When Fredrick was a little lad

he proved so brave and daring

his father thought he'd 'prentice him

to some career sea-faring.

I was, alas, his nursery maid,

and so it fell to my lot

to take and bind this 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 nursery maid,

on breakers always steering.

And I did not catch the word a'right

for being hard of hearing.

Mistaking my instructions, which

within my brain did gyrate,

I took and bound thhis promising boy

apprentice to a pirate.

A sad mistake

it was to make!

And doom him to your vile lot!

I bound him to

a pirate - you! (points to pirate king)

instead of to a pilot!