Narrator:
Here's a story for you about a gardener
Who grew a garden so lovely and fair.
But one morning he found that his plants all around
Were moaning and filled with despair!

Gardener:
"Alas, woe is me! What is this that I see?
All my flowers and trees look so sad!
Tell me, my good Oak, is this some kind of joke,
Or a terrible problem you have?"

Narrator: Said the Oak,

Oak: "I am tired and feel uninspired as an Oak.
What I'd like to be best is tall, strong and fine
Like that beautiful Pine.
But I can't, so I'm feeling depressed!"

Narrator: Then the gardener asked,

Gardener: "Why? Pine, why do you whine?"

Narrator: Said the Pine,

Pine: "Oh, it's really not fair!
Instead of a Pine, I wish I were a Vine,
And then thousands of grapes I could bear!"

Narrator: Then blurted the Vine,

Vine: "I don't like how I twine,
And how short do my poor branches reach!
My leaves are so small! How I wish I were tall,
And bore big juicy fruit like the Peach!"

Gardener: "My Geranium dear,
Why, you're shedding a tear!
And your petals are drooping with gloom!"

Geranium: "I can not be content
'Cause I have no sweet scent
Like the Lilac with its lovely bloom!"

Gardener: "This despair can't be pardoned!
In all of my garden discouragement fills every place!
But now look over here, like a bright ray of cheer--
It's my Daisy with her sweet round face!

Why are you still so bright,
Brave and happy in spite of the
Gloom, doom and darkness I see?"

Daisy: "Well, I know that I'm small,
Just a daisy, that's all,
But this morning this thought came to me!
If you'd wanted a Pine or a Peach Tree or Vine
Growing here, you'd have made that your plan.
But since you planted me, I'm determined to be
The best little Daisy I can!"

Gardener: "Well, my flowers and trees,
I think you ought to be ashamed!
See, this Daisy so small, although she's so tiny,
She's not sad and whiny,
But more grateful and glad than you all!"

Narrator: All the plants who'd com plained said,

Garden:
"No, never again will we grumble and gripe and protest.
Instead of objecting to how we were made,
We'll cheer up and all do our best,
And be thankful for how we've been blessed!"

Narrator:
Yes, it's best to be happy with all that you have,
And not try to be what you're not.
Instead of comparing with others around,
Remember what this story's taught:
Cheer up and be happy! Be the best that you can be,
And be thankful for what you have got!
[Repeat]

Daisy: "Cheer up and be happy!
Be the best that you can be,
And be thankful for what you have got!"

 

"THE GARDEN" (with chords)

Intro: (C)-(Csus4)-(C)-(Csus4)[2 times]

Narrator:
Here's a (C)story for (Csus4)you about a (C)gardener
Who (Csus4)grew a (C)garden so (F)lovely and (G)fair.
But one (Dm)morning he (A)found that his (Dm)plants all (A)around
Were (Dm)moaning and (D)filled with des(G)pair!

Gardener:
"A(C)las, woe is (Csus4)me! What is (C)this that I (Csus4)see?
All my (C)flowers and (F)trees look so (G)sad!
Tell (Dm)me, my good (A)Oak, is this (Dm)some kind of (A)joke,
Or a (Dm)terrible (D)problem you (G)have?"

Narrator: Said the (C)Oak,

Oak: "I am (Csus4)tired and (C)feel unin(Csus4)spired as an (C)Oak.
What I'd (F)like to be (G)best is (Dm)tall, strong and (A)fine
Like that (Dm)beautiful (Cdim)Pine.
But I (C)can't, so I'm (G)feeling de(C)pressed!"

Narrator: Then the (E)gardener asked,

Gardener: "(Am)Why? Pine, (E)why do you (Am)whine?"

Narrator: Said the (G)Pine,

Pine: "Oh, it's really not (C)fair!
In(E)stead of a (Am)Pine, I wish (G)I were a (C)Vine,
And then (D)thousands of grapes I could (G)bear!"

Narrator: Then (C)blurted the (Csus4)Vine,

Vine: "I don't (C)like how I (Csus4)twine,
And how (C)short do my (F)poor branches (G)reach!
My (Dm)leaves are so (A)small! How I (Dm)wish I were (A)tall,
And bore (Dm)big juicy (D)fruit like the (G)Peach!"
(C)-(Csus4)-(C)-(Csus4)

Gardener: "My Ge(C)ranium (Csus4)dear,
Why, you're (C)shedding a (Csus4)tear!
And your (C)petals are (F)drooping with (G)gloom!"

Geranium: "I can (Dm)not be con(A)tent
'Cause I (Dm)have no sweet (Bdim)scent
Like the (C)Lilac with (G)its lovely (C)bloom!"
(C)-(F)-(C)-(F)-(C)

Gardener: "This des(G#)pair can't be pardoned!
In (Cm)all of my garden dis(Fm)couragement (G)fills every (Cm)place!
But now (D)look over here, like a (G)bright ray of cheer--
It's my (D)Daisy with her sweet round (G)face!

Why are (C)you still so (Csus4)bright,
Brave and (C)happy in (Csus4)spite of the
(C)Gloom, doom and (F)darkness I (G)see?"

Daisy: "Well, I (Dm)know that I'm (A)small,
Just a (Dm)daisy, that's (A)all,
But this (Dm)morning this (D)thought came to (G)me!
If you'd (C)wanted a (Csus4)Pine or a (C)Peach Tree or (Csus4)Vine
Growing (C)here, you'd have (F)made that your (G)plan.
But since (Dm)you planted (A)me, I'm de(Dm)termined to (Cdim)be
The (C)best little (G)Daisy I (C)can!"
(C)-(F)-(C)-(F)-(C)

Gardener: "Well, my (E)flowers and (Am)trees,
I think (E)you ought to (Am)be a(G)shamed!
See, this Daisy so (C)small, al(E)though she's so (Am)tiny,
She's (G)not sad and (C)whiny,
But more (D)grateful and glad than you (G)all!"

Narrator: All the (C)plants who'd com (Cdim)plained said,

Garden:
"No, (F)never a(G)gain will we (F)grumble and (G)gripe and pro(C)test.
In(F)stead of ob(Edim)jecting to (C)how we were (Bdim)made,
We'll (C)cheer up and (G)all do our (Em)best,
(Am)And be (F)thankful for (G)how we've been (C)blessed!"(G)

Narrator:
Yes, it's (C)best to be (Cdim)happy with (F)all that you (G)have,
And (F)not try to (G)be what you're (C)not.
In(F)stead of com(Ebdim)paring with (C)others a(Bdim)round,
Re(C)member what (G)this story's (Em)taught(Am):
Cheer (F)up and be (G)happy! Be the (F)best that you (G)can be,
And be (F)thankful for (G)what you have (C)got!
[Repeat]

Daisy: "Cheer (F)up and be (G)happy!
Be the (F)best that you (G)can be,
And be (F)thankful for (G)what you have (C)got!"