Old Zenas

Away "deown east" there dwelt a man,
E'en over in the State of Maine,
Who had enough of tall pine trees
Himself and wife to well maintain.

But years rolled by, and children came
Around the little fireside,
And claimed a right to eat and drink,
- Nor could such wants be well denied.

The pine trees grew, and children, too,
Though in their manner far apart;
The trees grew thin, the children thick,
And thus from Maine were doomed to part.

Old Zenas to his wife did say,
"I'll move you all to Michigan,
And California I will seek,
And dig until a richer man."

Across the plains he bent his steps,
And passed large droves of buffalo,
Wild horses, turkeys very fine,
And tigers, jackalls, Indians, too,

At times he hadn't nary piece
Of meat whereby to feed upon,
Nor any water for his thirst,
And thus he saw the Old Lion.

At last his clothes in tatters hung
About his sore and weary form;
His "harp of hopes" was soon unstrung,
And fancied nigh the gathering storm,

He mourned his lot, and often wept
To think, he ever took the gaunt;
And then he'd rave, and swear he b'lieved
He'd soon to see the Elephant.


Put's Original California Songster, p. 61

Not found in Dwyer & Lingenfelter, The Songs of the Gold Rush

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"deown east" - is what it says...

What's the Old Lion?

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