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I Saw a Ship A-Sailing
The Lone Captain - What Might His Mission Be?
This simple black and white 1944 Tasha Tudor illustration portrays the
duck captain alone on the bow of his ship. He is wearing a hat, carrying
a telescope and wearing his packet. The packet appears to be an actual
package, rather than the backpack of later versions of the packet. It
even seems to be wrapped with a ribbon or rope, which is rather uncharacteristic
of contemporary backpacks. The “four and twenty white mice”
are nowhere to be seen, perhaps to downplay the concept of prisoners “with
chains about their necks” during the war years. The raised cover
hints of a cabin or hold beneath, possibly containing “comfits”
and “apples”, although, none are visible. The duck captain
appears to be saying, “Quack! Quack!” as the ship begins to
move.
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