The Kitchen Musician ~ September 2016

I have always enjoyed old fables. Here is one that I put into a song. I present to you, “The Frog and the Scorpion”, a cautionary tale for modern listeners. Step into my kitchen!


Index
  News:
  This Month’s Music: “The Frog and the Scorpion”
  Upcoming Shows
  Featured Non-Profit: Ample Harvest

Chanticleers-at-PCA-04-www
Sharing some joyful music with The Chanticleers.
Photo: © 2016 Dan Tapppan


News

I am extending my low key August into September with lots of down time at our rustic cabin in Jaffrey, NH. It is strange not to be gearing up for the start of school. I think retirement will work out just fine.

Looking forward to returning to The Old Manse in historic Concord, MA to perform traditional and compatible original music. Join us on Sunday, Sept. 25th. See below for details.


This Month’s Music
The Frog and the Scorpion


The Frog and the Scorpion
© 2016 Tom Smith (ASCAP) and Traditional

I have always enjoyed Aesop’s fables – those short stories involving animal characters culminating is a moral or life lesson. Perhaps you have heard “The Hare and the Tortoise” or one of the many others. Sometimes fables can communicate a truth that is more memorable than alternative methods.

This month I was listening to one of the story-telling shows on public radio – perhaps it was The Moth. On this show someone incorporated the frog and scorpion fable into his story (although in this particular telling it was a tortoise and not a frog.) I could not find a source for this version, although related fables with a different ending are quite old. Later that day, I read an op-ed article in which the author suggested that certain voters in economically strapped areas of the country are choosing to overlook the core nature of the Republican candidate for president in hopes that he can somehow make life better for them. It occurred to me that perhaps I could use this fable to get the same point across.

Please don’t take anything for granted when it comes to this presidential election. It is very important that everyone who can vote, does vote.

“This could happen to you
It depends what you do
When you vote in November’s election.”

Sing on!

Tom

(If so inclined, I invite you to leave a comment by scrolling to the end of this page.)


Upcoming Shows

Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016 at 2:00 pm, Concord, MA
The Chanticleers joyfully return to the Old Manse in historic Concord, MA. Kate Chadbourne, Pat Kenneally, Robert Phillipps, Linda Abrams and I perform traditional Irish/English/American and original music with guitar, harp, flute, banjo, boudhran, harmonica, and other instruments. Weather permitting.

Saturday, Nov. 4, 2016 at 7:30 pm, Tiverton, RI
Chuck Williams hosts four songwriters from the Rhode Island Songwriters Association community. I am pumped to share the evening with Grant Malloy Smith and two other songwriters TBA.

Click to view details for all upcoming shows.


Featured Non-profit: Ample Harvest

Ample-Harvest-LogoAmple Harvest helps connect gardeners with local food pantries in order to donate excess harvest to folks who otherwise get very little fresh produce in their diet. From their web site:

“A Nationwide Solution to Food Waste With “No Food Left Behind”

Two Problems
1. Gardeners harvesting more than they can use results in food waste.
2. Food pantries nationwide desperately need that fresh food.

One Solution
AmpleHarvest.org helps 42 million home and community gardeners end food waste and hunger by educating and enabling them to donate their excess garden produce to one of 7,800 nearby food pantries across America.”

Please join me in supporting AmpleHarvest.

What do you think?

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3 Comments
  • Tom
    August 29, 2016

    The Frog and the Scorpion
    © 2016 Tom Smith and Traditional

    This story is old,. It is not often told
    But now is the time to restore it
    In an old fashioned way, it is meant to convey
    A caution to those who ignore it.

    There once was a frog in desperate times
    His hardship was like many others
    This frog was poor, with no food in his store
    Like those of his sisters and brothers
    (Refrain: Repeat last 2 lines of every second verse.)

    —–

    From under a log quite close to the frog
    A scorpion rose to address him
    From what I heard I don’t think his words
    Came with the best of intentions

    “I must cross this lake” the scorpion said
    “Kindly I ask you consider.
    I can’t swim the gap. Take me on your back.
    I’ll reward you with gold and with silver.”

    —–

    The frog then replied, “I have seen many die
    By the power you wield with your venom.
    What kind of assurance, can you provide
    That I’ll not be counted among them?”

    “Yes I have a great stinger.” the scorpion said.
    “But I’m not afraid to confess this.
    If I used it on you, then I would drown too.
    And that’s not in our mutual interest.”

    —–

    With the promise of gain, and no thought of pain
    The frog did agree to enlist.
    (He knew) He could contain the scorpion’s campaign.
    It was an acceptable risk.

    The frog with scorpion swam from the shore
    And then beyond all comprehension
    Half way across, in spite of the cost
    The scorpion delivered his poison.

    —–

    The frog in his pain, with tears he exclaimed
    “Now we will both meet our maker!”
    But the scorpion complained, “You are to blame!
    For you knew that this is my nature.”

    Now that my story has come to an end
    It’s custom I tell you the lesson.
    This could happen to you, it depends what you do
    When you vote in November’s election.

  • Elaine
    August 30, 2016

    Concerned….thanks for your efforts , Tom.

    Cuz I’m your cuz,
    Elaine

  • Wayne Martin
    August 30, 2016

    If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.