There lived a man in days of yore,
And he a handsome pigtail wore,
But wondered much and sorrowed more,

Because it hung behind him.
He mused upon this curious case,
He wanted to change the pigtail's place,

And have it hanging at his face,
Not dangling there behind him.
Said he, "The mystery I've found,"

Said he, "I'll turn myself around;"
The mystery found, he turned around,
But still it hung behind him.

Then round and round and out and in,
All day the puzzled man did spin,
In vain -- it mattered not a pin, --

The pigtail hung behind him.