A Southern Lullaby

Little honey baby, shet yo' eyes up tight;-- (Shadow-man is comin' from de moon!)-- You's as sweet as roses if dey is so pink an white; (Shadow-man '11 get here mighty soon.)

Little honey baby, keep yo' footses still!-- (Rocky-bye, oh, rocky, rocky-bye!) Hush yo' now, an listen to dat lonesome whippo'-will; Don't yo' fix yo' lip an start to cry.

Little honey baby, stop dat winkin' quick!; (Hear de hoot-owl in de cotton-wood!) Yess--I sees yo' eyes adoin' dat dere triflin' trick-- (He gets chillun if dey isn't good.)

Little honey baby, what yo' think yo' see?-- (Sister keep on climbin' to de sky--) Dat's a June bug--it aint got no stinger, lak a bee-- (Reach de glory city by an by.)

Little honey baby, what yo' skeery at?-- (Go down, Moses--down to Phar-e-oh,)-- No--dat isn't nuffin but a furry fly-round bat;-- (Say, he'd betta let dose people go.)

Little honey baby, yo' is all ma own,-- Deed yo' is.--Yes,--dat's a fia-fly;-- If I didn't hab yo'--reckon I'd be all alone; (Rocky-bye--oh, rocky, rocky-bye.)

Little honey baby, shet yo' eyes up tight;-- (Shadow man is comin' from de moon,) You's as sweet as roses, if dey is so pink and white; (Shadow-man '11 get here mighty soon.)

The lines in brackets are supposed to be sung or chanted. The Southern "Mammy" seldom sang a song through, but interladed it with comments.--V.S.