BAI

His village was by the river  
When the big rain came  
The river rose and washed  
His village away  
 
Ke Ba Lai felt his heart torn out  
and the sun hid behind the dark clouds  
 
A month later the British  
Came on their boats  
Finding no village they carried on  
Up the river  
 
Ke Ba Lai saw in this god's blessing
as a high noon sun that cast no shadow  
 
It was thirty-nine years  
Before more Englishman came  
His people were prepared  
And they killed them all easily  
 
Bai Ke Ba Lai was both cunning and brave  
and gave thanks as the sun was rising  
 
Forty years after the flood  
Again big rains came  
And the river rose washing  
His town away  
 
and Ke Ba Lai accepted only god sees all  
and he prayed as the sun was setting  
 
As he hid in the marshes  
The British found him  
They tried him and exiled him  
Faraway in Cape Castle  
 
but Ke Ba Lai saw that God was merciful  
for the high sun had cast no shadow  
 
Then one day they came  
Took him on a boat  
Back home and crowned him  
Bai which means king  
 
for what god made only god may judge  
For the grace of his sunlight blesses all