511
The Preacher Song
This, as Dr. White has noted on the manuscript, is "a composite
of three separate songs, and probably others." The first stanza of
A is almost identical with stanza 3 of a Texas version of 'Pore
Mounah' ( TNFS 194) ; Brother Ephram and his coon are the sub-
ject of Negro song in Virginia (TNFS loi), North Carolina
(ANFS 223), South Carolina (JAFL xliv 429), and Mississippi
(JAFL XXVI 158) ; the hog-shooting is reported from South Caro-
lina (JAFL XLIV 433), Alabama (ANFS 140, 192, 231), Missis-
sippi (JAFL XXVIII 136), and Texas (TNFS 176) ; "some folks
say that a nigger won't steal" is likely to appear in any of the
haphazard composites of Negro song, though I have found it applied
elsewhere to the preacher only in Georgia (TNFS yj-)- Cf. No.
433-
'The Preacher Song.' From the manuscript book of songs of Miss Lura
Wagoner of Vox, Alleghany county, lent to Dr. Brown in 1936. The
songs seem to have been entered in the book about 1911-13.
1 The sorriest sight I ever seen
Is a heavy loaded wagon and a sorry team.
I popped my whip and the leaders sprung,
And the aft horse fell on the wagon tongue.
Chorus:
'Where are you going. Moses?'
'None of your business.'
'Come here, Moses.'
'Ain't going to do it.
Brother Ephram got the coon
And gone on, gone on, gone on,
Brother Ephram got the coon
And gone on and left me
Looking up a tree.'
2 Some folks say that a preacher won't steal,
But I caught a preacher in my watermelon field.
Preaching and a-praying all the time
And a-stealing the watermelons off'n the vine.
3 Alabama negro laying behind a log,
Finger on the trigger, eye on the hog.
Down went the trigger, bang went the gun ;
Oh Lord A'mighty, how the hog did run !