**DISCLAIMER** I do not own either the plot or the tune. Plot is from
"Emma" by Jane Austen. Tune is from "The Irish Ballad" by Tom Lehrer, ©
1959
Oh, of a maid I'll sing a song,
Sing rickity tickity tin.
Oh, of a maid I'll sing a song,
She acted like a real dumb blond.
Not only did she match her friends up wrong,
Her vanity 'most did herself in, self in
Her vanity 'most did herself in.
Harriet was her real best friend.
Sing rickity tickity tin.
Harriet was her real best friend.
But their relationship was rend.
Because by the story's end,
Emma's matched her up with two men, two men
Emma's matched her up with two men.
Frank Churchill was one of these guys,
Sing rickity tickity tin.
Frank Churchill was one of these guys,
But his partiality was lies.
He pulled the wool over their eyes,
And married Miss Bate's kin, 'ses kin
And married Miss Bate's kin.
Mr. Elton was the other one.
Sing rickity tickity tin.
Mr. Elton was the other one,
He wanted Harriet's picture done.
It was Emma whom he wished to have won.
Harriet just the means to his end, his end.
Harriet just the means to his end.
Mr. Knightly is Emma's old pal
Sing rickity tickity tin
Mr. Knightly is Emma's old pal
He wants Emma to be his gal.
At the end she says that she shall,
Harriet's heart's been broken again, again
Harriet's heart's been broken again.
This awful tale I won't prolong,
Sing rickity tickity tin.
This awful tale I won't prolong,
And if you do not like my song
If you think the book's too long,
You should never have let Jane begin, begin,
You should never have let Jane begin.
Oh, of a maid I'll sing a song,
Sing rickity tickity tin.
Oh, of a maid I'll sing a song,
She acted like a real dumb blond.
Not only did she match her friends up wrong,
Her vanity 'most did herself in, self in
Her vanity 'most did herself in.
Harriet was her real best friend.
Sing rickity tickity tin.
Harriet was her real best friend.
But their relationship was rend.
Because by the story's end,
Emma's matched her up with two men, two men
Emma's matched her up with two men.
Frank Churchill was one of these guys,
Sing rickity tickity tin.
Frank Churchill was one of these guys,
But his partiality was lies.
He pulled the wool over their eyes,
And married Miss Bate's kin, 'ses kin
And married Miss Bate's kin.
Mr. Elton was the other one.
Sing rickity tickity tin.
Mr. Elton was the other one,
He wanted Harriet's picture done.
It was Emma whom he wished to have won.
Harriet just the means to his end, his end.
Harriet just the means to his end.
Mr. Knightly is Emma's old pal
Sing rickity tickity tin
Mr. Knightly is Emma's old pal
He wants Emma to be his gal.
At the end she says that she shall,
Harriet's heart's been broken again, again
Harriet's heart's been broken again.
This awful tale I won't prolong,
Sing rickity tickity tin.
This awful tale I won't prolong,
And if you do not like my song
If you think the book's too long,
You should never have let Jane begin, begin,
You should never have let Jane begin.