On her way to work one morning
Down the path alongside the lake
A tender-hearted woman
saw a poor 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"

Chorus

"Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in, tender woman,"
sssighed the snake

She wrapped him up all cozy in a coverture of silk
And then 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 that pretty snake
she'd taken in had been revived

Chorus

"Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in, 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 might have died"

She stroked his pretty skin again
and then kissed and held him tight
But instead of saying thanks,
the snake gave her a vicious bite

Chorus

"Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake

"I saved you," cried that woman
"And you've bit me, but why?
You know your bite is poisonous
and now I'm gonna die"

"Oh shut up, silly woman,"
said that reptile with a grin
"You knew darn well I was a snake
before you took me in"

Chorus

"Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven's sake
Take me in, tender woman,"
sighed the snake
sighed the snake
sighed the snake