| «Will you walk a little faster?»
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| Said a whiting to a snail,
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| «There's a porpoise close behind us,
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| And he’s treading on my tail.
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| See how eagerly the lobsters
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| And the turtles all advance!
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| They are waiting on the shingle —
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| Will you come and join the dance?
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| Will you, won’t you, will you,
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| Won’t you, will you join the dance?
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| Will you, won’t you, will you,
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| Won’t you, won’t you join the dance?
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| «You can really have notion
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| How delightful it will be
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| When they take us up and throw us,
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| With the lobsters, out to sea!»
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| But the snail replied, «Too far, too far!»
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| And gave a look askance —
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| Said he thanked the whiting kindly,
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| But he would not join the dance.
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| Would not, could not, would not,
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| Could not, would not join the dance.
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| Would not, could not, would not,
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| Could not, could not join the dance.
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| «What matters it how far we go?»
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| His scaly friend replied,
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| «There is another shore, you know,
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| Upon the other side.
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| The further off from England
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| The nearer is to France —
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| Then turn not pale, beloved snail,
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| But come and join the dance.
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| Will you, won’t you, will you,
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| Won’t you, will you join the dance?
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| Will you, won’t you, will you,
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| Won’t you, won’t you join the dance? |