The Gold at Oyster Cove
Unearthing Deception: The Gold at Oyster Cove Revealed
Lyrics
There was a storyteller who lived in my hometown
Introduction of a storyteller in the narrator's hometown.
We’d visit him on dreary days and watch the rain pour down
Visits to the storyteller during rainy days.
T’was only tea and small talk ‘til his wife went off to bed
Tea and small talk until the storyteller's wife goes to bed.
Then out would come the stories and a bottle of rum instead
Stories and rum emerge once the wife is away.
One night his face grew solemn, his voice went awful low
The storyteller becomes serious and tells a pirate tale.
He told a tale of pirates who sailed down the Hillsborough
Description of the pirate tale set in Hillsborough.
Beneath a willow tree they buried treasures of the best
Pirates burying treasures under a willow tree with a marked cross.
And nailed a cross onto that tree to mark their hidden chest
Detailing the burial of treasures and marking the spot.
I’d go and find that treasure, if I was not so old
Expressing a desire to find the treasure if not for age.
But if you burly boys can dig it up we’ll split the gold
Offer to share the gold with others if they dig it up.
And so the deal was struck, we could scarcely hold our smiles
An agreement is made, excitement evident.
As he leaned in and whispered the directions to our prize
Whispered directions for finding the treasure.
Walk along the railroad tracks
Step-by-step instructions for finding the treasure at Oyster Cove.
Turn down McKenna’s field
-Keep walking to the shore
-To find that cross upon a tree
-Then take your shovel to the earth
-You’re sure to find a trove
-A real arresting sight to see
-The Gold at Oyster Cove
-‘Twas early the next morning when we set off on our quest
Setting off on the quest, reaching the cove, finding the marked tree.
Our feet a’ flying through the dew to reach that treasure chest
-And when we came upon the cove, we stood in awe to see
-Just as the storyteller claimed, a cross upon a tree
-So we commenced to digging, and finding naught but rocks
Initial disappointment and later discovery of a wooden box.
‘Til six feet down our shovels tapped upon a wooden box
-Then all at once we heard the sound of hoof prints drawing close
Unexpected arrival of a lawman, accusations of a crime, and arrest.
We turned around in shock to see a lawman on a horse
-He said put down your shovels, and don’t you try and run
-You’re going to the jailhouse for the crime that you have done
-When I awoke this morning, a telegram I found
Awakening to a telegram about robbers heading for a burial ground.
That told of robbers heading for the Settler’s Burial Ground
-Walk along the railroad tracks
Repetition of instructions, emphasizing the Gold at Oyster Cove.
Turn down McKenna’s field
-Keep walking to the shore
-To find that cross upon a tree
-Then take your shovel to the earth
-You’re sure to find a trove
-A real arresting sight to see
-The Gold at Oyster Cove
-The object of our digging was alas no treasure chest
Realization that the digging unearthed a settler's coffin, lawman's refusal to believe.
But some poor settler’s coffin that had long been laid to rest
-And though we tried to make our case, the lawman would not budge
-Said he you’ll have to save your petty pouting for the judge
-It seemed that storyteller, had mischief in his eye
Accusation that the storyteller misled them, admitting to a grave mistake.
His tale of pirate treasure, it was nothing but a lie
-For we were no grave robbers but a grave mistake we made
-To trust the storyteller, for the devil he had played
-So now in cramped confinement we wait to be set free
Narrator and companions in confinement, storyteller laughing at their misfortune.
While drink in hand, the storyteller laughs and slaps his knee
-So take heed to my warning, just as the adage says
Final warning about the lesson learned from the experience.
If something sounds too rosy to be true it always is
-Walk along the railroad tracks
Reiteration of the instructions, emphasizing the deceptive Gold at Oyster Cove.
Turn down McKenna’s field
-Keep walking to the shore
-To find that cross upon a tree
-Then take your shovel to the earth
-You’re sure to find a trove
-A real arresting sight to see
-The Gold at Oyster Cove
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