The Dedicated Dancing Bull and the

Water Maid

Hop hop, thump thump,

Oh I am holy, oh I am plump,

A young bull dancing on the baked grass glade,

And beside me dances the Water Maid.

She says I must dance with her,

Why should I? I loathe her,

She has such a stupid way of singing

It does not amount to anything,

But she thinks it does, oh yes

She does not suppose she is spurious.

I wish I could be rid of the Water Maid

Or hid from her. Does she think she can make me afraid?

Ho ho, thump thump,

Oh I am elegant, oh I am plump,

As I wave my head my feet go thud

On the baked grass. Oh I am good.

Now night comes and I go into the wood shades

And the moon comes up and lights them as the day fades.

Hop hop, faster faster,

Thump thump, but the Maid comes after,

She is teasing me by singing with a stupid sound

That does not go at all well with my bound,

Oh how I should like to tread her in the ground.

But I must think only about my feet

And remember to bring them down on the beat.

Hoo hoo, now I sing through my nose,

Hoo hoo, and off the Maid goes

A little way in an affected flutter

Pretending to be startled by the hoo of my deep mutter.

Hoo, then, hoo, with a hop and a jump

Who is this beautiful young animal who is so plump?

Why it is our famous dedicated dancing bull,

Did you notice how delicately he goes?

Was that a hoof somewhere in those silver toes?

With nonsense

The Water Maid makes off into the distance.

The night is mine now and I come to the forest pool

          And drink and do not think I am a fool.