Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today

Subject: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: InOBU
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 01:42 PM

The Ballad of Judith Folger
To the tune of Pat Riely
Words by Lorcan Otway
From a true story told to me by Anna Curtis, the Great Great Granddaughter of Judith Folger.

My father was a whaling man, I'm proud to tell to thee
Master of a Nantucket whaling ship, the Lively Sally
As fierce a Quaker whaler man, that ever left this shore
He said to his wife one day, I fear there will be war

It was in 1775 we set out upon the sea,
Sailed up the Hudson river, to a place near Albany
We bad farewell to father's ship, and the fisher's life
To start again on the frontier, away from war and strife

In the forests of the Iroquois, we set out to begin anew
We of the Folger family, and our Brother Samoset to,
For he lost his parents from sickness, several years before
When most of the natives died, on Nantucket's wind swept shore

In the Easton Quaker settlement, we lived two happy years
Till Johnny Burgoyne's army came, and we were filled with fear
For through out the long summer, Burgoyne's Indian allies,
Where sent to raid the settlements, for to raise the armies supplies

It was at Mid week meeting, that the Indians came at last
They burst into our meeting house, a frightening gaze they cast
Upon each seated Quaker, as we worshiped silently
Until the chief met the gaze of Zebulon Hoxie

Both looked into each other's eyes, yet not a word was said
The natives put their weapons down, and each bowed his head
And at the rise of meeting, our native guests we led,
To Zebulon Hoxie's house, there to break bread

And after the meal was taken, the chief rose to say
I came into your house, each one of you to slay
I saw you talking with God, and I listened also
He told me not to kill you, in Friendship now, we'll go

He placed a feather ore our door, a sign that we were friends
And there I leave my story, though this story never ends,
For they saw God in all of us, as we saw God in them
And thee may think on Easton, and live in peace my friends

Peace Friends and friends. Larry

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 01:53 PM

Oh, Larry, it is beautiful and stunning! Thank you so much, what a story!! On the next CD? :-)

In Peace Profound,

kat

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 01:55 PM

Does the chief have a name, Larry? It would be interesting to learn a bit about him. And risking the wrath of the Mudcat, I will add "My God, Larry! You have written folk song." Well done.

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: catspaw49
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 02:02 PM

No Sins, I think that this one well qualifies as a "song within the tradition." Again Larry, just wonderfully done. Mick may have the right word in describing you Lorcan......Bard. Wonderful stuff.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: InOBU
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 02:08 PM

Thanks folies! All we know is that the war party was likely Mohawk. It was the first of many war parties that came to Easton. All were welcomed, and the only tention was that Samoset would have to hide in the wood with Arron Folger, as it was feared that as a native, he may be taken away with other natives. Samoset was the son of Wa-nack-wa-nack, a crew member of Daniel Folger's. He was adopted by Ruth and Daniel after an epidemic in around 1773, I believe, killed most of Nantucket's native population. I have met Quaker Onieda's in upstate New York, and wonder if their ancestors were converted by Samoset, as back then, Quakers did not marry outside their faith, and Samoset was old enough at the time of his adoption, that he had a strong native identity as well as a strong Quaker faith.
Anna's grandmother was a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and she also told us storries about that time in our history, and wrote several small books of the recolections of her Grandmother's storries, as well as her Grandmother's Grandmother's storries, which her Grandmother told her, the Easton Meeting's Native guests being one of them.
I often think of her, using thee and thou when she had a special point to make. She was in her nineties when she died, when I was in my early teens.
ALl the best - Larry

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: InOBU
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 02:09 PM

I mean folkies of course...

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: InOBU
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 07:54 PM

Hi Guys, I just sang this on WBAI in exile, which I believe can be found at WBIX.org on line, I will check. Chears. Larry

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 09:18 PM

I've heard this story too; I believe it was in a book on the history of Quakers written for young people. A very moving story, and wonderful to hear of the personal connection! Fine song, too, Friend!

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: InOBU
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 10:17 PM

Anna Curtis wrote it down in her book, Brother Sam, really a phamphle, it has also entered the oral tradition of most meetings. She also wrote Storries of the Underground Railroad. I have an autorgraphed copy somewhere about the house. Cheers, Larry

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: InOBU
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 10:18 PM

that should read pamphlet or how ever you spell it...

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Oct 01 - 11:14 PM

G'day InOBU

Don't worry about how spell pamphlet ... just don't look up what the word originally meant .... this could worry some religionists - although Friends may be more open-minded.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: InOBU
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 06:41 AM

Well I grew up in the Hicksite tradition, and we are generally more open minded than some more, well doctrinal bound Friends... not to say I don't know many open minded Wilberite Friends, but I should look up the word before I go on, than again I play a tune called An phis fluich, so I don't think I will be too shocked. Cheers Larry

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 07:34 AM

Well the story seems to be that pamphlet comes from a popular erotic 12th century Latin poem called Pamphilus, seu de Amore, which means "Pamphilus, or On Love."

But the poem itself seems to have been lost, and it doesn't appear to get a mention in Helen Waddell's Mediaeval Latin Lyrics or Wandering Scholars. So how popular and how erotic is a matter for surmise only.

I seem to remember there's a similar story to the one in Larry's song in Ancient Roman times. That doesn't imply it isn't likely enough to have happened as told in the 18th century as well.

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: InOBU
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 08:35 AM

Hi Kev: The story is a well documented event, I included most of the eliments, now I suppose I have to write a 12 century erotic poem. Now THERE is a project to think about! Cheers Larry

Subject: RE: Otway's Latest, A Quaker Song 4 today
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 02:09 PM

I don't doubt it. There's a great truth that people often seem to ignore when they are hunting down the history of legends, and think they have managed to pin them down. Things that make good stories don't just happen once, they come on round again, and happen in new ways in new settings.