As I was walking the other morning I was singing one of my favorite ballads from my childhood, "Sweet Betsy From Pike." It's about the travels of a young woman named Betsy and her sweetheart, Ike, as they bid farewell to Pike County (probably Missouri) to head West. When I googled it to write this post I learned it is a Gold Rush-era song, written by John A. Stone before 1858. While his lyrics, (which are in the public domain) are pretty wild and tell one story, (you should look it up as I was even surprised when I saw all the verses!) well, my version has a whole new plot and destination.
Sweet Betsy From Pike...
There once was a girl named Sweet Betsy From Pike,
who crossed the wide prairies with her darling, Ike.
With two yoke of oxen and one spotted hog,
a tall Shanghai rooster and an old yellow dog.
Chorus:
Singing too-ra-lay, too-ra-lay, too-ra-lay-ah,
singing too-ra-lay, too-ray-lay, too-ra-lay-ah.
They headed out West, feeling brave, feeling strong,
but it wasn't too long 'fore Ike knew something's wrong.
He pulled Betsy to him and said with a sigh,
"Betsy, my darling, I fear I will die."
Betsy was crying with tears in her eyes.
"Ike, oh my sweetheart, I won't say goodbye!"
But Ike pulled her close and he knew in his heart
that it'd only be hours before they would part.
Ike did not linger, he died in the night.
Betsy sat with him 'til morning's soft lift.
She looked at the stars with tears in her eyes,
"Darling, you're right, we must say our goodbyes."
They buried him deep in the prairie that day.
"I cannot linger though I'd like to stay.
I promised my darling to continue out West
with the rooster, the hog, and my dog and the rest."
The sun beat upon them, the wind it did blow.
With Betsy's heart broken, the goin' was slow.
The nights were so lonely, the days were so hot
and she was so glad for the dog that she brought.
Into the mountains she headed, still West
and knew in her heart that she simply must rest.
She set up her camp mid the trees oh-so-tall,
not far from the sounds of the grand waterfall.
The site seemed to suit her, she opted to stay.
She planted a garden, she planted some hay.
She built a nice cabin and then with a plan
she built quite a barn for her animal clan.
She hiked in the mountains, she drank from the stream.
And, one night she had a remarkable dream.
Ike was there waving all proud as could be,
saying, "Betsy, my darling, you did it for me!"
Betsy's now married and mother of three.
She laughs when she says she was waiting for me.
But I know her story and I know the rest
of how she lost Ike on her journey out West.
I courted her slowly, I courted with time
and learned it's not easy to make this stuff rhythm.
When I met Sweet Betsy my heart it did fly
straight out of my body and into the sky!
We soon joined as family, Sweet Betsy and me.
I learned to like oxen, I learned to drink tea.
I had to befriend both the rooster and hog,
but the trickiest part was a jealous old dog.
I finally proved my intentions were true.
And then the dog loved me, he stopped chewing shoes.
Now with the Sweet Children we are quite a clan
And I marvel with wonder at God's awesome plan.
As a self-described "flood stick" artist, I've been out there along the river, documenting its flooding waters with my camera, journal and trusty dog, Molly.
