Hunting Song
Tek a cool night, good an’ cleah,Skiff o’ snow upon de groun’;Jes’ ’bout fall-time o’ de yeahW’en de leaves is dry an brown;Tek a dog an’ tek a axe,Tek a lantu’n in yo’ han’,Step light whah de switches cracks,Fu’ dey ‘s huntin’ in de lan’.Down thoo de valleys an’ ovah de hills,Into de woods whah de ‘simmon-tree grows,Wakin’ an’ skeerin’ de po’ whippo’wills,Huntin’ fu’ coon an’ fu’ ‘possum we goes.
Blow dat ho’n dah loud an’ strong,Call de dogs an’ da’kies neah;Mek its music cleah an’ long,So de folks at home kin hyeah.Blow it twell de hills an’ treesSen’s de echoes tumblin’ back;Blow it twell de back’ard breezeTells de folks we ‘s on de track.Coons is a-ramblin’ an’ ‘possums is out;Look at dat dog; you could set on his tail!Watch him now—steady,—min’—what you ‘s about,Bless me, dat animal’s got on de trail!
Listen to him ba’kin now!Dat means bus’ness, sho ‘s you bo’n;Ef he’s struck de scent I ‘lowDat ere ‘possum’s sholy gone.Knowed dat dog fu’ fo’teen yeahs,An’ I nevah seed him failWen he sot dem flappin’ eahsAn’ went off upon a trail.Run, Mistah ‘Possum, an’ run, Mistah Coon,No place is safe fu’ yo’ ramblin’ to-night;Mas’ gin’ de lantu’n an’ God gin de moon,An’ a long hunt gins a good appetite.
Look hyeah, folks, you hyeah dat change?Dat ba’k is sha’per dan de res’.Dat ere soun’ ain’t nothin’ strange,—Dat dog’s talked his level bes’.Somep’n’ ‘s treed, I know de soun’.Dah now,—wha ‘d I tell you? see!Dat ere dog done run him down;Come hyeah, he’p cut down dis tree.Ah, Mistah ‘Possum, we got you at las’—Need n’t play daid, laying dah on de groun’;Fros’ an’ de ‘simmons has made you grow fas’,—Won’t he be fine when he’s roasted up brown!