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PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON

(by Lawrence Lipton and Peter Yarrow of Peter Paul and Mary in 1963)

(music to go here)

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honolee
Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal Puff
And brought him string and sealing wax and other fancy stuff.
    Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea
    And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honolee,
    Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea
    And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honolee.

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on Puff's gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow whenever they came
And pirate ships would lower their flags when Puff roared out his name.

Now, dragons live forever, but not so little boys:
Painted rings and giants' wings give way to other toys;
One gray day it happened, Jackie Paper came no more,
And Puff the mighty dragon, he forgot his fearless roar.

His head was bowed in anguish, green scales they fell like rain;
Puff no longer came to play upon the Cherry Lane;
Without his lifelong friend, Puff could not be brave,
So Puff the mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave.

(additional verses)
Nothing lasts forever, not even those gray days
Something always bobs again, in new and different ways
Puff could not believe his ears, when it happened one fine day
Outside his dreary prison cave, Jackie Junior came to play!

So once again they traveled on a boat with billowed sail
And Jackie Junior watched while perched on Puff's gigantic tail
Still mighty kings and princes would bow whene'er they came
And pirate ships would lower their flags when Puff roared out his name.

(from miriam berg's folksong collection)