The Three Black Crows

Two honest tradesmen meeting in the Strand, One took the other briskly by the hand; 'Hark ye,' said he, ''tis an odd story this About the crows!' - 'I don't know what it is,' Replied his friend. - 'No! I'm surprised at that; Where I come from, it is the common chat; But you shall hear an odd affair indeed! And that it happen'd they are all agreed; Not to detain you from a thing so strange, A gentleman, who lives not far from 'Change, This week, in short, as all the Alley knows, Taking a vomit, threw up Three Black Crows!' 'Impossible!' -- 'Nay, but 'tis really true; I had it from good hands, and so may you.' -- 'From whose I pray?' -- So, having named the man, Straight to enquire, his curious comrade ran. 'Sir did you tell?' -- relating the affair. 'Yes sir, I did; and, if 'tis worth your care, 'Twas Mr.' - such a one - 'who told it me; But, by the bye, 'twas Two black crows, not Three! ' Resolved to trace so wondrous an event, Quick to the third the virtuoso went. 'Sir,' - and so forth. - 'Why, yes; the thing is fact, Though in regard to number not exact. It was not Two black crows, 'twas only One; The truth of that you may depend upon; The gentleman himself told me the case.'- 'Where may I find him?' - 'Why in' - such a place. Away he went, and having found him out, 'Sir, be so good as to resolve a doubt.'-- Then to his last informant he referr'd, And begg'd to know, if true what he had heard: 'Did you, sir, throw up a black crow?' - 'Not I!'- 'Bless me! - how people propagate a lie! Black crows have been thrown up, Three, Two, and One: And here, I find, all comes at last to None! Did you say nothing of a crow at all?'-- 'Crow - crow - perhaps I might; now I recall The matter over.' - 'And pray, sir, what was't?' 'Why, I was horrid sick, and at the last I did throw up, and told my neighbour so, Something that was -- as black sir, as a crow.'