The Ichthyosaurus

Es rauscht in den Schachtelhalmen,
Verdächtig leuchtet das Meer,
Da schwimmt mit Thränen im Auge
Ein Ichthyosaurus daher.

The rushes are strangely rustling,
    The ocean uncannily gleams,
As with tears in his eyes down gushing,
    An Ichthyosaurus swims.

He bewails the frightful corruption
    Of his age, for an awful tone
Has lately been noticed by many
    In the Lias formation shown.

'The Plesiosaurus, the elder,
    Goes roaring about on a spree;
The Plerodactylus even
    Comes flying as drunk as can be.

'The Iguanodon, the blackguard,
    Deserves to be publicly hissed,
Since he lately in open daylight
    The Ichthyosaura kissed.

'The end of the world is coming,
    Things can't go on long in this way;
The Lias formation can't stand it,
    Is all that I've got to say!'

So the Ichthyosaur went walking
    His chalks in an angry mood;[1]
The last of his sighs extinguished
    In the roar and the rush of the flood.

And all of the piggish Saurians[2]
    Died, too, on that dreadful day;
There were too many chalks against them,
And of course they'd the devil to pay.

And this petrifideal ditty?[3]
    Who was it this song did write?
'Twas found as a fossil album leaf
Upon a coprolite.


Translated From The German Of Joseph Victor Scheffel By Charles G. Leland.


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[Footnote 1: Dar ward es ihm kreidig zu Muth.]

[Footnote 2:

        Die ganze Saurierei
            Sie kamen zu tief in die Kreide,
        Da war es natürlich vorbei.]

[Footnote 3: Dies petrefactische Lied.]

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