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Run, Moses, run, Mister Walker da come; Run, Moses, run, Mister Walker da come. If you buck your right foot, buck your left foot, Never try look back; If you buck your right foot, buck your left foot, Never try look back. |
To "buck" is to strike, and the word is applied to a stumbling horse, who is said to buck his foot against a stone, or simply to buck. It also means to butt with the head and is most likely a corruption of this word. Bucking, or charging stag-fashion with the head, is the favourite way for women to fight. Here is an account of such a contest:—
CXXXV.
5th Figure.
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Whé you da do? Whé you da do? Whé you da do make Sarah buck you? Whé you da do? Whé you da do? Whé you da do make Sarah buck you? Adela da jump but Sarah buck him, Adela da jump but Sarah buck him, Adela da jump but Sarah buck him. Whé you da do make Sarah buck you? You Adela ho you ought to shame! You Adela ho you ought to shame! You Adela ho you ought to shame! Whé you da do make Sarah buck you? |
Fights between women are by no means uncommon. This was a case of cherchez l'homme. The ladies both wanted to marry the same man. The "sing" was evidently composed by one of Sarah's partisans for the words are:—"What did you do to make Sarah buck you? Adela jumped, but Sarah bucked her. You, Adela, oh you ought to be ashamed!" Adela's sideway jump was not quick enough to save her from Sarah's head.