 'orses,
'E cut our
sentries up at Sua~kim~,
An' 'e
played the cat an'
banjo with our forces.
So 'ere's ~to~ you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your 'ome in the Soudan;
You're a pore
benighted 'eathen but a first-class fightin' man;
We
gives you your certificate, an' if you want it signed
We'll come an' 'ave a romp with you
whenever you're inclined.
We took our
chanst among the
Khyber 'ills,
The
Boers knocked us
silly at a mile,
The
Burman give us
Irriwaddy chills,
An' a Zulu ~impi~
dished us up in style:
But all we ever got from such as they
Was pop to what the
Fuzzy made us swaller;
We 'eld our bloomin' own, the
papers say,
But man for man the
Fuzzy knocked us 'oller.
Then 'ere's ~to~ you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, an' the
missis and the kid;
Our
orders was to
break you, an' of
course we went an' did.
We
sloshed you with Martinis, an' it wasn't 'ardly fair;
But for all the odds agin' you, Fuzzy-Wuz, you
broke the square.
'E 'asn't got no
papers of 'is own,
'E 'asn't got no
medals nor rewards,
So we must
certify the
skill 'e's shown
In usin' of 'is long two-'anded swords:
When 'e's 'oppin' in an' out
among the bush
With 'is coffin-'eaded
shield an' shovel-spear,
An 'appy day with
Fuzzy on the rush
Will last an 'ealthy
Tommy for a year.
So 'ere's ~to~ you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, an' your
friends which are no more,
If we 'adn't lost some
messmates we
would 'elp you to deplore;
But give an' take's the gospel, an' we'll call the
bargain fair,
For if you 'ave lost more than us, you
crumpled up the square!
'E
rushes at the
smoke when we let drive,
An',
before we know, 'e's 'ackin' at our 'ead;
'E's all 'ot sand an'
ginger when alive,
An' 'e's
generally shammin' when 'e's dead.
'E's a daisy, 'e's a ducky, 'e's a lamb!
'E's a injia-rubber
idiot on the spree,
'E's the on'y
thing that doesn't give a damn
For a
Regiment o'
British Infantree!
So 'ere's ~to~ you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your 'ome in the Soudan;
You're a pore
benighted 'eathen but a first-class fightin' man;
An' 'ere's ~to~ you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, with your 'ayrick 'ead of 'air --
You big
black boundin'
beggar --
for you broke a British square!
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