Johnnie Courteau

By William Henry Drummond

Johnnie Courteau of de mountain

Johnnie Courteau of de hill

Dat was de boy can shoot de gun

Dat was de boy can jomp an' run

An'it's not very often you ketch heem still

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

Ax dem along de reever

Ax dem along de shore

Who was de mos'bes'fightin'man

From Managance to Shaw-in-I-gan?

De place we're de great beeg rapide roar,

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

Sam'tíng on ev'ry shaintee

Up on de Mekinac

Who was the man man walk de log,

W'en w'ole of de reever she's black wit'fog

An'carry de beeges'load on hees back?

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

On de rapide you want to see heem

If de raf'she 's swingin'roun'

An'he 's yellin' "Hooray Bateese! good

man!"

W'y de oar come double on hees han'

W'en he's makin' dat raf'go flyin'down

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

An' Tête de Boule chief can tole you

De feller w'at save hees life

W'en beeg moose on de head, sapree!

An'den run off wit' hees Injun wife?

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

An' he only have pike pole wit'heem

On Lac a la Tortue

W'en he meet de bear comin' down the hill

But de bear very soon is get hees fill!

An' he sole dat skin for ten dollar too,

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

Oh he never was scare for not'ing

Lak de ole coureurs de bois,

But w'en he's getting'hees winter pay

De bes't'ing sure is kip out de way

For he's goin'right off on de Hip Hooraw!

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

Den pullin'hees sash aroun'heem

He dance on hees botte sauvage

An'shout  "All aboar' if you want to fight!"

Wall! You never can see de finer sight

W'en he go lak dat on de w'ole village!

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

But Johnnie Courteau  get marry

On Philomene Beaurepaire

She's nice leetle girl was run de school

On w'at you call Parish of Sainte Ursule

An' he see her off on de pique-nique dere

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

Den somet'ing come over Johnnie

W'en he marry on Philomene

For he stay on de farm de w'ole year roun'

He chop de wood an' he plough de ground'

An' he's quieter feller was never seen,

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

An'ev'ry wan feel astonish

From La Tuque to Shaw-in-i-gan

W'en dey hear de news was goin' aroun'

Along on de reever up an' down

How wan leetle woman boss dat beeg man

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

He never come out on de evening

No matter de hard we try

'Cos he stay on de kitchen an' sing hees song

       "A la claire fontaine

M'en allant promener

J'ai trouvé l'eau si belle

        Que je m'y suis baigner

        Lui y'a longtemps que je t'aime

        Jamais je ne t'oublierai."

Rockin' de cradle de w'ole night long

Till baby's asleep on de sweet bimeby

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

An'de house, wall!  I wish you see it

De place she's so nice an' clean

Mus'wipe your foot on de outside door,

You're dead man sure if  you spit on de floor,

An' he never  say not'ing on Philomene

                                   Johnnie Courteau !

An' Philomene watch de monee

An' put it all safe away

On very good place; I dunno w'ere

But anyhow nobody see it dere

So she's buyin' new farm de noder day

                                   MADAME Courteau !