"In my youth", Father William replied to his son

"I feared it might injure the brain;

But, now that I'm perfectly sure I have none’

Why, I do it again and again.”

*

"You are old", said the youth, "as I mentioned before

And have grown most uncommonly fat;

Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door--

Pray, what is the reason for that”?

*

"In my youth", said the sage, as he shook his grey locks

I kept all my limbs very supple

By the use of this ointment - one shilling the box-

Allow me to sell you a couple”?

*

"You are old", said the youth, "and your jaws are too weak

For anything tougher than suet;

Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak-

Pray, how did you manage to do it”?

*

"In my youth", said his father, "I took to the law

And argued each case with my wife;

And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw

Has lasted the rest of my life.”

*

"You are old", said the youth, "one would hardly suppose

That your eye was as steady as ever;

Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose-

What made you so awfully clever?”

*

"I have answered three questions, and that is enough"

Said his father, "don't give yourself airs!

Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?

Be off, or I'll kick you downstairs”!