The Ballad of John Tanner
Peter White
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There once was a boy who was cunning and coy He was born in the wilds of Kentucky He was two when he sighed as his mother died Some people are just born unlucky John Tanner's the name, hard living's the game And maybe a murderer too July the sixth, 1846 In the town that they call The Sault But the boy grew up strong And it wasn't too long 'till the year was 1790 Who could have foretold that the boy ten years old Would soon be in the hands of the Shawnee Never one for strict rules one day John missed school And his father caned him severely And when it was done he wished he was gone It was a wish that he'd soon pay for dearly One early spring day his father did say John don't you dare go outside The horses are nervous and strangers are near us Stay here with your brother and hide. But as soon as he could John escaped to the wood In a sly and cautious manner But no good it would do for all too soon Came the kidnap of poor young John Tanner John Tanner's the name, hard living's the game And maybe a murderer too July the sixth, 1846 In the town that they call The Sault For two brutal years he shed many tears At the hands of his vicious new father But then things changed when a wise woman came He was sold to and raised by Net-no-kwa For thirty more years he hunted the deer And never thought once of his old bed For the man who took him, made sure he forsook them By telling young John they were dead At forty years old he walked the long road That led to his kin in Kentucky But he could not adjust so he made his way North Soon landing in Sault Ste. Marie He found Metis and Ojibway and also Fort Brady, With soldiers like Lieutenant Bryant Tilden John's work was to listen to the words of the red men Interpreting what they had spoken John Tanner's the name, hard living's the game And maybe a murderer too July the sixth, 1846 In the town that they call The Sault Two men John did work for, two men who were at war Henry Schoolcraft and Abel Bingham Caught in the middle, and not one to quibble the tongue that employed John undid him Henry Schoolcraft was helpful but he could be hurtful When he had a grudge in his heart And he worked hard to make sure John Tanner would suffer Until that tough man fell apart When Henry paid money he did it quite funny With credit in his brother's store It was all fair they claimed as John owed this man James So he paid the price and then some more Some buildings burned down and the talk in the town Was that Tanner was at it again And when James Schoolcraft cried from a gun wound and died John Tanner was instantly blamed John Tanner's the name, hard living's the game And maybe a murderer too July the sixth, 1846 In the town that they call The Sault On that very day John went away And never was seen again But later 'twas said, Tilden on his deathbed Confessed that the gunman was him A couple years on in a swamp someone found Some bones that smelled just like slander They never could say but they did anyway That the corpse had to be old John Tanner John Tanner's the name, hard living's the game And maybe a murderer too July the sixth, 1846 In the town that they call The Sault July the sixth, 1846 In the town that they call The Sault
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