Flying Tadpole was a very experienced fireman by the time (in his misbegotten youth) he found himself employed by a Park service as an ecological and management guru.
The little A-frame cottage really did exist, its location and surrounds were absolutely horrific from a firefighter's viewpoint ("death-trap" was an understatement, as it would be death for any fire crew unwise enough to be caught there, as well as for the residents), and a nightmare from a Park management view, it really did win multiple architecture awards, its owners really did go for the nasty Rangers etc who were attempting to give them a chance of survival come the inevitable.
And it really did blend well with nature in all respects, including the final one.
There were 28 deaths in the particular set of fires that removed that cottage. Some of them at least resulted from a similar desire to blend as closely as possible with nature. But that was thirty years ago, and modern people are soooo much wiser, right? But perhaps I can brainwash some children into a subconscious awareness of risks.
lyrics
The little A-frame cottage
In the deep, dark woods,
On the steep, steep slopes,
Where the stringybarks all stood;
A wonder of design
Proclaimed an architect’ral good,
Blending well with Nature
In the deep, dark woods.
Now, the thing about our eucalypts,
They burn—they’re built that way—
And they burn just that bit hotter
(Keeps competitors away).
And if you want to live in them,
It must be understood,
A wooden A-frame blends real well
In deep, dark woods.
With a roof of sheoak shingle,
And walls of weatherboard,
And big glass windows at each end
(The architects applaud!),
And standing up on wooden poles,
A breezeway underneath,
And over, under, all around—
Stringy bark and leaves.
The little A-frame cottage
In the deep, dark woods,
On the steep, steep slopes,
Where the stringybarks all stood;
A wonder of design
Proclaimed an architect’ral good,
Blending well with Nature
In the deep, dark woods.
Now those who built and lived there
Loved the bushland thick, you see.
When nasty Rangers trimmed the brush,
They cried out bitterly!
They argued that it should be left,
Because that’s Nature’s way,
And they kicked up such a fuss and row,
They won the day!
Well…Eventually there came a fire
Burning through the woods.
(It would’ve come at some time,
It must be understood.)
It came rip-roaring up the slopes,
As is Nature’s way,
And the little A-frame blended well!
It burnt away.
The little A-frame ash-pile
In the burnt, sunny woods,
On the steep burnt slopes
Where the stringybarks stood.
A wonder of design,
It blended well and good,
When fires came, as they do,
Through deep, dark woods.
Now some things you must accept—
They must be understood—
If you plan to build an A-frame
In the deep, dark woods.
Blending well with nature
Isn’t always good,
It might leave you burnt and crispy
In the deep, dark woods.
The little A-frame cottage
In the deep, dark woods,
On the steep, steep slopes,
Where the stringybarks all stood;
A wonder of design
Proclaimed an architect’ral good,
Blending well with Nature
In the deep, dark woods.
The cutting satire, cruel humor, blue angst and general mayhem of the dark alter ego of Tim Fatchen. And the alter ego's
alter egos. And occasional or persistent collaborators, including strange shack dwellers from Wallaroo in the most recent release.
Where is Wallaroo? Nothing to see here, move along......more
