The Witch of Poley Creek

Deep in Poley Creek swamp, in a tumbled down shack,
lived old Granny Creacy and her cat Black Jack.
She made moonshine whiskey, and everybody knowed,
if you hung around the swamp she'd turn you into a toad.
'Cause Granny was a witch, and if she took a notion,
she'd sell you a quart, or brew you up a potion.

Now, in a fancy house, up on Cedar Grove hill,
dwelt Big Red McDuffy and his half brother, Will.
Will was a bully, and Big Red was all talk.
To hear him tell it, he was cock of the walk.
They would breeze into town every Saturday night,
get drunk, raise hell, and end up in a fight.

They were big, and bad, and made a lot of noise,
and nobody dared to mess with the McDuffy Boys.
One night they were bragging, and strutting their stuff,
someone in the crowd said, "If you boys are so tough,
Why don't you high tail it down to Granny's shack.
Maybe steal a little 'shine and kidnap her cat.

We double dog dare you, chicken if you don't.
Surely you boys ain't afraid of that swamp!"
Well, it was put up or shut up, a matter of pride,
So with half the town going along for the ride,
they went down to the swamp along about midnight.
By the light of the moon they were soon out of sight.

Everyone was getting restless, along about morning,
When out of the swamp, without any warning,
staggered Red and Will, as pale as death!
Wild eyed and dazed, and all out of breath,
Red's hair was as white as the driven snow,
They were shaking like a leaf from head to toe.

No one could make out a word they were saying.
Someone allowed later, it sounded like praying.
They never spoke a word about where they had been,
and they never came down to the tavern again.
Red got an education, and took a teaching position,
Will joined the church and worked down at the mission.

And down in Poley Creek swamp in a tumbled down shack,
reigned old Granny Creacy and her cat Black Jack!!