This is an edited DTStudy thread, and all messages posted here are subject to editing and deletion.
This thread is intended to serve as a forum for corrections and annotations for the Digital Tradition song named in the title of this thread.

---

Search for other DTStudy threads

---

A very nice person named Tony Morse e-mailed this to me for posting. Anybody know of other versions, or of background information about this song?
-Joe-

---

^^
THE LITTLE BROWN BULLS
Author unknown - traditional.

Not a thing on the River McClusky did fear,
As he swung his gord stick o'er his Big Spotted Steers;
They were round, plump and handsome, girding eight foot and three.
Says McClusky the Scotchman, "They're the laddies for me."

When up stepped Bold Gordon, whose skidding was full,
As he hollered "whoa hush" to his Little Brown Bulls,
Short-legged and shaggy, girding six foot and nine,
"Too light," says McClusky, "to handle our pine."

"For it's three to the thousand our contract doth call,
Our skidding is full and our timber is tall,
I'll tell you Bold Gordon, we'll make the day full,
And we'll skid three to one of your Little Brown Bulls."

"Oh no," says Bold Gordon, "That you cannot do,
Though your Big Spotted Steers are the pets of the crew,
I'll tell you McClusky, you'll have your hands full
When you skid one more log than my Little Brown Bulls."

So the day was appointed and soon did draw nigh,
For twenty-five dollars their fortunes to try,
All eager and anxious next morning were found,
The judge and the scaler appeared on the ground.

With a whoop and a yell came McClusky in view
With his Big Spotted Steers, the pets of the crew,
He says "Chew your cuds boys and keep your mouths full,
For we easilie can beat them, the Little Brown Bulls."

Then along came Bold Gordon with his pipe in his jaw,
To his Little Brown Bulls he hollered "whoa haw"
He says, "Chew your cuds boys, you need never fear,
For we will not be beat by the Big Spotted Steers."

After supper was over, McClusky appeared
With a belt ready made for his Big Spotted Steers.
To make it he tore up his best Mackinaw;
He was bound to conduct it according to law.

Says McClusky to Sandy, "We'll take of their skins,
We'll dig them a hole and we'll tumble them in,
We'll mix up a dish and we'll feed it to them hot,
We'll teach them damn Yankees to face the bold Scot.

When up stepped the scaler, sayin "Hold ye a while,
Your Big Spotted Steers are behind just one mile;
You've skidded one hundred and ten and no more,
Whilst Bold Gordon has beat you by ten and a score!"

All the boys they did laugh and McClusky did swear,
As he tore out by handfuls his long yellow hair.
He says to Bold Gordon, "My dollars I'll pull,
And you take the belt for your Little Brown Bulls."

So here's to Bold Gordon and Sandbury John,
Where the biggest day's work on the River is done,
And it's fill up your glasses, and fill them up full,
And we'll drink to the health of the Little Brown Bulls.

Learned in 1950s from James E. Schwedland of Milwaukee, Master of Forestry, Yale University. Well-known logging ballad from the Wisconsin lumber woods. This version has more verses and different arrangement than another seen in Mudcat.