Monkey Hangers

Monkey Hangers (A little historical factoid from your Uncle Mike) According to local folklore In England, there at Hartlepool A monkey was hanged from a yardarm A monkey that wasn’t a ghoul It happened way back in a war time Napoleonic to be exact A French ship was wrecked of the coast there That much we can say is a fact The only survivor a monkey Wearing a French uniform It probably was just for amusement And probably was not the norm The locals had feared an invasion This “sailor” they thought was a spy Dressed in the garb of a Frenchman The locals did not question why On finding the “sailor”, some locals Decided an impromptu trial Was need to handle the prisoner Right there on the beach on that isle Most locals had never seen Frenchmen They figured the monkey was one When he wouldn’t answer their questions The fate of the monkey was done This “sailor” (the monkey), found guilty Was sentenced to death on the spot From the vertical part of the ship mast This monkey was hung there to rot They say on this beach there in Hartlepool The mast of that ship guards the beach And when the wind howls on the coastline It sounds like a dead monkey’s screech “Monkey Hanger”, a term Hartlepoolieans Are called due to this local folklore Having never been there or seen it I guess I can’t add anymore.