Growltiger's Last Stand - CATS

Growltiger was a Bravo Cat who travelled on a barge
In fact he was the roughest cat that ever roamed at large
From Gravesend up to Oxford he pursued his evil aims
Rejoicing in his title of The Terror of the Thames

His manners and appearance did not calculate to please
His coat was torn and seedy, he was baggy at the knees
One ear was somewhat missing, no need to tell you why
And he scowled upon a hostile world from one forbidding eye

The cottagers of Rotherhithe knew something of his fame
At Hammersmith and Putney people shuddered at his name
They would fortify the henhouse, lock up the silly goose
When the rumour ran along the shore: Growltiger's on the loose!

Woe to the weak canary that fluttered from its cage
Woe to the pampered Pekinese that faced Growltiger's rage
Woe to the bristly bandicoot that lurked on foreign ships
And woe to any cat with whom Growltiger came to grips!

But most to cats of foreign race his hatred had been vowed
To cats of foreign name and race no quarter was allowed
The Persian and the Siamese regarded him with fear
Because it was a Siamese had mauled his missing ear

Now on a peaceful summer night all nature seemed at play
The tender moon was shining bright, the barge at Molsey lay
All in the balmy moonlight it lay rocking on the tide
And Growltiger was disposed to show his sentimental side

Chi e la?
Mi amore!
Sono qui.

In the forepeak of the vessel Growltiger stood alone
Concentrating my attention on the lady Griddlebone
And my raffish crew were sleeping in their barrels and their bunks
As the Siamese came creeping in their sampans and their junks

Growltiger had no eye or ear for aught but Griddlebone
And the lady seemed enraptured by my manly baritone
Disposed to relaxation and awaiting no surprise
But the moonlight shone reflected from a thousand bright blue eyes

And closer still and closer the sampans circled round
And yet from all the enemy there was not heard a sound
The foe was armed with toasting forks and cruel carving knives
And the lovers sang their last duet in danger of their lives

In una tepida notte d'estate, allorche la natura 
Era nel pieno fulgore, e la fresca rugiada 
Splendeva al chiar di luna sopra la verzura; 
Si poteva vedere il galeone ancorato. 

Oscillare in silenzio nel vento profumato, 
Dalla marea del naviglio serenemente cullato. 
In quella tepida notte, che c'e dunque di male, 
Se in tanta poesia 
Il pirato divento sentimenta--aa--le? 

Oscillare in silenzio nel vento profumato, 
Dalla marea del naviglio serenemente cullato, 
In quella tepida notte, 
In quella tepida notte, 
IN QUELLA TEPIDA NOTTE! 

Then Genghis gave the signal to his fierce Monglian horde 
Abandoning their sampans, the Chinks they swarmed aboard 
Abandoning their sampans, their pullaways and junks 
They battened down the hatches on the crew within their bunks 

Then Griddlebone she gave a screech, for she was badly skeered
I am sorry to admit it but she quickly disappeared
She probably escaped with ease, I'm sure she was not drowned
But a serried ring of flashing steel Growltiger did surround

The ruthless foe pressed forward in stubborn rank on rank
Growltiger to his vast surprise was forced to walk the plank
He who a hundred victims had driven to that drop
At the end of all his crimes was forced to go kerflip kerflop

Oh there was joy in Wapping when the news flew through the land
At Maidenhead and Henley there was dancing on the Strand
Rats were roasted whole at Brentford and Victoria Dock
And a day of celebrations was commanded in Bangkok

"These modern productions are all very well
But there's nothing to equal, from what I hear tell
That moment of mystery when I made history . . ."