Once upon a time there was a little nun
Who lived life for God, but had little fun.
"God doesn't want me to be melancholy,"
She thought, "He'd rather I really be jolly!"
So she took orphaned kids to see happy plays
And also to ball games, to beaches to laze.
The little nun loved that, but something was wrong
Something was missing. In her heart was no song.
"Ah me," sighed the nun, "I guess I'm just greedy,
"The Lord's just so good, I'm just much too needy."
The little nun made up her mind to forget
About how she felt. She would no longer fret.
She made up her mind to ignore her feelings
And pray to the Lord to grant her some healings.
She'd work hard by day and would pray hard by night
And would work hard too, and do what was right.
One summer day after all chores were done
She sat on a bench and drowsed in the sun.
Startled, she jumped when she heard a strange sound
And looked at the sky, at the trees and all 'round.
Dazzling colors streaked past her eyes
Like apples, apricots, green grass and sunrise.
It squawked quite loudly which startled her greatly
Flew in mad circles and then pretty straightly.
And then to her shock the bird flew straight at her
And perched on her shoulder, starting to chatter.
"A parrot! A parrot!" the nun cried aloud
She reached up to stroke him, and felt very proud
This lost bird had picked her above all the others
Over the priests and the sisters and brothers.
The little nun strolled to her cell with the bird
She was laughing, weeping and everyone heard
Her say she'd work hard to find the bird's owner
And they also heard "But I'm such a loner.
"And God has sent this new friend to please me
"He'd never do this to sadden or tease me!
"He wants me to have a new friend all my own
"So I won't feel cheerless, as only He's known."
Delighted, she took the bird into her cell
And wrote out an ad for the paper to tell
The people who lost their dear parrot to call.
Then the little nun prayed and tried not to bawl.
She asked God to let no one answer the ad
And after a month she became very glad
When no one laid claim to the colorful bird
Said the nun "Oh thank you. My prayers have been heard."
Now everyone noticed how happy she was
"She's happy! She's joyous!" The nuns were a-buzz.
And no one begrudged the little nun's gladness
That gorgeous parrot removed all her sadness.
She named him "Rainbow," and everyone told her
That parrots are able to get much older.
"He'll outlive us all!" the Sisters all teased her
The little nun loved all the fuss. It pleased her!
She loved her dear Rainbow and felt very glad
That he'd live long. He was all she had.
She taught him to speak, to fetch and do tricks
And he'd steal her glasses, and crucifix.
The little nun now did her chores with a smile
And rushed through her prayers to get home to her "child."
The nun and her parrot passed such happy years
He scolded and broke things and pulled on her ears.
She clipped back his wings so he would not depart
Her darling parrot was part of her heart.
The Sisters had never seen her so happy
And laughed when she sometimes called Rainbow "Chappie."
"You'd best make provisions for him in your will,"
Said the Sisters, "Since parrots rarely get ill."
One morning the little nun called him to come
When he didn't answer, her heart became numb.
"Oh Rainbow, where are you?" the little nun cried
And she found him, all crumpled where he had died.
The little nun fell to the floor and she wept
And she howled and wailed and finally slept.
She dreamed that together they flew very high
Up through the clouds, and to God in the sky.
The little nun wrapped her arms 'round the bird's neck
And up they went higher, til they were a speck.
Her dear parrot carried her straight to her Lord
His bright wings flew to their well-earned reward.
The Sisters came in and approached them with dread
And burst into tears. Their dear nun friend was dead.
Her arms were wrapped tightly around her dear pet
The drops from her tears on his wings were still wet.
They buried the nun with her cherished bird
And when they had finished, her voice could be heard;
"Goodbye my dear Sisters, I'm now heaven-bound
"And dear Rainbow's with me. We'll see you around!
"I'm happy dear Sisters, God's given me much
"And now I'll be able to live near His touch!
"I'll soar in the rapture with my sweet Chappie
"And watch over you and hope that you're happy.
"I was so sad til the parrot was sent me
"Has God ever treated a nun so gently?"
The nuns glanced around but they could not see her
But all of them to a woman could hear her.
They never doubted they heard her speak
But they knew without her, their lives would be bleak.
They held hands tightly and stood there and listened
And on each of their cheeks, many tears glistened.
The little nun's voice came floating back to them
And they listened closely, her voice did soothe them.
"I'll watch o'er you, dear Sisters and hope that soon
"You'll shortly be with me, near the sun and moon.
"And I pray if you're lonely our Lord will try
"To send you a pet so you will not cry.
"And now please excuse me, I've got to depart
"So goodbye for now and there's love in my heart
"For all of you Sisters who loved me so dear.
"Good bye now, farewell now, my Rainbow is near
"We've got work to do, but I just want to say
"That mostly we'll fly around heaven all day!"
