"De Blue Tail Fly" (1846)
(A Negro Song)
by C. H. Keith ?

1.
O when you come in summer time,
To South Carlinar's sultry clime,
If in de shade you chance to lie,
You'll soon find out de blue tail fly,
  An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

2.
Dar's many kind ob dese here tings,
From different sort ob insects springs;
Some hatch in June, and some July,
But August fetches de blue tail fly,
  An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

3.
When I was young a us'd to wait
On Massa's table and hand de plate;
I'd pass de bottle when he dry,
And bresh away de blue tail fly.
  An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

4.
Den arter dinner massa sleep,
He bid me vigilance to keep;
An when he gwine to shut he eye,
He tell me watch de blue tail fly.
  An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

5.
An' when he ride in de arternoon,
I foller wid a hickory broom;
De poney being berry shy,
When bitten by de blue tail fly,
  An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

6.
One day he rode aroun' de farm,
De flies so numerous did swarm;
One chance to bite 'im on de thigh,
De debble take dat blu tail fly,
  An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

7.
De poney run, he jump an pitch,
An tumble massa in de ditch;
He died, an de jury wonder why,
De verdict was de "blue tail fly,"
  An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

8.
Dey laid 'im under a simmon tree,
His epitaph am dar to see;
Beneath dis stone I'm forced to lie,
All by means ob de blue tail fly,
  An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

9.
Ole Massa's gone, now let him rest,
Dey say all tings am for de best;
I nebber forget till de day I die,
Ole Massa an de blue tail fly,
  An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

10.
De hornet gets in your eyes an nose,
De 'skeeter bites y'r through your close,
De gallnipper sweeten high,
But wusser yet de blue tail fly,
  An scratch 'im wid a brier too.

[Source: 018/026@Levy]