Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Fable Of The Brown Ape lyrics

Farmer Emmerich went into his barn

And found a cow suckling a serpent

And a brown ape clanking a heavy chain

Said Farmer Emmerich to the ape

Never ask me to come into this barn again

So Long

Farewell

So Long

Farmer Emmerich caught the serpent

And the brown ape in a cage

And took them into his house

He fed the snake a vat of milk

And when the ape rattled its chain

He tossed the ape a mouse

So Long

Goodbye

Farewell

The villagers found out that Farmer Emmerich

Was nurturing a serpent

And descended upon his farm

All rabid in their blindness

They dragged the snake outside

Chopped it open with an axe

And the ground soaked

In the milk of human kindness

So Long

Farewell

So Long

But the brown ape escaped

And was heard to roam the ranges

Clanking its heavy chain

Down in the valley it sang to its friend

Whom he may never see again