THE SNAKE
Oscar Brown, Jr.

On the way to work one morning, down the path alongside the lake,
A tenderhearted woman found a poor half-frozen snake.
His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew.
"Poor thing" she cried. "I'll take you in and I'll take care of you."

"Take me in, tender woman.
Take me in, for heaven's sake.
Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.

She wrapped him up all cozy in a comforter of silk,
And laid him by the fireside with some honey and some milk.
She hurried home from work that night, and as soon as she arrived,
She found that pretty snake she'd taken in had been revived.

"Take me in, tender woman.
Take me in, for heaven's sake.
Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.

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."
Well, she stroked his pretty skin again and kissed him really tight.
Instead of saying thanks, the snake gave her a vicious bite.

"Take me in, tender woman.
Take me in, for heaven's sake.
Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.

"I saved you!" cried the woman, "and you've bitten me, but why?
You know your bite is poisonous and now I'm gonna die."
"Ha! Shut up, silly woman," said that reptile with a grin.
"You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in."

"Take me in, tender woman.
Take me in, for heaven's sake.
Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.
"Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.
"Take me in, tender woman,"
Sighed the snake.