The Wizard Finn

As I suppose, you all have heard There’s no good luck with a Finn on board, I can tell you that is so. I’ve sailed with one and I ought to know: For it is true, upon my word, There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.

Eric Jansen was his name, And from Christián’ he came; A seemly man all for to see, But devil a bit the man for me: For it is true, as all have heard, There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.

From the hour he joined the ship, All went wrong in all the trip; ’Twas nothing but swear and growl and groan, And the weather was just the devil’s own: You may reckon it all absurd, But there’s no good luck with a Finn on board.

Our grub was spoiled from that first hour, Except the vinegar all was sour; All you heard was Lubber! and Liar! And everything hot except the fire: For it is true, as all accord, There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.

For as the doctors all do know, A Finn has fins between each toe: He is web-footed like a duck; Which is the cause of his bad luck: For it is true, as I averred, There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.

And when at last it got so bad, That master and men were nigh gone mad, A rummerin’ whisper did begin That ’twas all along of this here Finn: For it is true, and on re-córd There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.

And the long and short of this debate Was that one night our second mate, Bein’ as mad as a man might be, Pitched Eric Jansen into the sea: For it is true, unless I’ve erred, There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.

When all at once around there came Over the sea a greenish flame, And the biggest whale I ever spied, Rose up by Eric Jansen’s side: For it is true, as you may’ve inferred, There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.

And the Finn he got upon the whale, And off in the flame we saw them sail; Hearing a song as they fell behind, Like women singing with the wind: For it is true, as all have concurred, There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.

Off from the ship and off the shore, And Eric Jansen we saw no more; But from that hour, aboard that ship, All went well for the rest of the trip: For it is true, upon my word, As you and I have often heard, People may say it’s all absurd, And yet it holds as I averred, And bein’ a fact it’s on recórd, Unless the best of men have erred, As you may truly have inferred, In which observers have concurred: There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.

“That story of the Finn,” said one to Brown, “Is of the kind which hev been salted down, Which is the reason, I suppose, why you Take such a lot of pains to prove it’s true. When tales are c’rect in all their fitnesses, There ain’t no need of forty witnesses, Nor one at all I guess, but that’s enough; Now listen to the song of ‘Charley Buff,’ Who always said, ‘I am a truthful man:’” He polished off his drink and thus began: