School Spirit

As a grade, we’re currently reading Rowan of Rin, a great kids’ novel by a great Australian kids’ author, Emily Rodda. If you’re not aware of it, the story revolves around Rowan and six members of his village facing the terrors of the Mountain as they journey to the summit to find why the water for the river has stopped flowing. At the top, legend has it lives a great Dragon. It’s a fantastic, classic adventure style story with the central theme of facing your fears and how the smallest can achieve great things. The kids have gotten right into it as the story has unfolded, and if their interest stays up, we’ll try to read the other four stories in the collection as well by the end of the year. You can get them all in one big, hard cover volume now too, which is great, except for your arms during long periods of reading in front of the grade.

Anyway, this lead us to talking about other mythical creatures, and unicorns popped up. We were also looking at floods for another theme at the same time, which lead one child to bring in the story of the Great Flood. Noah and the Ark, that sort of stuff. Well… the stars aligned and brought about the perfect opportunity to introduce this great little song about unicorns which they heard for the first time this afternoon.

If you’re musically inclined, I’ve included the chords I use to play it on the guitar, and you can listen to the song below as well. The last verse is not in the original song, but seems to have been included fairly widely since. Enjoy!

The Unicorn Song

A long time ago, when the Earth was green
There was more kinds of animals than you’ve ever seen
They’d run around free while the Earth was being born
And the loveliest of all was the unicorn

There were green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born
The loveliest of all was the unicorn

Now God sees some sinning and it gave Him pain
And He says, “Stand back, I’m going to make it rain”
He says, “Hey brother Noah, I’ll tell you what to do
Build me a floating zoo, and take some of those…

Green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born
Don’t you forget My unicorns

Old Noah was there to answer the call
He finished up making the ark just as the rain started to fall
He marched on the animals two by two
And he called out as they came through, “Hey Lord,”

I’ve got green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but Lord, I’m so forlorn
I just can’t find no unicorns”

And Noah looked out through the driving rain
Them unicorns were hiding, playing silly games
Kicking and splashing while the rain was falling
Oh, them silly unicorns

There was green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Noah cried, “Close the door because the rain is falling
And we just can’t wait for no unicorns”

The ark started moving, it drifted with the tide
The unicorns looked up from the rocks and they cried
And the waters came down and sort of floated them away
That’s why you never see unicorns to this very day

You’ll see green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born
You’re never gonna see no unicorns

[New Lyrics]
Now you might think this is the ending to the song,
But I’ll have to tell you friends that in fact you’re wrong
You see, Unicorns are magical, so when the rain started pouring,
They grew themselves some wings and they took to soaring.

You’ll see green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
But if you’re looking for the unicorns, don’t be forlorn,
The second star to the right and straight on until morning.

The chord progression is fairly simple - D / A7 / A7 / D / D D7 / G / D / A7 D - and it’s the same for the verse and the chorus.