An Ancient Prayer

[found on the wall of an old Inn in Lancashire, England]

Give us, Lord, a bit o' sun

a bit o' work and a bit o' fun;

give us all in th' struggle and splutter

our daily bread and a bit o' butter.

Give us health, our keep to make

an' a bit to spare for poor folks sake;

give us sense, for we're some of us duffers,

an' a heart to feel for all that suffers.

Give us, too, a bit of a song,

an' a tale, and a book to help us along,

an' give us our share o' sorrow's lesson

that we may prove how grief's a blessing.

Give us, Lord, a chance to be

our goodly best, brave, wise and free,

our goodly best for ourselves and others

till all men learn to live as brothers.

Amen.