The Little Hen

In our granny's back yard There lived a little speckled hen; The little hen laid a little egg, From shelf to shelf, Into a little tub hollowed from aspen wood,…

In our granny's back yard There lived a little speckled hen; The little hen laid a little egg, From shelf to shelf, Into a little tub hollowed from aspen wood, Into the corner beneath the bench. A mouse ran past, Swished her tail — And cracked the egg! Over that egg the beggar began to weep, The woman to sob, the gateposts to laugh, The hens to fly, the gates to creak; The rubbish beneath the threshold began to smoke, The doors went crooked, the fence fell apart; The priest's daughters were carrying water, They broke their pail, And told the priest's wife: “You know nothing about it, Mother! There, in granny's back yard, There lived a little speckled hen; The little hen laid a little egg, From shelf to shelf, Into a little tub hollowed from aspen wood, Into the corner beneath the bench. A mouse ran past, Swished her tail — And cracked the egg! Over that egg the beggar began to weep, The woman to sob, the gateposts to laugh. The hens to fly, the gates to creak, The rubbish beneath the threshold began to smoke, The doors went crooked, the fence fell apart; We were carrying water — and broke our pail!” The priest's wife was kneading dough in her tub — She scattered all the dough across the floor; She went to church and told the priest: “You know nothing about it… There, in granny's back yard, (The same story is repeated again.) ......... the fence fell apart; Our daughters were carrying water — They broke their pail and told me; I was kneading dough — And scattered all the dough!” The priest began tearing up his book — And scattered it all across the floor!