A Preacher Went out a Hunting: August 18, 2023

" I remembered the words to a song this morning that I hadn't thought of in years. "

Dad then proceeded to sing, without pause:

A preacher went out huntin' on one Sunday morn.

Wasn't against his religion, so he took his gun along.

He shot himself some very fine quail and one big mizzly are,

and on his way returning home he met a great big grizzly bear.

Now the bear marched out in the middle of the road; he waltzed with this preacher you see.

The preacher got so excited that he climbed up a cinna tree.

The bear sat down upon the ground and preacher climbed out on a limb.

Then he cast his eyes to the lord in the skies and these words said to him:

Oh Lord didn't you deliver Daniel from the lion's den.

Also deliver Jonah from the belly of the whale and then,

three Hebrew chillun' from a firey furnace, so the good book do declare.

Now Lord if you can't help me for goodness sakes doncha help that bear.

The preacher stayed up on that tree I bet it was all night. 

He said, oh Lord if you don't help me you'll see an awful sight .

Just about then the limb let go and the preacher came a tumblin' down.

You shouldda seen him get his rozzer out before he struck the ground.

He hit the ground cutting right and left; he put up a very big fight.

Just then the bear hugged the preacher and he squeezed him a little too tight.

The preacher then lost his rozzer but the bear held on with a vim and then 

He cast his eyes to the Lord in the skies and once more said to him:

Oh Lord didn't you deliver Daniel from the lions den

Also deliver Jonah from the belly of the whale and then

three Hebrew chillun' from a firey furnace so the good book do declare

now Lord if you can't help me for goodness sakes doncha help that bear

Dad says he first heard this on an old 72 record that came with the victrola that was in the Springfield house when they moved into the house in 1931 when Dad was a baby (likely September or October). (33 North Kensington Place, Springfield Ohio.) The version at that time did not use "preacher;" the word was "coon." Likely sung by a white minstrel in blackface in the 1920's, it is a classic racist song from the era. Dad said "rozzer" is how razor was pronounced on the record. Other words, "chillun" for example, he sang with an accent attributed to black people in that era. 

Dad: "I remember cranking out the old victrola and listening to that record over and over again. That was likely the early '40's." 

I looked on line and found this: (Dad never learned the last verse about Baptism; it was not on the record.)

 http://folksongandmusichall.com/index.php/preacher-and-the-bear-the/#:~:text=Oh%20Lord%20didn't%20you,t%20you%20help%20that%20bear!

A  Preacher went out huntin, t'was on one Sunday morn
He knew its against his religion, but he took his gun along
He shot himself three mighty fine quail
and one little measly hare
And on his way returning home,
he saw a great big Grizzly Bear

Now the bear marched out in the middle of the road
and waltzed to the Preacher you see
The Preacher got so excited, he climbed up a 'simmon tree
The bear sat down upon the ground,
the Preacher climbed out on a limb
Well he cast his eyes to the Lord in the skies,
and these words he said to Him

Oh Lord, didn't you deliver Daniel from the lion's den
Also, deliver Jonah, from the belly of a whale and then
Three Hebrew children from the fiery furnace
so the Good Book do declare
Now Oh Lord, if you can't help me,
well then please don't-cha help that bear

Now the Preacher was up in that tree,
I think it was all night
He said Mr Bear if you bother me,
I'll give you an awful fight
Just about that time the limb let go
and the Preacher came tumblin' down
You could see him getting his razor out
before he hit the ground

He hit the ground cuttin' right and left,
he put up a very game fight
Just then the bear grabbed the Preacher,
and he squeezed him a little too tight
The Preacher dropped his razor, the bear held on with a vim
Well he cast his eyes to the Lord in the skies
and these words he said to Him

They fought all the way to the river,
it was a terrible fight
That bear just kept a-hanging on,
but the Preacher was a-doing all right
He dragged that beast right down in the water
it was three times in and out
Then the bear got up and he limped away
and the Preacher began to shout

Oh, Lordy, didn't you deliver Daniel from the lion's den
Also, deliver Jonah, from the belly of a whale, Amen,
And oh Lord, it may not seem like much from way up there,
But the hardest thing I ever done was baptize that (bleep bleep) bear.

recording: http://folksongandmusichall.com/index.php/preacher-and-the-bear-the/#:~:text=Oh%20Lord%20didn't%20you,t%20you%20help%20that%20bear!