Tom Norton + 

A Tale of Shipwreck + 

That staunch good ship, The Albatross, + 

Dismantled in a storm did toss, + 

For the wind it blew terrific, + 

In the Southern Pacific. + 

The ship went down and of the crew + 

Those that were saved of them were few; + 

In various ways they strove to float + 

On chicken coop and spar and boat. + 

And Tom Norton, the second mate, + 

Met with a romantic fate; + 

Most of his poor comrades sank, + 

But safe he floated on his plank. + 

Although he was in a sad plight, + 

Tossed about by day and night, + 

For he had little food or drink. + 

Yet brave Tom’s courage did not sink. + 

The seventh day with joy he sees + 

An island cover’d with palm trees, + 

And as the sea was now quite calm, + 

He floated slow to isle of palm. + 

Here nature pleasantly doth smile + 

On this dear little lonely isle; + 

The natives soon do him espy, + 

And cast on him a longing eye. + 

They thought his flesh they would like raw, + 

The first white man they ever saw; + 

His skin to them seem’d sweet and clean, + 

But they found he was far too lean. + 

So after talking o’er the matter, + 

They resolved to make him fatter, + 

And they put him in a bamboo cage, + 

And the king’s daughter did engage + 

The beautiful and youthful Wambo + 

To feed captive in the cage of bamboo; + 

She fed her captive all so well, + 

That soon in love with him she fell. + 

For each day he seem’d to sweeten, + 

Too good by far for to be eaten, + 

So she resolved him to save, + 

And her father’s wrath to brave. + 

King Bomba wished to make great feast, + 

And slaughter poor Tom like a beast; + 

For to the nation King did boast, + 

Tom would make a glorious roast. + 

But those who wished for slices raw, + 

They would get a chance to crunch their jaw, + 

On some pieces of long Tom pork + 

They could set their teeth to work. + 

Poor Tom they all resolved to slay, + 

To grace the feast on King’s birthday; + 

But the daughter of King Bomba + 

Resolved they should not use Tom so. + 

So she selected one dark night, + 

And her footsteps were so light; + 

She knew the guards she could slip by + 

Before they her could e’er espy. + 

She full determined him to save + 

By hiding him in a small cave + 

That she discovered o’er the lake, + 

Well hid among the rocks and brake. + 

Her steps so light she did not rouse the + 

Sleeping guards, they were so drowsy; + 

She whispered in the ear of Tom + 

That she would find him better home. + 

She knew the cannibals would rage, + 

When they would find an empty cage; + 

But innocence she could slam so, + 

They would not suspect Miss Wambo. + 

The waters of this lake doth lave + 

The mouth of this hidden cave; + 

In her canoe Bomba’s daughter + 

Quickly rowed him o’er the water. + 

This little cave doth bushes screen, + 

Save her none else had ever seen + 

This cosy, safe and snug retreat, + 

Where her dear lover she could meet. + 

For she so dearly loved poor Tom, + 

He was so far away from home; + 

To him a helping hand she’d lend, + 

And she would be his warmest friend. + 

She promised Tom to bring him roots, + 

And coconuts and banyan fruits; + 

She was so skilful with the oar, + 

Each night she would replace the store. + 

But a great tumult did arise + 

When savages lost their fat prize + 

For King’s birthday it now was near, + 

And Tom’s flesh they prized so dear. + 

They searched for him both day and night, + 

And it was a romantic sight + 

To see these naked barbarous men + 

Search each hill and nook and glen. + 

In dark nights with burning flambeau + 

They search’d, led on by King Bomba; + 

But Tom his trials he stood so brave, + 

He felt secure in hidden cave. + 

But each night he longed for Wambo, + 

She brought him turtle and clam so + 

Large and fat and delicious, + 

And he fend they were nutritious. + 

He told his love that story good, + 

Of little Red Riding Hood, + 

And how the wolf poor child deceives, + 

This cruel tale her sadly grieves. + 

First time she ever heard a story, + 

It added greatly to Tom’s glory; + 

The wolf so treacherous she did hate, + 

And pitied poor Riding Hood’s fate. + 

This sad tale so cruel, gory, + 

It saved Tom’s life this little story; + 

Tom would been found soon or late, + 

And would have met a horrid fate. + 

And she to cave did father bring, + 

So Tom could tell tale to the King; + 

The King and daughter both they cried, + 

Because little Riding Hood died. + 

Bomba gave to Tom his daughter, + 

And soon other tales he taught her; + 

With wonder they oft times would fill her; + 

“Jack in Bean Stalk” and “Giant Killer.” + 

The first so quickly he could walk + 

To the top of a tall bean stalk; + 

It was high as lofty steeple, + 

There Jack looked down upon the people. + 

And more wondrous tale of giant, + 

To the world so long defiant; + 

Carrying off oxen on his back, + 

’Till he was slain by little Jack. + 

And when e’er she was full of gloom, + 

He told her tale of “Hop, O’ My Thumb”; + 

Natives wou’d come from far and near, + 

These wondrous stories for to hear. + 

They brought him coconuts so free, + 

And the bread from the fruit tree; + 

On fat turtles he could feast, + 

When he told of “Beauty and the Beast.” + 

And Tom thought that it was no crime + 

To change tales of prose into rhyme, + 

As we do here in hopes that tingle + 

To the ear will be sweet jingle. + 

But at last they all refused to + 

Listen to anything but “Crusoe,” + 

How weary time he did beguile, + 

Living so long on lonely isle. + 

After all with greatest pride, they + 

Heard about his black man Friday, + 

Until they got stories off by heart, + 

Then with their goods they would not part. + 

For they were teaching one another. + 

The King to stop all this bother; + 

Gave son-in-law a copyright, + 

He only should the folks delight. + 

But fortune now on Tom doth smile, + 

An English ship anchored on isle, + 

For they required interpreter + 

To bring to them supply of water. + 

Water on ship was old and stale, + 

There was a stench from water pail, + 

But Tom he quickly did procure + 

Water from the spring so pure. + 

The captain tried Tom to beguile, + 

And take him off from savage isle, + 

But Tom eujoyed this kind of life, + 

And loved his children and his wife. + 

From ship Tom got a book of stories, + 

And in “Arabian Nights” soon glories. + 

Then each savage he delights, + 

Listening to tales about those Nights. + 

Tom’s influence no more it fails, + 

He reads to them those charming tales; + 

While with awe on him they look, + 

As he reads stories from the book. + 

Bomba Tomba, his eldest son, + 

He fame and fortune will soon won, + 

For he can tell them many a whopper + 

Of “Cinderella and Glass Slipper.” + 

And he is learning now to read, + 

So natives generous will him feed; + 

Thus he will retain their hearts, + 

When his father this life departs. + 

This tale a proof it doth afford + 

That pen is mightier than the sword; + 

In warriors no more they glory, + 

But in the man who tells the story. + 

No more they now each other drub, + 

Flourishing the warlike club; + 

Spears no more are used for stabbing, + 

Nor their javelins for jabbing. + 

Except when they do wish to feast + 

On the Hesh of some fat beast, + 

They reserve their bows and arrows, + 

To shoot the pigeons and sparrows. + 

All warlike arts they have forsook, + 

And reverence the man with book; + 

Peaceful arts they all now prize, + 

For Christian truths hath made them wise. + 

For Tom impressed them with Christ’s love, + 

And they all hope for Heaven above; + 

Bomba Tomba is now crowned King, + 

Of him will future poets sing. + 