The Oxford Book of Canadian Verse
Johnnie CourteauWilliam Henry Drummond (1854–1907)
J
Johnnie Courteau of de hill—
Dat was de boy can shoot de gun,
Dat was de boy can jomp an’ run,
An’ it ’s not very offen you ketch heem still—
Johnnie Courteau!
Ax dem along de shore,
Who was mos’ bes’ fightin’ man
From Managance to Shaw-in-i-gan?
De place w’ere de great beeg rapide roar—
Johnnie Courteau!
Up on de Mekinac:
Who was de man can walk de log,
W’en w’ole of de reever she ’s black wit’ fog,
An’ carry de beeges’ load on hees back?
Johnnie Courteau!
If de raf’ she ’s swingin’ roun,
An’ he ’s yellin’, ‘Hooraw Bateese! good man!’
W’y de oar come double on hees han’
W’en he ’s makin’ dat raf’ go flyin’ down—
Johnnie Courteau!
De feller w’at save hees life,
W’en beeg moose ketch heem up a tree,
Who ’s shootin’ dat moose on de head, sapree!
An’ den run off wit’ hees Injun wife?
Johnnie Courteau!
On Lac a la Tortue,
W’en he meet de bear comin’ down de hill,
But de bear very soon is get hees fill!
An’ he sole dat skin for ten dollar too—
Johnnie Courteau!
Lak de ole coureurs de bois,
But w’en he ’s gettin’ hees winter pay
De bes’ t’ing sure is kip out de way;
For he ’s goin’ right off on de Hip Hooraw!
Johnnie Courteau!
He dance on hees botte sauvage,
An’ shout, ‘All aboar’ if you want to fight!’
Wall! you never can see de finer sight
W’en he go lak dat on de w’ole village!
Johnnie Courteau!
On Philomene Beaurepaire:
She ’s nice leetle girl was run de school
On w’at you call Parish of Sainte Ursule,
An’ he see her off on de pique-nique dere—
Johnnie Courteau!
W’en he marry on Philomene,
For he stay on de farm de w’ole year roun’,
He chop de wood an’ he plough de groun’,
An’ he ’s quieter feller was never seen—
Johnnie Courteau!
From La Tuque to Shaw-in-i-gan,
W’en dey hear de news was goin’ aroun’,
Along on de reever up an’ down,
How wan leetle woman boss dat beeg man—
Johnnie Courteau!
No matter de hard we try,
’Cos he stay on de kitchen an’ sing hees song:
‘A la claire fontaine,
M’en allant promener,
J’ai trouvé l’eau si belle
Que je m’y suis baigner!
Il y a longtemps que je t’aime,
Jamais je ne t’oublierai.’
Rockin’ de cradle de w’ole night long,
Till baby ’s asleep on de sweet bimeby—
Johnnie Courteau!
De place she ’s so nice an’ clean
Mus’ wipe your foot on de outside door,
You’re dead man sure if you spit on de floor,
An’ he never say not’ing on Philomene—
Johnnie Courteau!
An’ put it all safe away
On very good place; I dunno w’ere,
But anyhow nobody see it dere,
So she ’s buyin’ new farm de noder day—
Madame Courteau!