Dougal the Dogull

They sing of a hoard in the caves of the sea,
A chest full of gold hid secretly.
A pirate once fierce carved “X” in the sand,
Then vanished away with a hook for a hand.
The map was lost in a mutinous fight
The treasure waits each morning!

South of the Falls where the sea winds shatter,
Where salty gulls squawk, scream, and scatter,
There lived a pup with feathers for fur,
Who barked like a gull… an odd little blur
The folks on the coast would tremble and chatter,
His squawk rang out each morning!

His tail was waggy, his wings were strong,
He’d zoom through the sky with a barky song.
He let out a “hoo-ha-ha-HAAARK!” each day,
Like a laughing pigeon who’d lost his way.
He’d dive, do a loop, then swoop down to play
He ruled the sky each morning!

Swoop and squawk and flap so free,
“Hoo-ha-ha-HAAARK!” above the sea!
Wings stretched wide with a whooping cheer,
The sky was his, with nothing to fear!

One foggy dusk by the shell-crushed shore,
A rat in a coat washed up with an oar.
His boots were patched, his whiskers grey,
He muttered, “Me ship… she’s drifted away.”
A doubloon clinked as he started to sway
He’d had no cheese since morning!

But far at sea on a stolen deck,
Sailed rats who’d left their captain a wreck.
They’d pinched his map and plundered his gold,
“We’ll take it all!” their whiskers bold.
They laughed at the thought of his ragged fate
His crew had turned that morning!

The Pi-Rat groaned with a sorrowful grin,
“Me luck’s run dry, no ship to sail in.”
He flipped his coin to the roaring tide,
But it clinked on a stone and bounced to the side.
And there sat Dougal, tongue hanging wide
His eyes were bright that morning!

Swoop and squawk and flap so free,
“Hoo-ha-ha-HAAARK!” above the sea!
Wings stretched wide with a whooping cheer,
The sky was his, with nothing to fear!

With a flap and a leap, Dougal swooped down,
He snatched up the coin with a squawk and a frown.
The Pi-Rat blinked, “By thunder, it’s true!
A treasure-sniffer! A mate for me crew!”
He patted his side where the map once lay,
He’d found new hope that morning!

The Pi-Rat laughed, “Ye fetch like a friend,
With wings and a bark, you’ll serve till the end.
No mutiny here, no traitor’s knife,
Just a squawk and a wag — the best of me life.
A nose for gold and a heart that’s true
I’ve found me mate this morning!

“But mark me words,” said the rat with a sneer,
“The Black-Tail Buccaneers still prowl near.
They stole me map and abandoned me then,
A treacherous pack of thieving men.
To win back me gold, I’ll need yer wings
We’ll face that crew by morning!

Swoop and squawk and flap so free,
“Hoo-ha-ha-HAAARK!” above the sea!
Wings stretched wide with a whooping cheer,
The sky was his, with nothing to fear!

Aboard their ship the Buccaneers roared,
“This squiggle means north!” — “Ye fool, it means shore!”
They tore at the map with whiskers and claws,
They bickered and battled with never a pause.
The ink ran thin as the lanterns swayed
They’d lost their course till morning!

“We’ll need a ship,” said the Pi-Rat sly,
“To chase me map ‘neath the open sky.”
They crept to the harbour, the moon riding high,
With Dougal above giving gull-like cries.
The sailors below grew nervous and pale
They’d see strange wings by morning!

He strutted proud with a “hoo-ha-ha-HAAARK!”
His shadow loomed large as the night grew dark.
Then up on the poop deck he huffed with a glare,
He circled and squatted and waggled right there.
“By thunder!” they cried, “That beast fouled the air!”
There’s poop on the poop deck this morning!

Swoop and squawk and flap so free,
“Hoo-ha-ha-HAAARK!” above the sea!
Wings stretched wide with a whooping cheer,
The sky was his, with nothing to fear!

They hoisted a sail on the stolen brig,
The Pi-Rat danced with a jaunty jig.
While Dougal soared on the salty breeze,
His wings stretched wide above foaming seas.
Together they laughed, a new-found pair
They’d chase their fate that morning!

The Pi-Rat pointed, “Yer nose to the west!
Sniff out the gold, ye know it best!”
Dougal dipped low, with a “hoo-ha-ha-HAAARK!”
He circled the waves with a sniff and a bark.
“By thunder,” he cried, “ye’ve a gift, I swear!”
They’d find the hoard by morning!

The clouds rolled in with a growl and a roar,
The lightning flashed and the heavens tore.
The mast near snapped and the tiller shook,
The waves rose high with a thundering look.
The Pi-Rat wailed as the night grew black
They’d not survive till morning!

“It’s you!” he cried in the howling rain,
“A gull-dog curse, ye’ve brought me pain!”
But Dougal howled with a mournful plea,
His wings beat hard to keep them free.
He steadied the ship through the storm’s wild roar
They limped ahead by morning!

Swoop and squawk and flap so free,
“Hoo-ha-ha-HAAARK!” above the sea!
Wings stretched wide with a whooping cheer,
The sky was his, with nothing to fear!

“Off to the east!” cried the Pi-Rat keen,
“Black sails ahead on the waves are seen!”
Dougal squawked with a flap of might,
His eyes locked firm on a lantern’s light.
“The Black-Tails sail with a chest of gold
We’ll catch their ship by morning!”

They rowed and they hauled with the wind in their face,
Dougal dove low to quicken the chase.
The Pi-Rat grinned as the gap grew small,
“By thunder, Dogull, ye’ve bested them all!”
The Buccaneers cursed as they heard his cry
They’d meet their fate by morning!

Then Dougal swooped with a “hoo-ha-ha-HAAARK!”
His cry split the air like a cannon spark.
The gulls flocked round at his raucous call,
They pecked and they flapped till the rats did fall.
The wheel spun wild and the lanterns crashed
The crew was lost by morning!

The treasure chest dragged the ship down low,
The timbers cracked with a splintering blow.
The Pi-Rat leapt as the rats all screamed,
Their ship went under, the gold still gleamed.
The sea claimed all with a booming roar
The hoard was gone by morning!

The Black-Tails scrambled on rafts of rope,
They squealed and they cursed with little hope.
Their tails all tangled, their whiskers wet,
“We’ll have our revenge, don’t count us yet!”
They paddled away with their greed laid bare…
They’d lost their prize by morning!

Swoop and squawk and flap so free,
“Hoo-ha-ha-HAAARK!” above the sea!
Wings stretched wide with a whooping cheer,
The sky was his, with nothing to fear!

The Pi-Rat clung to the chest so tight,
“Me gold! Me glory! Me pirate’s right!”
But the ship sank fast with the weight it bore,
The waves rose high with a thundering roar.
He faced a choice in the swirling foam…
Go down or live till morning!

A rope in his teeth, Dogull flapped with might,
He hauled his mate through the foaming night.
The Pi-Rat skied on a plank with glee,
A lifebuoy strapped as they skimmed the sea.
“The treasure’s gone — but I’ve found me friend!”…
And friendship won that morning!

Past the Falls where the sea winds shatter,
Where salty gulls squawk, scream, and scatter,
They sing of gold in the caverns deep,
But wiser hearts know the prize to keep:
A friend at your side through storm and spray…
That’s treasure found each morning!

Swoop and squawk and flap so free,
“Hoo-ha-ha-HAAARK!” above the sea!
No gold could shine or gleam so true,
As a friend who’ll sail the seas with you!