The Moth and the Flame

A drama in song, 1899.
words by George Taggart
music by Max S. Witt


The sheet music:


Accompaniment by Benjamin R. Tubb:


Lyrics

  1. At a gay reception given in a mansion grand and old
    A young man met the girl he used to know
    And once again the story of his honest love he told
    The love he’d cherished since long years ago
    But she sighed and sadly murmur’d
    That her childhood love was past
    That soon another man she was to wed
    The lover knew the other man already had a wife
    He bade farewell, but as he went, he said

Chorus
“The Moth and the Flame played a game, one day
The game of a woman’s heart
And the Moth that played was a maid, they say
The Flame was a bad man’s art
The Moth never knew, as she flew so near
That flame was the light of shame
But she flutter’d away just in time, so they say
That’s the tale of the Moth and the Flame

  1. The maiden did not understand the fable that he told
    A church was soon arrayed in holy state
    A couple at the altar stood before the crowd of guests
    When a woman scream’d, “Stop! ere it is too late”
    The villain turn’d and saw his wife
    And rudely struck her down
    Denouncing her as an imposter bold
    But the girl threw off the bridal wreath
    “You coward,” then she cried
    “My true love warned me when this tale he told”

Sung here by Fred Feild: