It was over at Coolgardie that a mining speculator, <br />Who was going down the township just to make a bit o' chink, <br />Went off to hire a camel from a camel propagator, <br />And the Afghan said he'd lend it if he'd stand the beast a drink. <br />Yes, the only price he asked him was to stand the beast a drink. <br />He was cheap, very cheap, as the dromedaries go. <br />So the mining speculator made the bargain, proudly thinking <br />He had bested old Mahomet, he had done him in the eye. <br />Then he clambered on the camel, and the while the beast was drinking <br />He explained with satisfaction to the miners standing by <br />That 'twas cheap, very cheap, as the dromedaries go. <br /> <br />But the camel kept on drinking and he filled his hold with water, <br />And the more he had inside him yet the more he seemed to need; <br />For he drank it by the gallon, and his girths grew taut and tauter, <br />And the miners muttered softly, 'Yes he's very dry indeed! <br />But he's cheap, very cheap, as dromedaries go.' <br /> <br />So he drank up twenty buckets -- it was weird to watch him suck it, <br />(And the market price for water was per bucket half-a-crown) <br />Till the speculator stopped him, saying, 'Not another bucket -- <br />If I give him any more there'll be a famine in the town. <br />Take him back to old Mahomet, and I'll tramp it through the town.' <br />He was cheap, very cheap, as the speculators go. <br /> <br />There's a moral to this story -- in your hat you ought to paste it -- <br />Be careful whom you shout for when a camel is about, <br />And there's plenty human camels who, before they'll see you waste it, <br />Will drink up all you pay for if you're fool enough to shout; <br />If you chance to strike a camel when you're fool enough to shout, <br />You'll be cheap, very cheap, as the speculators go.<br /><br />Andrew Barton Paterson<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/shouting-for-a-camel/
