Gilbert and Sullivan Archive
The Rose of Persia
Song No. 27
There was once a small Street Arab
CD
2
Track
10
MIDI File
16K, 2 min. 6 seconds.
SONG. --
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,
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
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 updated 13 November 1999
MIDI File 16K, 2 min. 6 seconds.
