The Story Of The Yellow Hammer
'T WAS Uncle Jan, a queer old chap,
Who knew the ways of things;
One half a witch, the people said,
Could charm your warts and stings.
Could tell 'ee all about the time
When maidens should be wed;
And passles of the strangest things,
By planets overhead.
The sounds of beasts and insects' buzz
He seemed to understand;
He whistled and the crowding birds
Would feed out of his hand.
He used to wander through the woods,
And all the night would lie,
And watch the stars and things he loved —
He wouldn't hurt a fly.
His eyes and all the touch of en,
They had a kind of spell;
And all us children loved en dear,
He had such tales to tell.
It was one summer's evening
We sat beneath a tree,
And on the rail there perched a bird, —
" Aw, my dear life! " says he,
" Can 'ee hear his song, my darlings?
Six notes just all the same —
And then that long-drawn sorrow;
— A gladdy is his name.
" Can 'ee see his golden feathers
That trick en out so gay?
Can 'ee hear his note so plaintive?
I knaw what he do say.
" Once 'pon a time, 'twas long ago,
He used to be a lark;
Went soaring right up to the sun,
And sang from dawn to dark.
" But then there came a spirit ill;
A wicked lie he told —
" You're such a poor old homely thing
You should be dressed in gold."
" " Sell me your song, my dear," says he,
" And I will make 'ee gay;
You sha'n't go out in suit o' brown.
But decked so bright as day.
" This evil spirit offered en
Gold for his breast and wings;
" This here is yours if you'll give me
The soul that soars and sings.
" " All dressed up in a golden suit
They won't think you're the same;
And since the folks won't know 'ee 't all,
I'll give 'ee a new name."
" And so the bargain it was struck;
He did as he was told;
And thought hisself a gentleman
All decked out in his gold.
" But, my dear life, his heart is broke
For what he used to be,
When he went soaring to the sun
And sang so joyfully.
" And now he flies from hedge to hedge —
Hark to his plaintive cry!
In place of song and soaring 'tis
" What — a — poor — rich — thing — am — I!" "
Who knew the ways of things;
One half a witch, the people said,
Could charm your warts and stings.
Could tell 'ee all about the time
When maidens should be wed;
And passles of the strangest things,
By planets overhead.
The sounds of beasts and insects' buzz
He seemed to understand;
He whistled and the crowding birds
Would feed out of his hand.
He used to wander through the woods,
And all the night would lie,
And watch the stars and things he loved —
He wouldn't hurt a fly.
His eyes and all the touch of en,
They had a kind of spell;
And all us children loved en dear,
He had such tales to tell.
It was one summer's evening
We sat beneath a tree,
And on the rail there perched a bird, —
" Aw, my dear life! " says he,
" Can 'ee hear his song, my darlings?
Six notes just all the same —
And then that long-drawn sorrow;
— A gladdy is his name.
" Can 'ee see his golden feathers
That trick en out so gay?
Can 'ee hear his note so plaintive?
I knaw what he do say.
" Once 'pon a time, 'twas long ago,
He used to be a lark;
Went soaring right up to the sun,
And sang from dawn to dark.
" But then there came a spirit ill;
A wicked lie he told —
" You're such a poor old homely thing
You should be dressed in gold."
" " Sell me your song, my dear," says he,
" And I will make 'ee gay;
You sha'n't go out in suit o' brown.
But decked so bright as day.
" This evil spirit offered en
Gold for his breast and wings;
" This here is yours if you'll give me
The soul that soars and sings.
" " All dressed up in a golden suit
They won't think you're the same;
And since the folks won't know 'ee 't all,
I'll give 'ee a new name."
" And so the bargain it was struck;
He did as he was told;
And thought hisself a gentleman
All decked out in his gold.
" But, my dear life, his heart is broke
For what he used to be,
When he went soaring to the sun
And sang so joyfully.
" And now he flies from hedge to hedge —
Hark to his plaintive cry!
In place of song and soaring 'tis
" What — a — poor — rich — thing — am — I!" "
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