Upon the road to London Town,
Many a fair young lass,
Dressed in fancy hat and gown,
Was often seen to pass;
And many a homely peasant girl,
A simple farmer’s daughter,
Her hair all bound-up in a curl
By ribbons her ma had bought her.
Now, one fine day a fair lass stopped
A peasant girl to show her,
How, with jewels, her hat was topped---
She didn’t even know her!
But as she chattered on and on
About her jeweled hat,
The peasant girl, she said, anon,
"I’ve prettier gems that that!"
"You have gems?" the rich lass cried,
"You lie! You peasant scum!"
And then she said, with injured pride,
"Why, you must think me dumb!
These gems, which shimmer, glow and shine,
As if they’re filled with flame---
They cost a very hefty fine,"
The rich lass did proclaim.
"I have chains of ruby and gold
Which glow like crimson fire---
I have bracelets, really old,
Of silver and sapphire---
I have rings of amethyst
Which hang from both my ears---
And this pin of a violinist
With diamonds shaped like tears.
"I’ve emerald and turquoise gowns,
Of fabric, finely turned;
They cost me many, many pounds
Above what you have earned;
So tell me, farmer’s daughter, poor,
Although it can’t be true,
If you’ve a pittance, and no more,
What fancy jewels have you?"
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The farmer’s daughter shook her head,
And then she breathed a sigh;
Patiently, she slowly said,
"I’ve turquoise in the sky.
And though I’m not a wealthy lass,
I’ve riches seldom seen;
My emeralds are leaves and grass
In shades of vibrant green.
"And I have sparkling diamonds, too;
The real ones, not those fakes;
For, I have shining drops of dew,
And thousands of snowflakes.
I have sparkling amethyst
And rubies, by your leave;
The ones you’ve evidently missed,
At sunset, in the eve.
"I have sapphires, yes I do,
As blue as they can be;
They’re the deepest, darkest blue
That you will ever see.
I found them all along the beach
One bright and sunny day;
They’re the waves, just out of reach,
And that is where they’ll stay.
"And sunlight on the sea at dawn,
That is my precious gold;
And every time I’ve put it on
It never has been cold.
The moonlight on the moving tide,
Now that’s my silver chain;
And I can let it lie outside
And there it will remain.
"Yes, I have gems, the likes of which
You’ve never taken note;
So, just because you are so rich,
You have no cause to gloat;
My precious gems, the earth, the sky,
The everlasting sea,
They’re much more pleasing to the eye
And I got them for free."
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