To see these lyrics in the original Latin, click here.

Smoke, the dragon mage,
Lived by the sea.
He played there in the autumn
On the seacoast of Hanalum.

Little Marcus Iulus
Loved that mischievous one.
Marcus gave him olives
And other presents.

Chorus: (sung twice)
Oh, Smoke, the dragon mage,
Lived by the sea,
He played there in the autumn
On the seacoast of Hanalum.

Together they sailed
In a magical boat.
He stood on Smoke's tail
And kept watch there.

Kings and generals and elders
Did them honor.
Pirates would surrender
When Smoke bellowed like this:

Chorus

A dragon never changes,
But a boy becomes a man.
The games of children
Are replaced by business deals.

On an ominous night, it happened.
Marcus Iulus went away.
Smoke, the dragon mage,
Stopped bellowing.

Then the dragon wept,
And shed his scales.
Never again would he play
With his friend Marcus.

Without his ally,
He did not feel brave.
So Smoke, the big dragon,
Crept back into his cave.

Chorus

Back to the Carmina Popularia home page