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