When Frederic was a little lad
He proved so brave and daring
His father thought he'd 'prentice him
To some career seafaring
I was, alas! his nurserymaid
And so it fell to my lot
To take and bind the 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 nurserymaid
On breakers always steering
And I did not catch the word aright
Through being hard of hearing;
Mistaking my instructions
Which within my brain did gyrate
I took and bound this promising boy
Apprentice to a pirate

A sad mistake it was to make
And doom him to a vile lot
I bound him to a pirate, you!
Instead of to a pilot
I soon found out, beyond all doubt
The scope of this disaster
But I hadn't the face to return to my place
And break it to my master
A nurserymaid is not afraid
Of what you people call work
So I made up my mind to go as a kind
Of piratical maid-of-all-work

And that is how you find me now
A member of this shy lot
Which you wouldn't have found, had he been bound
Apprentice to a pilot