Englebert the Elephant Songtext

von Tom Paxton

When the King and Queen decided
They would have a formal dance
Invitations were delivered
And it happened quite by chance
Through an oversight of someone's
Whose it was I can't recall
Engelbert the elephant
Was invited to the ball
What excitement in the jungle
What a holy hullabaloo
What a race to find a costume
And to learn a step or two
You could feel the jungle shaking
And I bet it's shaking yet
While Engelbert was learning
How to dance the minuet
All the palace lamps were lighted
As the sun was goin' down
And the music of the orchestra
Was heard across the town
The dance was just beginning
When there came a mighty roar
Your Highness - there's an elephant
And he's standing by the door
Then the guard turned out from everywhere
They came from every place
To where Engelbert was standing
With a smile upon his face
He was dressed in latest fashion
On his trunk he wore a ring
He presented his invitation
With the seal of the King
So the soldiers formed an escort
And they led him to the ball
Where the orchestra stopped playing
And a hush went through the hall
For the King and Queen were speechless
And I'm sure they're speechless now
Engelbert the elephant
Made a very lovely bow
Then the Queen began to smile at him
The band began to play
And Engelbert was dancing
In the very nicest way
The ladies were delighted
At the way he turned and spun
And before the night was over
He had danced with everyone
When they sat down to dinner
Engelbert sat on the floor
He nibbled most politely
Though he really wanted more
When the final dance was called for
Such a sight you've never seen
For it was by the royal command
He danced it with the Queen
And when the ball was over
And the guests began to go
They escorted him to the city gates
And he gave 'em quite a show
For the band had come along with them
And the band began to play
And the dance he did along the road
Is talked about today
Yes they talked about the dancing
And you know they're talkin' yet
Of how Engelbert the elephant
Performed the minuet