Two and two four

four and four eight

eight and eight sixteen...

Repeat! says the teacher

Two and two four

four and four eight

eight and eight sixteen.

But behold the lyrebird

who crosses in the sky

the child sees it

the child hears it

the child calls it.

Save me

play with me

bird!

Then the bird descends

and plays with the child

Two and two four...

Repeat! says the teacher

and the child plays

the bird plays with him...

Four and four eight

eight and eight sixteen

and sixteen and sixteen

what do they do?

They don't do anything

and chiefly not thirty-two

anyway

and they leave.

And the child hid the bird

in his desk

and all the children

hear his song

and all the children

hear the music

and eight and eight in their turn leave

and four and four and two and two

in their turn get out

and one and one doesn't make one nor two

one by one they leave as well

And the lyrebird plays

and the child sings

and the professor cries:

When you've finished acting like a clown!

But all the children

hear the music

and the walls of the class

collapse peacefully

And the window panes go back to sand

the ink goes back to water

the desks go back to trees

the chalk goes back to the cliff

the pen holder goes back to the bird.