A bold hippopotamus was standing one day

On the banks of the cool Shalimar.

He gazed at the bottom as it peacefully lay

By the light of the evening star.

Away on the hilltop sat combing her hair,

His fair hippopotamine maid.

The hippopotamus was no ignoramus

And sang her this sweet serenade.



CHORUS

Mud, mud, glorious mud!

Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood.

So follow me, follow, down to the hollow,

And there let us wallow in glorious mud.



The fair hippopotamus he aimed to entice

From her seat on the hilltop above,

As she hadn't got a Ma to give her advice

Came tiptoeing down to her love.

Like thunder the forest re-echoed the sound

Of the song that they sang as they met.

His inamorata adjusted her garter

And lifted her voice in duet.

(Chorus)



Now more hippopotami began to convene

On the banks of that river so wide.

I wonder now what am I to say of the scene

That ensued by the Shalimar side.

They dived all at once with an ear-splitting splosh,

Then rose to the surface again,

A regular army of hippopotami

All singing this haunting refrain.

(Chorus)