The Story of Alfred Bulltop Stormalong
StormalongCapstan Chanty from traditionalmusic.co http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/sea-shanty/Stormalong.htm#.UYjujLWG3GU
O, Stormy's gone, that good old man, To my way hay, Stormalong, John! O, poor old Stormy's dead and gone, To my aye, aye, aye, aye, Mister Stormalong!
2. We dug his grave with a silver spade, To my way hay, Stormalong, John! His shroud of the finest silk was made. To my aye, aye, aye, aye, Mister Stormalong!
3. We lowered him with a silver chain, To my way hay, Stormalong, John! Our eyes all dim with more than rain. To my aye, aye, aye, aye, Mister Stormalong!
4. An able sailor, bold and true, To my way hay, Stormalong, John! A good old bosun to his crew. To my aye, aye, aye, aye, Mister Stormalong!
5. He's moored at last, and furled his sail, To my way hay, Stormalong, John! No danger now from wreck or gale. To my aye, aye, aye, aye, Mister Stormalong!
6. I wish I was old Stormy's son, To my way hay, Stormalong, John! I'd build me a ship of a thousand ton. To my aye, aye, aye, aye, Mister Stormalong!
7. I'd fill her up with New England rum, To my way hay, Stormalong, John! And all my shellbacks they would have some. To my aye, aye, aye, aye, Mister Stormalong!
8. I'd sail this wide world 'round and 'round, To my way hay, Stormalong, John! With plenty of money I would be found. To my aye, aye, aye, aye, Mister Stormalong!
9. Old Stormy's dead and gone to rest, To my way hay, Stormalong, John! Of all the sailors he was the best, To my aye, aye, aye, aye, Mister Stormalong!
Old Stormalong
A Massachusetts Tall Tale retold by S.E. Schlosser, from americanfolklore.net
Now everyone knows that Alfred Bulltop Stormalong was the ultimate sailor. He was the captain of a mighty ship known as the Courser, which was so wide that she couldn't sail into Boston Harbor and so tall that the mast was hinged into the middle so it could be taken down to avoid the sun and the moon whenever they passed by. Her keel was so deep that no harbor in the world could take her, so she spent all her time in deep water.
The Courser only went through the English Channel once. It was a tight squeeze, so Old Stormalong had the sailors coat the entire outside of the ship with soap. Even then, Old Stormalong barely slid the boat through, and so much soap scraped off one side of the boat at Dover that the cliffs there became permanently white. After that, the English very politely asked Old Stormalong to go around the long way, and that is what he did.
The deck of the Courser was so long that the sailors had to ride horses at a full gallop from stem to stern when it was their turn to keep watch. Old Stormalong was the only man strong enough to handle the wheel of the Courser, and it took all of his muscle to prevent the ship from knocking down the smaller Caribbean islands whenever a hurricane blew into the ship.
A Massachusetts Tall Tale retold by S.E. Schlosser, from americanfolklore.net
Now everyone knows that Alfred Bulltop Stormalong was the ultimate sailor. He was the captain of a mighty ship known as the Courser, which was so wide that she couldn't sail into Boston Harbor and so tall that the mast was hinged into the middle so it could be taken down to avoid the sun and the moon whenever they passed by. Her keel was so deep that no harbor in the world could take her, so she spent all her time in deep water.
The Courser only went through the English Channel once. It was a tight squeeze, so Old Stormalong had the sailors coat the entire outside of the ship with soap. Even then, Old Stormalong barely slid the boat through, and so much soap scraped off one side of the boat at Dover that the cliffs there became permanently white. After that, the English very politely asked Old Stormalong to go around the long way, and that is what he did.
The deck of the Courser was so long that the sailors had to ride horses at a full gallop from stem to stern when it was their turn to keep watch. Old Stormalong was the only man strong enough to handle the wheel of the Courser, and it took all of his muscle to prevent the ship from knocking down the smaller Caribbean islands whenever a hurricane blew into the ship.
Old Stormalong and the Octopus
A Rhode Island Tall Tale retold by S.E. Schlosser, americanfolklore.net
One day Old Stormalong, the ultimate sailor, was sailing the Courser through the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean when a particularly large wave knocked the anchor loose. The anchor plunged right down to the bottom before the sailors could reel her in, and it got caught on something. The big ship lurched to a halt and the sailors rushed hither and thither, back and forth trying to figure out how to shake the anchor loose.
Finally, Old Stormalong pushed the sailors aside and gave the anchor a tug himself. But that anchor was stuck firm, and the sailors begged Stormie not to pull at it again, because they were afraid that he would wrench a hole in the bottom of the world and all the water would spill out into space. So Old Stormalong he decided to go down to the depths to see if he could unhook the anchor from whatever it was tangled to.
Taking a knife between his teeth, Old Stormalong dove into the water. For a few minutes nothing happened. Then the waters below the massive ship began to bubble and churn. The waves grew higher and higher until the ship was tossed around like a rubber duck in the bathtub. Even the old sailors grew seasick and clutched the rail, groaning aloud. After a few minutes the waves started to calm, and then Old Stormalong popped his head out of the water. "She's good to go, boys. Hoist anchor!" he shouted.
Old Stormalong climbed aboard while his men hoisted the giant anchor. As soon as they caught their breath, the sailors asked their captain why the anchor had gotten stuck on the bottom.
"It was a giant octopus playing games down in one of the canyons," Old Stormie explained. "It took a-hold of the anchor with four legs and was using the other four to hold onto the bottom of the sea."
"How did you get the anchor loose?" asked the first mate.
"Well, I just arm-wrestled the old whale-bait until it shouted for mercy and then tied its arms into double carrick bends. It will take the better part of the month for all the knots to come undone."
A Rhode Island Tall Tale retold by S.E. Schlosser, americanfolklore.net
One day Old Stormalong, the ultimate sailor, was sailing the Courser through the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean when a particularly large wave knocked the anchor loose. The anchor plunged right down to the bottom before the sailors could reel her in, and it got caught on something. The big ship lurched to a halt and the sailors rushed hither and thither, back and forth trying to figure out how to shake the anchor loose.
Finally, Old Stormalong pushed the sailors aside and gave the anchor a tug himself. But that anchor was stuck firm, and the sailors begged Stormie not to pull at it again, because they were afraid that he would wrench a hole in the bottom of the world and all the water would spill out into space. So Old Stormalong he decided to go down to the depths to see if he could unhook the anchor from whatever it was tangled to.
Taking a knife between his teeth, Old Stormalong dove into the water. For a few minutes nothing happened. Then the waters below the massive ship began to bubble and churn. The waves grew higher and higher until the ship was tossed around like a rubber duck in the bathtub. Even the old sailors grew seasick and clutched the rail, groaning aloud. After a few minutes the waves started to calm, and then Old Stormalong popped his head out of the water. "She's good to go, boys. Hoist anchor!" he shouted.
Old Stormalong climbed aboard while his men hoisted the giant anchor. As soon as they caught their breath, the sailors asked their captain why the anchor had gotten stuck on the bottom.
"It was a giant octopus playing games down in one of the canyons," Old Stormie explained. "It took a-hold of the anchor with four legs and was using the other four to hold onto the bottom of the sea."
"How did you get the anchor loose?" asked the first mate.
"Well, I just arm-wrestled the old whale-bait until it shouted for mercy and then tied its arms into double carrick bends. It will take the better part of the month for all the knots to come undone."