Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Music: Stephen Sondheim
Pardon me, I was there.
You were where?
At the Treaty House.
At the Treaty House?
There was a tree…
Which was where?
Very near.
Over here?
Maybe over there…
But there were trees then, everywhere…
May I show you? (If you please.)
There were trees then, everywhere…
But you were there.
And I was there!
Let me show you.
If you please.
I was younger then…
I was good at climbing trees…
I was younger then…
I saw everything.
I was hidden all the time…
It was easier to climb…
I was younger then.
I saw everything!
Where they came and where they went.
I was part of the event.
I was someone in a tree.
I was younger then!
Tell him what I see!
I am in a tree, I am ten.
I am in a tree.
I was younger then.
In between the eaves I can see.
Tell him what I see.
I was only ten.
I see men and matting.
Some are old, some chatting.
If it happened, I was there!
I saw everything! (I see everything)
I was someone in a tree.
Tell him what I see!
Some of them have gold on their coats.
One of them has gold.
He was younger then.
Someone crawls around, passing notes.
someone very old.
He was only ten.
And there's someone in a treeー
ーor the day is incomplete.
Without someone in a tree,
nothing happened here.
I am hiding in a tree.
I'm a fragment of the day.
If I weren't, who's to say
things would happen here the way
that they happened here?
I was there, then. (It's the fragment, not the day.)
It's the pebble, not the stream. (I am here, still.)
It's the ripple, not the sea.
Not the building, but the beam.
Not the garden, but the stone.
Not the Treaty House… someone in a tree.
Pardon me, I am here.
If you please, I am also hereー
They kept drinking cups of tea.
They kept sitting on the floor.
They drank many cups of teaー
No, we told him that before.
If you please, I am here.
You are where?
In the Treaty House.
In the Treaty House?
Or very near.
Can you hear?
I'm below.
So I notice.
Underneath the floor
and so I can't see anything.
I can hear them, but I can't see anything.
But you can hear?
But I can hear.
Shall I listen?
If you please.
I can hear them now…
I shall try to shift my knees…
I can hear them now…
I hear everything!
I'm the part that's underneath
with my sword inside my sheath.
I can hear them now…
One is over me.
If they knock, then I appear!
I'm a part of what I hear!
I'm the fragment underneath!
I can hear them now!
Tell us what you hear!
First, I hear a creak and a thump.
Now, I hear a clink…
Then, they talk a bit…
Many times, they shout when they speak.
Other times, they think.
Or they argue it…
I hear floorboards groaning…
Angry growls… much droning…
Since I hear them, they are there! As they argue it.
I'm the listener underneath.
Someone reads a list from a box…
Someone talks of laws…
Then, they fan a bit…
Someone bangs a fist…
Someone knocks.
Now, there was a pause.
Then, they argue it:
"But we want…"
"No, you can't, and we won't…"
"But we need it, and we want…"
"Will you grantー?"
"If you don't…"
"We concede it…"
I can hear them… (And they sat through the night and they lit yellow tapers)
I'm a fragment of the day. (And they chat, and they fight)
I was there then (and they sit, signing papers)
If I weren't, who's to say (I am there still)
Things would happen here the way (If I weren't, who's to say)
The way they are happening? (that they're happening?)
It's the fragment, not the day.
It's the pebble, not the stream.
It's the ripple, not the sea
that is happening.
Not the building, but the beam.
Not the garden, but the stone.
Only cups of teaー
and historyー
and someone in a tree!