Lizard

Granny Green was stooped as a windblown branch

She lived high in the Bramble forest

Once a fork night if the moon shown right

She came down to her little village

She brought blackberries and willow bark

Mandrake root and mushrooms

And it was said she spoke the tongue of birds

And understood the river’s whispers

Now several girls among our town

By a golden lizard they were bitten

And those sweet girls lay stiff in their beads

Like frozen ice upon the branches

Granny Green mixed a tonic for their ills

But it was such a bitter tonic

That all who drink began to dance

And could not stop their dancing

But none would danced one sinful step

If that old crone had not bewitched us

How we leaped in Princeton cackle

The whole town of driving mad men

And so desperate grew some to still their feet

They dove into the raging river

Still we danced all day and night

Til our fine clothes were torn and ragged

I’m crying out “Oh Lord, make us stop”

We danced naked around the chapel

How granny laughed to see such sin

There’s just water, she said, in my tonic

But all cried out “she lies, she surely lies”

And we chased her deep into the Bramble

But like before wind she disappeared

Though we searched round and round the branches

Rolling in leafs and naked ‘neath the trees

We lost the way back to our village

But I swear we were all pure of heart

Til that old crone did bewitch us

And I know we will all go home

When the good Lord returns to save us