Haunted Falls is one of several songs that has been passed down for several generations in my family. I can remember like it was yesterday, being a small child on family camping trips. We kids would all be tucked into our sleeping bags in various tents, while the adults sat around the campfire. If I close my eyes, I can still hear the sound of the campfire crackling, and my grandmothers voice singing Haunted Falls. My grandmothers' version of Haunted Falls is as follows:

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HAUNTED FALLS

In olden times there was a river,
that ran between two mountain walls.
And the place from where it started,
formed a place called Haunted Falls.

On the banks there lived a white man,
with his wife and children,three.
And the sweet summer valley,
Echoed back their shouts of glee.

To a little town the father,
for one day, the male had gone.
Left his wife and little children
for a quiet hour alone.

Hark! The sound of trampling horses,
As the woman turned in fright.
Just in time to draw the doorbolt,
as some injuns rode in sight.

Then she took those little children,
begged them neither speak nor cry.
Placed them in a secret closet,
and prepared herself to die.

With an angry push the captain
burst the doorbolt off the door.
And he saw that weeping woman,
lying there upon the floor.

Then he motioned to his warriors,
as he seized a heavy stick.
Come and help me drown this woman,
"Don't be long" - "I say be quick".

Then they took that weeping woman,
roughly dragged her 'cross the floor.
Grabbed her by her long brown dresses
And they dragged her to the shore.

There they sang and danced around her,
Heeding not her piteous crys.
Cast her on the rocks below them,
there in agony she died.

Twas revenge that they had wanted,
Twas revenge that they had found.
And they burned those little children,
and the dwelling to the ground.

Now the old man wanders slowly
at the place where the dwelling stood
And the people of the valley
call that place the Haunted Wood.

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Submitted by:
Dianne Mothershed
email: trblmakr63@hotmail.com