Do not look so cross, my sprightly quadruped, and I will sing to amuse you." "Your song would make me more cross than ever," grumbled the goat.
"Quite impossible, dear Bilbil.

You couldn't be more surly if you tried.

So here is a famous song for you." While the boy rowed steadily on and the boat rushed fast over the water, the jolly King, who never could be sad or serious for many minutes at a time, lay back on his embroidered cushions and sang as follows: "A merry maiden went to sea-- Sing too-ral-oo-ral-i-do! She sat upon the Captain's knee And looked around the sea to see What she could see, but she couldn't see me-- Sing too-ral-oo-ral-i-do! "How do you like that, Bilbil ?" "I don't like it," complained the goat.

"It reminds me of the alligator that tried to whistle." "Did he succeed, Bilbil ?" asked the King.
"He whistled as well as you sing." "Ha, ha, ha, ha, heek, keek, eek!" chuckled the King.

"He must have whistled most exquisitely, eh, my friend ?" "I am not your friend," returned the goat, wagging his ears in a surly manner.
"I am yours, however," was the King's cheery reply; "and to prove it I'll sing you another verse." "Don't, I beg of you!" But the King sang as follows: "The wind blew off the maiden's shoe-- Sing too-ral-oo-ral-i-do! And the shoe flew high to the sky so blue And the maiden knew 'twas a new shoe, too; But she couldn't pursue the shoe, 'tis true-- Sing too-ral-oo-ral-i-do! "Isn't that sweet, my pretty goat ?" "Sweet, do you ask ?" retorted Bilbil.