Abdul Abulbul Amir

Abdul Abulbul Amir - Frank Crumit

The sons of the prophet were hardy and bold

And quite unaccustomed to fear

But the bravest by far in the ranks of the Shah

Was Abdul Abulbul Amir

Now the heroes were plenty and well known to fame

In the troops that were led by the Tsar

And the bravest of these was a man by the name

Of Ivan Skavinsky Skavar

One day this bold Russian had shouldered his gun

And donned his most truculent sneer

Downtown he did go where he trod on the toe

Of Abdul Abulbul Amir

"Young man" quoth Abdul "Has life grown so dull

That you wish to end your career

Vile infidel know you have trod on the toe

Of Abdul Abulbul Amir "

Said Ivan "My friend your remarks in the end

Will avail you but little I fear

For you ne'er will survive to repeat them alive

Mr Abdul Abulbul Amir "

"So take your last look at sunshine and brook

And send your regrets to the Tsar

For by this I imply you are going to die

Count Ivan Skavinsky Skavar "

They fought all that night 'neath the pale yellow moon;

The din it was heard from afar

And huge multitudes came so great was the fame

Of Abdul and Ivan Skavar

The Sultan drove by in his red-breasted fly

Expecting the victor to cheer

But he only drew nigh to hear the last sigh

Of Abdul Abulbul Amir

Tsar Petrovich too in his spectacles blue

Rode up in his new crested car

He arrived just in time to exchange a last line

With Ivan Skavinsky Skavar

There's a tomb rises up where the blue Danube flows

Engraved there in characters clear:

"Ah stranger when passing oh pray for the soul

Of Abdul Abulbul Amir "

A Muscovite maiden her lone vigil keeps

'Neath the light of the pale polar star

And the name that she murmurs so oft as she weeps

Is Ivan Skavinsky Skavar