A grand little lad were our Albert
As many ‘ave mentioned before,
With ‘is stick with the ‘orses ‘ead ‘andle
That were propped ‘gainst the wall near the door
In case of a trip to Blackpool
Or over the fields and beyond,
After so many ‘appy adventures
They ‘ad an unbreakable bond.

But when Albert woke up one morning,
A different adventure were planned
And a wooden trunk sat in the ‘allway
For a trip to a faraway land.
They were bound for a place down under
Where the sun shines every day
Where wallabies ‘op along in the streets
And salties swim in the bay.

Well Mother she needed some coaxing
After excursion t’ London zoo,
When the lion ‘ad swallowed their Albert
And ‘e in ‘is Sunday best too!
But Pa ‘e were ‘aving no nonsense
‘E were taking the matter in ‘and
Saying lions don’t live in Australia,
As for sharks, well we’ll just stay on t’ land!

Soon they came to the Red Hot Centre,
Near a rock called Uluru,
Where Albert’s first encounter
Were a giant kangaroo

‘E went by the name of Red Kelly,
As ‘is fur were rusty red,
‘E were old and quite moth eaten
Especially round the ‘ead.
But when ‘e stood up full height
‘E were taller than a man
And dropping ‘is ‘orses ‘ead ‘andle
Albert turned around and ran.

Red Kelly blinked a beady eye
And gave a grunt of joy
And with a leap of sheer delight
‘E picked up Albert’s toy!
Then bounding over the billowing bush
Red Kelly went ‘opping along
With the ‘orses ‘ead ‘andle in two little paws
Till ‘e came to a billabong.

Then ‘e turned with triumphant look in ‘is eye
And a ragged toothless grin
And ‘e leapt up to the billabong
And dropped the ‘orses ‘ead in.
The stick were firmly stuck in t’ mud
The ‘orses ‘ead forlorn
And it seemed to little Albert
that ‘is dearest friend was gorn.

And ‘e thought a tear fell from its eye
And ‘e ‘eard a woeful neigh
As Red Kelly gave a cheerful wave
And ‘appily ‘opped away.

Then behind ‘im came a piercing shriek,
It were Ma with ‘er digeridoo
Crying ‘we’ve ‘ad sharks and boy eating lions,
But never a wild kangaroo!’
An aboriginal would ‘ave been proud
As it sailed o’er Albert’s ‘ead,
Through the Mytle and Eucalyptus,
And landed in front of Red.

Red Kelly staggered to an ‘alt,
And turned with curious eye
Then ‘e ‘opped back to the billabong
And gave a mournful sigh.
As ‘e lifted the ‘orses ‘ead ‘andle
Right out of the muddy pond
Then ‘e ‘opped back to little Albert
And gave ‘im a look that were fond.

Then ‘e turned and ‘opped away again
With ‘is cheeky marsupial grin,
And Albert hugged ‘is favourite toy
And kissed ‘im on the chin.
And that is where we’ll leave them,
Under bright Australian skies,
Albert, ‘is ‘orses ‘ead ‘andle
And ‘is Ma and Pa close by,

With the crocodiles and brown snakes
And the trees that are silvery grey
But no doubt they’ll be other adventures,
For some folks are lucky that way!



© Carol Prior
Christmas 2014