fable of the brown ape

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

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