We all stood round attentive, father's orders for to take
And not a word was whispered--such a fuss did father make
Although when mother chuckled how our little ribs did ache
When father laid the carpet on the stairs

First one of us he sent away to purchase carpet tacks
Another one to get some thread and one to fetch bees-wax
And one to find the hammer, and the gimlet, and the axe
When father laid the carpet on the stairs

Then father grabbed the carpet and he took it to the top
The roll was rather heavy and so father let it drop
Then the carpet slithered down--it didn't seem to want to stop
And father slithered with it down the stairs

Then father rubbed his funny-bone, and father rubbed his knee
And if anyone was laughing father glared around to see
And though we nearly throttled we bottled up our glee
When father laid the carpet on the stairs

Then father tried unrolling it, and climbing bit by bit
He got it right up to the top and stopped to make it fit
Then perhaps it was an accident or perhaps to show his grit
He tobogganed on his waist-coat down the stairs

We all of us enjoyed it--it was bliss without alloy
Although to show our mirth we were naturally coy
And mother went behind the pantry door to hide her joy
When father laid the carpet on the stairs

After super human efforts, father got the carpet spread
He tried to drive a tack in, but he hit his thumb instead

He dropped the hammer with a grunt,
And oh the things he said
So mother laid the carpet on the stairs

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