The Storyteller strathspey

Subject: ‘The Storyteller’ by CapriUni
From: CapriUni - PM
Date: 24 Jul 05 - 07:15 PM

Inspired by the Gaelic proverb An té a thabharfas scéal chugat tabharfaidh sé dhá scéal uait (Whoever will bring a story to you will take two stories from you).

I’m not sure if the ending works, though. Is it clear?

Oh, there once was a man with a story to tell
Yes, he just had the one, but he told it so well
A story of how he had once found elves’ gold
’Twas a wonderful story that this man once told.

Then one day, as he walked down the road,
Who should he meet but a funny blue toad?
“Oh, please tell the story of how you found gold!”
So he told the story that he always told.

Oh, there once was a man with two stories to tell
Yes, he just had the two, but he told them so well
The one of the toad, and the one of the gold,
Oh, such wonderful stories that this man once told.

Then one day, by the roadside he sat,
Who should come by, but a funny green cat?
“Oh please tell that story, ‘The Toad that was Blue’”
So he told the story. You know that it’s true.

Oh, there once was a man with three stories to tell
Yes, he just had the three, but he told them so well
The one of the cat, of the toad, and of gold,
Oh, such wonderful stories that this man once told.

Then, one day, as he sat down to eat,
Who should call out but the birds in the trees?
“Oh please tell your story, the one of the cat!”
So he told his story. Can you picture that?

Oh, there once was a man with four stories to tell
Yes, he just had the four, but he told them so well
The birds, and the cat, and the toad, and the gold,
Oh, such wonderful stories that this man once told.

Now he has one more story to tell,
And, as you know, he will tell it quite well.
And if you should wonder if this tale is true,
It is just the story of how he met you!