No. 27:
Song (Hassan) with Chorus
Hassan. | ||||
There was once a small Street Arab, | ||||
And perhaps his little name was Tom; | ||||
And he lived in Gutter-Persia | ||||
Where street arabs rightly all come from; | ||||
And like little Gutter-Persians | ||||
(Every one and one and all) | ||||
His young spirits were elastic | ||||
As an India-rubber ball! | ||||
Chorus. | ||||
His young spirits were elastic as a ball! | ||||
Hassan. | ||||
And all day long He sang a song, |
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A merry little ditty as he danced a cellar-flap: | ||||
"The life I lead is all I need, | ||||
I know no better" — the lucky little chap! | ||||
Chorus. | ||||
"The life I lead is all I need, | ||||
I know no better," said the lucky little chap! |
Hassan. | ||||
Now among the bricks and mortar | ||||
Did his wretched little lifetime pass; | ||||
He had never seen a flower | ||||
Or a single, simple blade of grass; | ||||
But one day he found a daisy, | ||||
And he thought that simple thing | ||||
Was a wondrous flower from heaven, | ||||
And he took it to the King. | ||||
Chorus. | ||||
And he took that simple daisy to the King! | ||||
Hassan. | ||||
He meant no wrong, And through the throng |
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He struggled to the Sultan and then laid it on his lap; | ||||
(That simple weed — he did indeed), | ||||
He knew no better — the stupid little chap! | ||||
Chorus. | ||||
(That simple weed, he did indeed,) | ||||
He knew no better, did the stupid little chap! |
Hassan. | ||||
But the Sultan gravely thanked him, saying | ||||
"Would that would that I were wise | ||||
Enough to take a daisy | ||||
For a lovely flower from Paradise! | ||||
But I will not now reward thee, | ||||
Or exchange thy simple lot | ||||
For great riches would but rob thee | ||||
Of a wealth that I have not!" | ||||
Chorus. | ||||
Would but rob thee of a wealth that I have not! | ||||
Hassan. | ||||
So all day long He sang his song |
||||
A merry little ditty as he danced a cellar-flap: | ||||
"The life I lead is all I need!" | ||||
He knew no better — the lucky little chap! | ||||
Chorus. | ||||
"The life I lead is all I need," | ||||
He knew no better did the lucky little chap! |
Page modified 8 July 2008