Many years ago, the kids and I went camping on the coast with my parents. We stayed just over the hill from the ocean, in a shaded Redwood grove along the Russian River. I slept in the tent with the kids that night. They were excited to be out in the wild listening to the dark and its inhabitants, when we hear the oddest of sounds – a cow moo. More than once. Never before or since have I heard cows at night. I suppose I do not usually camp near them, and the moon was full that night, but for lack of a better explanation I made up a ghost story for my inquisitive bunk mates. In the live version, I add a cow moo between verses. p.s. I gave up eating cows a couple years ago due to colon cancer risks.
A long time ago, in a place far away
A town and its cows, lived in peace so they say.
People fed the cows, the cows fed the people
Till one day that town, got a little greedy.
All the cows they sold, to the men in tall hats
Who took them away, and the townsmen said "Phat".
That's not the end of the story, oh, no, no
Lets follow the cows, and see where they will go.
The men on their horses, did whip and did kick
Showing no mercy or kindness, but sharp sticks.
They scared and they pushed the cows farther on north
To no place of happiness, only remorse.
Day upon day and night upon night, until
A valley they reached that had no end in sight.
It was dark and dusty when first came the sound
The tall hats ignored it, the cows looked around
Louder it grew, and from everywhere at once
Came the strange, the scary, the haunted cow voice.
A stampede started, somehow the cows all knew
The tall hats followed, there was nothing to do
Down the valley rolled this mess, out of control
Cows, tall hats running scared, from this sound of old.
Then quiet! Not a sound was heard, just the dust
floating silently to earth, a gentle touch.
No one knows what happened to the men or cows
And the town never got its money, but now…
They say sometimes, in the darkness of moonlight
When cold air chills the shadows of the night
In old Bridgehaven, just outside of town,
Listen hard and hear the sound of the GHOST COW.
