Dancing With The Fiddler

Just a little legendary tale of the ole' fiddle and its players

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The devil dances on  the fiddlers bow

What you reap you'll surely sow

Dancing with the fiddler like a bird without wings

While his violin plays its eerie strings

Playing his lies to a haunting tune

Heard in the night of a darkening moon

Out on the river you can hear them say

If you dance with the fiddler you'll surely pay

Be careful when he plays his fiddler talk

As the legend goes...

The bow and the fiddle is the devil's box

                              

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LadeeAnne~C@2011

Anne P Murray

 

Author's Note

Devil’s Box
Even thought I love the fiddle, did you know there was a time, back in the ole' days in parts of the South, the fiddle was considered the Devil’s Box? Considered, by the virtuous folks, sinful to play as it was associated with drinking and rowdy revelry. There have been old worn fiddles discovered within the walls and remains of long forgotten log cabins; placed there by those newly saved fiddlers who couldn’t bear to destroy their precious heirlooms, but nevertheless gave them up. Think about this the next time you hear a spirited fiddle rendition of Devil’s Dream or Hell Among the Yearlings.

Also it was not uncommon for old-time stringed instrument players to place rattlesnake tails inside the resonating portions of their stringed instruments; the most common being the fiddle? The players claimed it enhanced the sound resonance. Rattlesnakes will shed their skin up to four times a year adding a new rattle section each time. So, if you every got the impression a fiddler player was a little snake-bit; ask him to shake his fiddle to hear if it rattles.

Reviews

[Chris]

Great 'beat' to the flow...

[Neva Flores Smith - Cha..]

Not only a fascinating piece (of wisdom) but wow! what a picture you have posted with this. If we dance with the fiddler, we surely do pay.........excellent!

[An owl on the moon]

What a powerful, haunting imagery that speaks into the shadowed places of our lives.. into choices we make every day. Stunning write.