Little Sparrow

In a farmer's muddy meadow
Chirped a friendly little sparrow
It was brown and it was and yellow
Dwelling in its little burrow.

And that brown and yellow sparrow
From its little muddy burrow
Sang with voice so sweet and mellow
Filling all the airy meadow:

'Where hearts go, the world may follow
Where hearts break, the world may sorrow
Where hope fails, faith may borrow
Forgive today, and love tomorrow.'

Then came the farmer with his barrow
Ploughing with his wooden harrow
Furious furrows, straight and narrow
Till he reached the little sparrow.

Then the farmer - what a fellow!
Lungs and voice like organ bellow
Burst upon the muddy burrow
Without so much a courteous, 'Hello'.

'Tell me sparrow, brown and yellow
Who said you could sit and wallow
In this little willow hollow
'Tween the furrows of my meadow?'

'I truly thought this field fallow'
Chirped the gentle little sparrow
'Which is why, if you'll allow
I hollowed out this humble shallow.'

But the farmer (what a fellow)
Striding through his furrows narrow
Hung the sparrow from a gallows
With an arrow through its marrow.

Now no longer in that burrow
Chirps the brown and yellow sparrow
And its singing sweet and mellow
Fills no more the airy meadow.

But the farmer, none did follow
His heart broken, none did sorrow
His hope failed, no faith to borrow
His own grief sown in his own muddy hollow.

While all around the pleasant meadow
Perched in trees of supple willow
A thousand voices bright and mellow
Sang from beaks of shining yellow:

'Where hearts go, the world may follow
Where hearts break, the world may sorrow
Where hope fails, faith may borrow
Forgive ye today, and love tomorrow.'