[Part 1]
[Gm] [Eb] [Bb]
A little boy walked a forest path where the mountain shadows fall
[Eb] [Bb] [F]
And coiled beside the dusty trail lay a rattlesnake old and small
[Gm] [Eb] [Bb]
The serpent raised his weary head his voice was thin and low
[Gm]
Little boy please carry me where the mountain sunsets glow
[Eb] [Bb]
The boy stepped back and shook his head, I know the kind you are
[Eb] [Bb] [F]
If I lift you in my arms, your bite will leave its scar
[Gm] [Eb] [Bb]
But the snake spoke soft and trembling, I am old and near my end
[F] [Gm]
Let me see the sunset once, I will not harm you friend
[Part 2]
[Eb] [F] [Gm] [Eb] [Bb]
The boy stood long in silence there while the evening shadows grew
[Eb] [Bb] [F]
Then he took the rattlesnake though he knew what snakes can do
[Gm] [Eb] [Bb]
Held him close against his chest as he climbed the rocky way
[F] [Gm]
To the mountains quiet summit at the dying of the day
[Eb] [F]
There they watched the red sun sinking through the pines and purple sky
[Gm] [Eb]
And the old snake whispered softly, "It is good before I die"
[Gm] [F] [Eb] [Bb]
When the light was gone to darkness and the stars began to gleam
[F] [Gm]
The boy carried him back down through the forest cold and dim
[Part 3]
[Eb] [F] [Gm] [Eb] [F] [Gm] [Eb] [F] [Gm]
At the boy's small home that evening
[Eb] [Bb] [F]
He gave the snake a place to stay
[Gm]
And a little food and shelter
[Eb] [F] [Gm]
Till the breaking of the day
[Eb] [F]
In the morning came the question
[Bb] [Eb]
From the serpent old and worn
[Bb]
Take me home into the woods
[F] [Gm]
Where I waited to be born
[Part 4]
[Eb] [F] [Bb]
So the boy once more believed him, held him safely to his chest
[Gm] [Eb] [F]
Carried him into the forest, to the place he loved the best
[Gm] [F] [Bb] [Eb]
But before the boy could lay him on the ground beneath the trees
[Bb] [F] [Gm] [Eb]
The rattlesnake struck swiftly like a whisper in the breeze
[F] [Gm]
[Eb] [F] [Gm] [Eb]
The boy cried out in sorrow
[F] [Bb] [Dm]
As the venom burned his breath
[Gm] [Eb]
Why have you done this to me now?
[F] [Gm]
You surely dealt my death
[Eb] [Bb]
The snake looked up and answered
[F] [Gm] [Eb]
With a cold and knowing hiss
[Bb] [F]
He knew what I was, little boy
[Bb] [F] [Gm]
When you first picked me up like this?
Outro
[Eb] [F] [Gm] [Eb] [F] [Gm]
