Anonymous: Collected Lyrics
23 / 26
Public-domain lyrics

The Fly about the Candle

Anonymous

“The Fly about the Candle” as printed in A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853).

Anonymous: Collected Lyrics Text 23 1853 · historical text
Public domainHymnSacred song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from A First Series of Hymns and Songs, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

The fly about the candle gay

Will dance with thoughtless hum;

But short, alas I her giddy play—

Her pleasure proves her doom.

Verse 2

The child in like simplicity

About the bee-hive clings,

And with one drop of honey she

Receives a thousand stings.

Credits

Written by Anonymous

Words by Anonymous. Historical text published in A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853), “The Fly about the Candle”

Every text in this 1853 collection is by Henry Formby (1816-1884), who died more than 140 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
Keep tracing

More from Anonymous: Collected Lyrics.

01Auld Rob Morris 1Public-domain lyrics02Comin' thro' the rye 1Public-domain lyrics03Comin' thro' the rye 2Public-domain lyrics04Ettrick BanksPublic-domain lyrics