Cowboy and The Constable

The cowboy was fishin where it was posted
The sign plainly said, “No fishin”,
When a Ranger rides up with book in hand
And wrote the ticket he was wishin.

Any cowboy knows he ain’t gonna pay
For eatin off the fat of the land,
Livin hand to mouth for days on the trail
A Fish Mounty can go pound sand

Anyways, if he ain’t caught a single fish
What’s the beef with no evidence?
‘Cause there ain’t no law forbidden a man
From cuttin cane to prop a fence!

But the Ranger says, “You come with me
Let the Constable settle this grudge.”
So the cowboy thinks real hard what to say
When he gets before the Judge.

“The charge is fishin where signs are posted”
The Judge asks, “Cowboy is this true?”
He said, “No your honor it shore can’t be
And I can prove it all to you.”

Oh really he says, “Is this your pole?”
And he said, “Yup your honor it ‘tis,
If you give me a chance to demonstrate
I’ll show you just how it is.”

“Was there ever a worm on the hook?”
“Yup indeed your honor there was,
Until the Ranger let ‘em dry like jerky
And yellow jackets ate ‘n a buzz.

The cowboy took his cane pole and line
And the Judge kept his eye on him,
He said, “I cast out slow and jerkin light
I was teachin a worm how to swim!”

“Til the Ranger rode in and stopped me
‘Causin my little pet worm to drown”
The Judge grinned ‘n said, “let the cowboy go”
And sent ‘em hightailin out of town!
Ed Keenan © 11-00

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