Act I: When Frederic was a little lad

When Fred'ric Was a Little Lad - Settled Dust

Lyrics by：W.S. Gilbert

Composed by：Arthur Sullivan

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 your shy lot

Which you wouldn't have found had he been bound

Apprentice to a pilot