Echoes from the Cabin

Clean de ba'n an' sweep de flo',                   
    Sing, my bawnjer, sing!                            
We's gwine ter dawnce dis eb'nin' sho',      
    Ring, my bawnjer, ring!
Den hits up de road an' down de lane,
Hurry, niggah, you miss de train;
De yaller gal she dawnce so neat,                   
De yaller gal she look so sweet,
    Ring, my bawnjer, ring!

De moon come up, de sun go down,
    Sing, my bawnjer, sing!
De niggahs am all come f'um town,               
    Ring, my bawnjer, ring!
Den hits roun' de hill an' froo de fiel...
Lookout dar, niggah, doan' you steal!          
De milyuns on dem vines am green,
De moon am bright, O you'll be seen,
    Ring, my bawnjer, ring!

Ur ol' Hyar lib in ur house on de hill,            
He hunner yurs ol' an' nebber wuz ill;           
He yurs dee so long an' he eyes so beeg,
An' he laigs so spry dat he dawnce ur jeeg;
He lib so long dat he know ebbry tings
'Bout de beas'ses dat walks an' de bu'ds dat sings -- 
            Dis Ol' Doc' Hyar,
            Whar lib up dar
Een ur mighty fine house on ur mighty high hill.

He doctah fur all de beas'ses an' bu'ds -- 
He put on he specs an' he use beeg wu'ds,
He feel dee pu's' den he look mighty wise,
He pull out he watch an' he shet bofe eyes;
He grab up he hat an' grab up he cane,
Den -- "blam!" go de do' -- he gone lak de train,
            Dis Ol' Doc' Hyar,
            Whar lib up dar
Een ur mighty fine house on ur mighty high hill.

Mistah Ba'r fall sick -- dee sont fur Doc' Hyar,
"O, Doctah, come queeck, an' see Mr. B'ar;
He mighty nigh daid des sho' ez you b'on!"
"Too much ur young peeg, too much ur green co'n,"
Ez he put on he hat, said Ol' Doc' Hyar;
"I'll tek 'long meh lawnce, an' lawnce Mistah B'ar,"
            Said Ol' Doc' Hyar,
            Whar lib up dar
Een ur mighty fine house on ur mighty high hill.

Mistah B'ar he groaned, Mistah B'ar he growled,
W'ile de ol' Miss B'ar an' de chillen howled;
Doctah Hyar tuk out he sha'p li'l lawnce,
An' pyu'ced Mistah B'ar twel he med him prawnce
Den grab up he hat an' grab up he cane
"Blam!" go de do' an' he gone lak de train,
            Dis Ol' Doc' Hyar,
            Whar lib up dar
Een ur mighty fine house on ur mighty high hill.

But de vay naix day Mistah B'ar he daid;
Wen dee tell Doc' Hyar, he des scratch he haid:
"Ef pahsons git well ur pahsons git wu's,
Money got ter come een de Ol' Hyar's pu's;
Not wut folkses does, but fur wut dee know
Does de folkses git paid" -- an' Hyar larfed low,
            Dis sma't Ol' Hyar,
            Whar lib up dar
Een de mighty fine house on de mighty high hill!

When ol' Sis' Judy pray,
De teahs come stealin' down my cheek,
De voice ur God widin me speak';
I see myse'f so po' an' weak,
Down on my knees de cross I seek,
When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

When ol' Sis' Judy pray,
De thun'ers ur Mount Sin-a-i
Comes rushin' down f'um up on high --
De Debbil tu'n his back an' fly
While sinnahs loud fur pa'don cry,
When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

When ol' Sis' Judy pray,
Ha'd sinnahs trimble in dey seat
Ter hyuh huh voice in sorro 'peat
(While all de chu'ch des sob an' weep)
"O Shepa'd, dese, dy po' los' sheep!"
When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

When ol' Sis' Judy pray,
De whole house hit des rock an' moan
Ter see huh teahs an' hyuh huh groan;
Dar's somepin' in Sis' Judy's tone
Dat melt all ha'ts dough med ur stone
When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

When ol' Sis' Judy pray,
Salvation's light comes pourin' down --
Hit fill de chu'ch an' all de town --
Why, angels' robes go rustlin' 'roun',
An' hebben on de Yurf am foun',
When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

When ol' Sis' Judy pray,
My soul go sweepin' up on wings,
An' loud de chu'ch wid "Glory!" rings,
An' wide de gates ur Jahsper swings
Twel you hyuh ha'ps wid golding strings,
When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

O, de light-bugs glimmer down de lane,
    Merlindy! Merlindy!
O, de whip'-will callin' notes ur pain --
    Merlindy, O, Merlindy!
O, honey lub, my turkle dub,
    Doan' you hyuh my bawnjer ringin',
While de night-dew falls an' de ho'n owl calls
    By de of ba'n gate Ise singin'.

O, Miss 'Lindy, doan' you hyuh me, chil',
    Merlindy! Merlindy!
My lub fur you des dribe me wil' --
    Merlindy, O, Merlindy!
I'll sing dis night twel broad day-light,
    Ur bu's' my froat wid tryin',
'Less you come down, Miss 'Lindy Brown,
    An' stops dis ha't f'um sighin'!

O chillen, run, de Cunjah man,
Him mouf ez beeg ez fryi pan,
Him yurs am small, hi eyes am raid,
Him hab no toof een him of haid,
Him hab him roots, him wu'k him trick,
Him roll him eye, him mek you sick --
De Cunjah man, de Cunjah man,
O chillen, run, de Cunjah man!

Him hab ur ball ob raid, raid ha'r,
Him hide it un' de kitchen sta'r,
Mam Jude huh pars urlong dat way,
An' now huh hab ur snaik, de say.
Him wrop ur ioun' huh buddy tight,
Huh eyes pop out, ur orful sight --
De Cunjah man, de Cunjah man,
O chillen, run, de Cunjah man!

Miss Jane, huh dribe him f'um huh do',
An' now huh hens woan' lay no mo';
De Jussey cow huh done fall sick,
Hit all done by de Cunjah trick.
Him put ur root un' 'Lijah's baid,
An' now de man he sho' am daid --
De Cunjah man, de Cunjah man,
O chillen, run, de Cunjah man!

Me see him stan' de yudder night
Right een de road een white moon-light;
Him toss him arms, him whirl him 'roun',
Him stomp him foot urpon de groun';
De snaiks come crawlin', one by one,
Me hyuh um hiss, me break an' run --
De Cunjah man, de Cunjah man,
O chillen, run, de Cunjah man!