The Snake by Al Wilson – Song lyrics

[sept4]

On her way to work one morning
Down the path alongside the lake
A tender-hearted woman saw a poor half-frozen snake
His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew
“Oh well, ” she cried, “I’ll take you in and I’ll take care of you”
“Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)
Take me in, for heaven’s sake (yes, come on in)
Take me in, tender woman, ” sighed the snake
Now she wrapped him up all cozy in a coverture of silk
And laid him by the fireside with some honey and some milk
Now she hurried home from work that night, as soon she arrived
Now she found that pretty snake she’d taken in had been revived
“Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)
Take me in, for heaven’s sake (yes, come on in)
Take me in, tender woman, ” sighed the snake
Now she clutched him to her bosom, “You’re so beautiful, ” she cried
“But if I hadn’t brought you in by now you might have died”
Now she stroked his pretty skin again and then kissed and held him tight
But instead of saying thanks, that snake gave her a vicious bite (ooh)
“Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)
Take me in, for heaven’s sake (yes, come on in)
Take me in, tender woman, ” sighed the snake
“I saved you, ” cried that woman
“And you’ve bitten me, even why?
And you know your bite is poisonous and now I’m gonna die”
“Oh, shut up, silly woman, ” said that reptile with a grin
“Now you knew darn well I was a snake before you brought me in”

[sept4]

Based on The Farmer and the Viper, one of Aesop’s Fables

Moral of the story is that kindness to evil will be met by betrayal.

A tale as old as time.

[sept4]

In the fable’s version by Phaedrus the snake says that he bit his benefactor “to teach the lesson not to expect a reward from the wicked.”

[sept4]

“Expect no reward when you serve the wicked, and be thankful if you escape injury for your pain”

aesop

These fables warned us of evil and betrayal all along. We just didn’t listen.

[emilie18]

I have always loved this song and it’s message. How many of us have taken in a “snake” out of pity only to be bitten? I sure have…

• This reply was modified 3 months ago by emilie18.

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