By Tony McCarthy

Now, ya'll listen closely
An' gather up near
I'll tell you a story--
A Legend 'round here

It ain't about wizards
Or tales of the sea
But of a family of Beetles
'Round 1903

There'd been sleet all that winter
An' floods in the spring
So it was might near July
'Fore Paw'd planted a thing

Now, Maw and Paw Beetle
Worked the fields dawn to dusk
But that Summer turned so dry
That tin wouldn't grow rust

All they had for their work
Was one pail of dried peas
Only things growed that summer
Was worry... and trees

"Paw," said Maw Beetle
One night in the shack,
The young-uns belly buttons
Is a-gnawin' their backs!"

"Here it's only November,
An' they ate the last pea."
Paw said "Well, in the mornin'
We'll eat us a tree."

So they got up the next mornin'
An' woke both the kids,
Went out to the woods
An' that's just what they did

But the oak was too bitter
The sweet gum, too sweet
An' the Willer tree caused hairs
To grow on Maw's feet

The Hick'ry was to stringy
An' the Elm tree, too dry
Then Paw yelled "Here's a Pine tree!
Let's give it a try!"

So they all gathered 'round it
An' each broke off a bite
An' both of the young-uns
Just yelled with delight

Maw said "It's delicious!"
Paw said "Ye'p, real good."
An' the young-uns was a-eatin'
Just all that they could

Maw made Pine Bark Bread
An' Pine Needle Tea
An' Paw said "Maw, next summer
I ain't plantin' a pea!"

Now, they ate that pine up,
But paw, he marked the spot
An' said "Ever year we'll come back here
To give thanks for what we got."

"An', oh, somthin' else
We're gone change our last name
We'll call us 'Pine Beetles'
'Cause just 'Beetle's' too plain."

So, the years, they passed by
An' the family, it grew
An' right on that spot
Well, a town sprouted, too

An' it goes with the tellin'
An' it's holdin' true still
That when the winds of November
Start totin' a chill

That all the Pine Beetles
From near and from far
Start a-walkin' to Castor
(They can't drive no car)

But don't fear 'em none
Ain't no meanness in mind
They just all gathered up
To say "Thanks for the Pine!"

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