On her way to work one morning
Down the path along side the lake
tender hearted woman found a cold half frozen snake
His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew
"Poor thing!" she cried, "I'll take you in and I'll take care of you"
"Take me in oh tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in oh tender woman," sighed the snake

She wrapped him up all cozy in a curvature of silk
And laid him by the fireside with some honey and some milk
She hurried home from work that night and soon as she arrived
She found the snake she'd taken in by now had been revived
"Take me in, oh tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in oh tender woman," sighed the snake

She clutched him to her bosom, "You're so beautiful," she cried
"But if I hadn't brought you in by now you would have died"
She stroked his pretty skin again and kissed and held him tight
But instead of saying thanks, that snake gave her a vicious bite
"Take me in, oh tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in oh tender woman," sighed the snake

"I saved you," cried that woman
"And you've bit me even, why?
You know your bite is poisonous and now I'm gonna die"
"Oh shut up, silly woman," said the reptile with a grin
"You knew [bad word] well I was a snake before you took me in
"Take me in, oh tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in oh tender woman," sighed the snake