Chipper, chipper, chip! come, clear the way!
We must be at work to day.
See us swiftly fly along,
Hear outbursts of merry song;
Watch us in our busy flight
Glancing in your window bright;
Save your bits of yarn for me;
Just think what a help 'twould be!

2.

Chipper, chipper, chip! Hark, how he sings,
As he comes for threads and strings,
Which he is not slow to see,
From the budding lilac tree!
Now with cunning saucy pranks,
See him nod his hearty thanks:
"These are just the thing," says he;
"What a help they'll be to me!"

3.

Chipper, chipper, chip! Now see him go,
Now so fast and now so slow;
Working ever at the nest,
Never stopping once to rest,
Getting bits of straw and things
For his good wife, while he sings,
"Chip, chip, chip, so gay are we,
Singing in the lilac tree."