Copyright © 2005 The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive
All Rights Reserved

RUTH: When Fred'ric was a little lad
He proved so brave and daring,
His father thought he'd 'prentice him
To some career seafaring.
I was, alas! his nurs'rymaid,
And so it fell to my lot
To take and bind the promising boy
Apprentice to a pilot;
A life not bad for a hardy lad,
Though surely not a high lot,
Though I'm a nurse, you might do worse
Than make your boy a pilot.

I was a stupid nurs'rymaid,
On breakers always steering,
And I did not catch the word aright,
Through being hard of hearing;
Mistaking my instructions, which
Within my brain did gyrate,
I took and bound this promising boy
Apprentice to a pirate.
A sad mistake it was to make
And doom him to a vile lot.
I bound him to a pirate you!
Instead of to a pilot.

I soon found out, beyond all doubt,
The scope of this disaster,
But I hadn't the face to return to my place,
And break it to my master.
A nurs'rymaid is not afraid
Of what you people call work,
So I made up my mind to go as a kind
Of piratical maidofallwork.
And that is how you find me now,
A member of your shy lot,
Which you wouldn't have found, had he been bound
Apprentice to a pilot.

By Arthur Sullivan
Generated by NoteWorthy Composer

Pirates No. 2
Ruth
Piano Right
Piano Left
Tempo Track