Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winter Page A

on.
    Sometimes berries to pick
    and corn to snatch,
    sometimes fish to catch,

    sometimes empty bellies to sleep on.
    Sometimes no stars to guide the way.

    They never knew what lay ahead.

    There was danger from men
    who would send them back,
    and danger from hungry beasts.
    But sometimes a kind deed was done.

    One day as they hid in a thicket
    a boy from a farm found them.
    In a bag of feed for the hogs in the wood
    he brought bacon and corn bread to share.

    Singing low, they traveled on.
      
The river ends between two hills,
      
Follow the drinking gourd.
      
There’s another river on the other side,
      
Follow the drinking gourd.

    On and on they followed the trail
    to the river’s end.
    From the top of the hill they saw the new path,
    another river beneath the stars
    to lead them to freedom land.
    The drinking gourd led them on.
    The song was almost done.
      
When the great big river meets the little river,
      
Follow the drinking gourd.
      
For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom
      
If you follow the drinking gourd.

    Then they climbed the last hill.
    Down below was Peg Leg Joe
    waiting at the wide Ohio River
    to carry them across.

    Their spirits rose when they saw the old man.
    Molly and James and Isaiah, old Hattie and George,
    ran to the shore.

    Under a starry sky
    Joe rowed them across the wide Ohio River.
    He told them of hiding places
    where they would be safe.
    A path of houses stretched like a train
    on a secret track leading north to Canada.
    He called it the Underground Railroad.
    It carried riders to freedom.

    The first safe house stood on the hill.
    The lamp was lit,
    which meant it was safe to come.
    Ragged and weary, they waited
    while Joe signaled low, with a hoot like an owl.

    Then the door opened wide
    to welcome the freedom travelers.

    They were rushed through the house
    to the barn,
    for the farmers knew
    there were slave catchers near.

    A trapdoor in the floor
    took them under the barn,
    to hide till it was safe to move on.
    Then Peg Leg Joe went back to the river
    to meet others who followed the drinking gourd.

    With danger still near, too close for ease,
    the farmer sent the five travelers on.
    He drew a map that showed the way north
    on the midnight road
    to the next safe house, just over two hills.

    This time James called the signal,
    a hoot like an owl,
    that opened the door to a Quaker farm.
    The travelers were led to a secret room
    hidden behind shelves.

    They rested here for many days
    and healed their wounds.
    Soft beds, full meals, new clothes, hot baths,
    washed away some fear and pain.
    Isaiah smiled.

    When they were strong, they traveled again
    from house to house on the underground trail,
    still following the drinking gourd north.

    Sometimes they traveled on foot,
    sometimes by cart.
    The wagon they rode near their journey’s end
    carried fruit to market
    and the runaways to freedom.

    At last they came to the shores of Lake Erie.
    Molly and James and Isaiah,
    old Hattie and young George,
    climbed aboard the steamship
    that would carry them across to Canada, to freedom.
    “Five more souls are safe!”
    old Hattie cried.
    The sun shone bright when they stepped on land.

    They had followed the drinking gourd.

    (Repeat chorus)
    The riverbank makes a very good road,
    The dead trees will show you the way.
    Left foot, peg foot, traveling on,
    Follow the drinking gourd.
    (Repeat chorus)
    The river ends between two hills,
    Follow the drinking gourd.
    There’s another river on the other side,
    Follow the drinking gourd.
    (Repeat chorus)
    When the great big river meets the little river,
    Follow the drinking gourd.
    For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom
    If you follow the drinking gourd.

Jeanette Winter is one of the most acclaimed author-illustrators working in children’s literature today. She has written and illustrated almost fifty books for young readers, including
Diego,
a
New York Times
Best Illustrated Children’s