Griesly Bride

by John Manifold and Tom Campbell

Listen and Purchase

Lie down, my newly married wife
Lie easy as you can
You're young and ill-accustomed yet
To sleeping with a man

The snow was deep, the moon was full
As it shone on the cabin floor
His young bride rose without a word
And ran barefoot through the door

He up and followed fast and sure
And an angry man was he
But his young bride wasn't e'er in sight
And only the moon shown clearly

He followed her track through the new, deep snow
Calling out loud her name
Only the dingoes in the hills
Yowled back at him again

Then the hair stood up along his neck
And his angry mind was gone
For where the two-foot track gave out
A four-footed track went on

Her nightgown lay upon the snow
As it might on a bedsheet
And the tracks that led from where it lay
Were never of human feet

Then his heart turned over in his chest
He looked from side to side
And he thought more of his gumwood fire
Than he did of his griesly bride

He first started in to walking back
Then he began to run
And his quarry turned all in her track
And hunted him in turn

Oh, long may his fire burn for him
As he lies in a crimson tide
Beware, beware, o trapper man,
Beware of a griesly bride