Loading
THE CHIMNEY SWEEPER
THE CHIMNEY SWEEPER When my mother died I was very young, And my father sold me while yet my tongue Could scarcely cry " 'weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'weep!" So your chimneys I sweep & in soot I sleep. There's little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head That curled like a lamb's back, was shaved, so I said, "Hush, Tom! never mind it, for when your head's bare, You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair." And so he was quiet, & that very night, As Tom was a-sleeping he had such a sight! That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned, & Jack, Were all of them locked up in coffins of black; And by came an Angel who had a bright key, And he opened the coffins & set them all free; Then down a green plain, leaping, laughing they run, And wash in a river and shine in the Sun. Then naked & white, all their bags left behind, They rise upon clouds, and sport in the wind. And the Angel told Tom, if he'd be a good boy, He'd have God for his father & never want joy. And so Tom awoke; and we rose in the dark And got with our bags & our brushes to work. Though the morning was cold, Tom was happy & warm; So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm
THE CHIMNEY SWEEPER When my mother passed away, I was very young, And my father sold me even before I could Barely cry 'weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'weep!' So I sweep your chimneys and sleep in soot. There's little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head That curled like a lamb's back, was shaved, so I told him, 'Hush, Tom! don't worry, for when your head is bare, You know that the soot can't ruin your white hair.' And so he became quiet, and that very night, As Tom was sleeping, he had such a vision! That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned, and Jack, Were all locked up in coffins of black; And then an Angel came who had a bright key, And he opened the coffins and set them all free; Then down a green field, leaping and laughing they ran, And washed in a river and shone in the Sun. Then naked and white, leaving all their bags behind, They rose upon clouds and played in the wind. And the Angel told Tom, if he was a good boy, He'd have God as his father and never lack joy. And so Tom woke up; and we got up in the dark And took our bags and brushes to work. Although the morning was cold, Tom felt happy and warm; So if everyone does their duty, they need not fear harm.