'Why are ships wimmen?' says Billy Magee;
''Ere's a few reasons as looks good to me.'

'There's good uns an' bad uns, an' wild an' contrary,
An' stubborn an' stupid an' devil-may-care-y;'

'There's some that ain't nothin' but varnish an' paint,
There's some 'as got tempers 'ud bother a saint;'

'There's some steers a course an' there's some as just won't,
There's them fellers sticks to an' them as they don't.'

'An' this 'ere's a fact about wimmen and 'ookers -
The best uns to live with ain't all the best lookers.'

''Umour an' coax 'em, you'll get your own way with 'em;
'Andle 'em wrong, there's the divvle to pay with 'em.'

'Larn all your life, you won't know all about 'em -
An' wot 'ud the world be for us chaps without 'em?'