'Abdul Abulbul Amir' is the most common name for a music-hall song written in 1877 (during the Russo-Turkish War) under the title 'Abdulla Bulbul Ameer' by Percy French, and subsequently altered and popularized by a variety of other writers and performers. It tells the story of two valiant heroes — the titular Abdulla, fighting for the Turks, and his foe (originally named Ivan Potschjinsky Skidar in French's version), a Russian warrior —who encounter one another, engage in verbal boasting, and are drawn into a duel in which both perish.
then this bold Marmaduke drew his trusty chiboque [×]
An obscene parody version of the song, in which Abdul and Ivan engage in a competition regarding who can have sex with more prostitutes in a given time, originated in the British military and is traditionally sung in rugby clubs.
Куда более близкий к версии этого исполнения текст, чем представленные в энциклопедической статье:
If you wanted a man to encourage the van, Or harass the foe from the rear, Storm fort or redoubt, you had only to shout For Abdul Abulbul Amir.
Now the heroes were plenty and well known to fame In the troops that were led by the Czar, And the bravest of these was a man by the name Of Ivan Skavinsky Skavar.
One day this bold Russian, he shouldered his gun And donned his most truculent sneer, Downtown he did go where he trod on the toe Of Abdul Abulbul Amir.
Young man, quoth Abdul, has life grown so dull That you wish to end your career? Vile infidel, know, you have trod on the toe Of Abdul Abulbul Amir.
So take your last look at the sunshine and brook And send your regrets to the Czar For by this I imply, you are going to die, Count Ivan Skavinsky Skavar.
Then this bold Mameluke drew his trusty skibouk, Singing, «Allah! Il Allah! Al-lah!» And with murderous intent he ferociously went For Ivan Skavinsky Skavar.
They parried and thrust, they side-stepped and cussed, Of blood they spilled a great part; The philologist blokes, who seldom crack jokes, Say that hash was first made on the spot.
They fought all that night neath the pale yellow moon; The din, it was heard from afar, And huge multitudes came, so great was the fame, Of Abdul and Ivan Skavar.
As Abdul's long knife was extracting the life, In fact he was shouting, «Huzzah!» He felt himself struck by that wily Calmuck, Count Ivan Skavinsky Skavar.
The Sultan drove by in his red-breasted fly, Expecting the victor to cheer, But he only drew nigh to hear the last sigh, Of Abdul Abulbul Amir.
There's a tomb rises up where the Blue Danube rolls, And graved there in characters clear, Is, "Stranger, when passing, oh pray for the soul Of Abdul Abulbul Amir."
A splash in the Black Sea one dark moonless night Caused ripples to spread wide and far, It was made by a sack fitting close to the back, Of Ivan Skavinsky Skavar.
A Muscovite maiden her lone vigil keeps, 'Neath the light of the cold northern star, And the name that she murmurs in vain as she weeps, Is Ivan Skavinsky Skavar.
Куда более близкий к версии этого исполнения текст, чем представленные в энциклопедической статье: