The horse and the mule live for 30 years,
And know nothing of wines and beer;
And know nothing of wines and beer;
The goat and sheep at 20 die,
And never get a taste of Scotch and rye.
The cow drinks water by the tonne
And at 18 is mostly done
Without the aid of gin and rum.
The cat in milk and water soaks,
The cat in milk and water soaks,
And then in 12 short years it croaks.
The modest, sober, bone-dry hen
The modest, sober, bone-dry hen
Lays eggs for others, and then dies at 10.
All animals are strictly dry,
They sinless live and swiftly die.
But sinful, ginful, rum-soaked men
But sinful, ginful, rum-soaked men
Survive for three score years and ten,
And some of them, though very few,
Stay pickled till they're 92.
And some of them, though very few,
Stay pickled till they're 92.
Khushwant Singh, himself 92
