Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

The Hapless Child Lyrics by Michael Mantler

The Hapless Child and Other Inscrutable Stories

1976

There was once a little girl named Charlotte Sophia
Her parents were kind and well-to-do
She had a doll whom she called Hortense
One day her father, a colonel in the army, was ordered to Africa
Several months later he was reported killed in a native uprising
Her mother fell into a decline that proved fatal
Her only other relative, an uncle, was brained by a piece of masonry
Charlotte Sophia was left in the hands of the family lawyer
He at once put her into a boarding-school
There she was punished by the teachers for things she hadn't done
Hortense was torn limb from limb by the other pupils
During the day Charlotte Sophia hid as much as possible
At night she lay awake weeping and weeping
When she could bear it no longer she fled from the school at dawn
She soon lost consciousness and sank to the pavement
A man came and took the locket with her parents' pictures inside
Another man came from the opposite direction and carried her off
He brought her to a low place
He sold her to a drunken brute
Charlotte Sophia was put to work making artificial flowers
She lived on scraps and tap-water
From time to time the brute got the horrors
Charlotte Sophia's eyesight began to fail rapidly
Meanwhile, her father, who was not dead after all, returned home
Every day, he motored through the streets searching for her
At last the brute went off his head
Charlotte Sophia, now almost blind, ran into the street
She as at once struck down by a car
Her father got out to look at the dying child
She was so changed, he did not recognize her
Credits
Michael Mantler

Michael Mantler

About “The Hapless Child” by Michael Mantler

Read the complete lyrics to "The Hapless Child" by Michael Mantler from the album "The Hapless Child and Other Inscrutable Stories" in 1976. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Rock.

"The Hapless Child" is performed by Michael Mantler. from the album "The Hapless Child and Other Inscrutable Stories" in 1976 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Hapless Child", explore more songs by Michael Mantler using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Michael Mantler · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"The Hapless Child" is credited to Michael Mantler. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The Hapless Child" appears on "The Hapless Child and Other Inscrutable Stories" in 1976.

Visit the Michael Mantler artist page at /artist/michael-mantler for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.