Scene 16: The Tale of Jean Caddow

Traveling through the central lands
Through woods and mountains and icy sands
Lived a man named Jean Caddow
A chimney sweep that few did know
For everywhere that Caddow went
Was a place with myrrh’s stale scent

Poor Caddow was simply cursed
For where he went occurred the worst
Any house attended he
Did witness death so tragically
Living on the streets alone
Just Jean Caddow and his jackdaws

Jean Caddow went house to house
To try and escape the clouds’ cold douse
But nowhere would they let him in
Despite his pleas and weary grins
So cold Caddow huddled down
Beneath the sky and nearly drowned

But Jean Caddow was luckily found
By a tender-lipped maiden, crisp as sound
Whose eyes and voice made songs of joy
With every glance and whisper so coy
She walked Caddow home and sat him in
And hospitably poured him a glass of gin

Oh dear Caddow was in perfect bliss
In comfort and warmth of this sweet miss
And offered to clean and service her home
To clean each little cranny, chimney and stone
But the tender-lipped lady politely refused
And to her own room did she herself excuse

So Caddow went to bed, tender and mild
And dreamt sweetened dreams, and awoke with a smile
Secretly he cooked a heavenly meal
Of potatoes and eggs, and tea with fruit peels
He knocked on the door of his gracious hostess
And quietly to god did he the meal bless

But no response was heard to Jean Caddow’s knock
Nothing but air and a gentle, quiet clock