Lizard

Granny Green was stooped as a windblown branch She lived high in the bramble forest Once a fortnight, if the moon shone right she came down to our little village She brought blackberries and willow bark mandrake root and mushrooms And it was said she spoke the tongue of birds And understood the river’s whispers Now several girls among our town by a golden lizard they were bitten And those sweet girls lay stiff in their beds like frozen ice up on the branches Granny Green mixed a tonic for their ills but it was such a bitter tonic All who drank began to dance and could not stop their dancing But none would have danced one sinful step If that old crone had not bewitched us How we leaped and pranced and cackled the whole town writhing madmen And so desperate grew some to still their feet they dove into the raging river Still we danced on day and night till our fine clothes were torn and ragged And crying out, “Oh, Lord, make us stop!” we danced naked round the chapel How Granny laughed to see such sin. “It’s just water,” she said, “in my tonic!” But all cried out, “She lies! She surely lies!” and chased her deep into the bramble But like the four winds she disappeared Though we searched round and round the branches Rolling in leaves and naked ‘neath the trees we lost the way back to our village But I swear we were all pure of heart till that old crone did bewitch us And I know we will all go home when the good Lord returns to save us