User:BirgitteSB/Fuzzy-Wuzzy (plain)

"FUZZY-WUZZY"

SOUDAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. EARLY CAMPAIGN

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 Suakim
    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 Kyber '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!

Publication Notes

The orginal subtitle was simply (SOUDAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE). After the 1932 Inclusive Verse edition EARLY CAMPAIGNS was
added to distinguish between the campaign against the Mahdist Jihad, 1882-85, and the reconquest of the Soudan, 1886-89.

External links

Notes on "Fuzzy-Wuzzy" at the Kipling Society

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1936, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 87 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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