CAPS FOR SALE

 

Illustrations by: Esphyr Slobodkina

Adapted and set to music by: Susan Biegler

Performed by Susan Biegler and  Susan Gencarelli

- - The Lazy Susans.

Produced by: Steve Biegler

 

Lyrics

 

There once was a peddler who sold caps
But he didn’t carry his wares on his back
He carried them on his head

First he had on his own checked cap
Then a bunch of grey caps
Then a bunch of blue caps
And then on the very top
A bunch of red caps

He’d walk up and down the streets calling
"Caps for sale, fifty cents a cap"

But nobody wanted any caps that morning
Not even a red cap
He began to feel very hungry
But he had no money for lunch

“I think I’ll go for a walk in the country,” said he
So he walked for a long time until he came to a tree
That's a lovely place for a rest, thought he

He slept for a long time and woke up refreshed and rested
But when he stood up and felt for his caps
All he felt was his own felt cap

He looked to the right of him, no caps
He looked to the left of him, no caps
He looked in back of him
And then he looked into the tree
And what do you think he saw?

On every branch sat a monkey
And on every monkey’s head there was a cap
He shook his fists and said
“You monkeys you give me back my caps!”
But the monkeys shook their own fists

back at him and said
“Tsk, tsk, tsk”

Now the peddler felt very mad
He stamped his feet and said,
“You monkeys you, you better give back my caps!”
But the monkeys stamped their own feet
and what do you think they said?
“Tsk, tsk, tsk”

Now the peddler was very mad
He pulled off his own checked cap
Threw it on the ground
Began to walk away
But then each monkey
Pulled off his own cap
Threw it on the ground

First all of the grey caps
Then all of the blue caps
And then all the red caps
Came flying down out of the tree

The peddler put all the caps back on his head
Right on top of his own checked cap
And then he walked back to town
Calling “Caps for sale, fifty cents a cap
Caps for sale, fifty cents a cap”