Little Bateese

1     You bad leetle boy, not moche you care
2     How busy you 're kipin' your poor gran'pere
3     Tryin' to stop you ev'ry day
4     Chasin' de hen aroun' de hay--
5     W'y don't you geev' dem a chance to lay?
6     Leetle Bateese!

7     Off on de fiel' you foller de plough
8     Den w'en you 're tire you scare the cow
9     Sickin' de dog till dey jomp the wall
10   So de milk ain't good for not'ing at all--
11   An' you 're only five an' a half dis fall,
12   Leetle Bateese!

13   Too sleepy for sayin' de prayer to-night?
14   Never min' I s'pose it 'll be all right
15   Say dem to-morrow--ah! dere he go!
16   Fas' asleep in a minute or so--
17   An' he 'll stay lak dat till de rooster crow,
18   Leetle Bateese!

19   Den wake us up right away toute suite
20   Lookin' for somet'ing more to eat,
21   Makin' me t'ink of dem long leg crane
22   Soon as dey swaller, dey start again,
23   I wonder your stomach don't get no pain,
24   Leetle Bateese!

25   But see heem now lyin' dere in bed,
26   Look at de arm onderneat' hees head;
27   If he grow lak dat till he 's twenty year
28   I bet he 'll be stronger dan Louis Cyr
29   An' beat all de voyageurs leevin' here,
30   Leetle Bateese!

31   Jus' feel de muscle along hees back,
32   Won't geev' heem moche bodder for carry pack
33   On de long portage, any size canoe,
34   Dere 's not many t'ing dat boy won't do
35   For he 's got double-joint on hees body too,
36   Leetle Bateese!

37   But leetle Bateese! please don't forget
38   We rader you 're stayin' de small boy yet,
39   So chase de chicken an' mak' dem scare
40   An' do w'at you lak wit' your ole gran'pere
41   For w'en you 're beeg feller he won't be dere--
42   Leetle Bateese!