Jimmy Whelan



Come all you ladies and gentlemen,

I pray you lend an ear;

'Tis of a terrible accident

You are about to hear.



'Tis of a young and active youth,

Jimmy Whelan he was called;

He was drownded on McClellan's drive

All on the Upper Falls.



The fierce and the raging main,

The waters they ran high,

And the foreman said to Whelan:

"This jam you will have to try."



"You've always been an active youth

While danger's lurking near,

So you are the man I want to help

To keep these waters clear."



Whelan he made answer

Unto his comrades bold:

"Supposing if there's danger

We will do as we are told."



"We'll obey our foreman's orders

As noble men should do."

Just as he spoke the jam it broke

And let poor Whelan through.



The raging main it tossed and tore

Those logs from shore to shore.

And here and there his body went,

A-tumbling o'er and o'er.



No earthly man could ever live

In such a raging main.

Poor Whelan struggled hard for life

But he struggled all in vain.



There were three of them in danger,

But two of them were saved.

It was noble-hearted Whelan

That met with a watery grave.



So come all you young and active youths,

A warning from me take,

And try and shun all danger

Before it gets too late.



For death is drawing nearer

And trying to destroy

The pride of some poor mother's heart,

And his father's only joy.



From Penguin Book of Canadian Folk Songs, Fowke

Note: No apparent connection to Lost Jimmy Whelan

@work @logging @death @Canada



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