Beefy face an' grubby 'and
Law! wot do they understand?
I've a neater, sweeter maiden in a cleaner, greener
land!
On the road to Mandalay . . .
Ship me somewheres east of Suez, where the best is like the worst,
Where there are n't no Ten Commandments an' a man can raise a thirst;
For the temple-bells are callin',an' it's there that I would be
By the old Moulmein Pagoda, looking laz.y at the sea;
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the old Flotilla lay,
With our sick beneath the awnings when we went to
Mandalay!
O the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China
'crost the Bay!
TROOPIN'
(Old English Army in the East)
TROOPIN', troopin', troopin' to the sea:
'Ere's September come again the six-year men are free.
O leave the dead be'ind us, for they cannot come away
To where the ship's a-coalin' up that takes us 'ome to-day.
We're goin' 'ome, we're goin' 'ome,
Our ship is at the shore,
An' you must pack your 'aversack,
For we won't come back no more.
Ho, don't you grieve for me,
My lovely Mary-Ann,
For I'll marry you yit on a fourp'ny bit
As a time-expired man.
