Ridin' Down the Slide

Ridin' Down The Slide Now I'm not wild as cowboys go - I drink some now an' then. I play poker come Friday night But that's about the end. So how was I to know back then The Devil'd come see me? It came about in '32 I'm shore as I can be. It happened at our brandin' camp As we was burnin' hide Here come the Devil big as life Just ridin' down the slide Now I'd heard 'bout the Devil's tricks, His trades to win yore soul - I was ready when he rode up An' walked up to him bold. He smelt like sulfur an' cow pies An' looked like he was mad Well, he'd been ridin' down that slide An' slippery stuff is bad. I said, "Howdy do, you ol' goat. You lookin' fer a trade?" He said, "I'll promise you a lot - Let's sit there in that shade." I said, "Now lookey here, ol' man, Yore in the cowboy world. You ain't gettin' my respect 'til You give that bronc a whirl." I pointed to that black mustang That never has been rode. The meanest hoss I ever saw, He just won't tote no load. Well the Devil laughed, spit some fire, An' said , “Child's play, my son. Saddle him up and step away Your soul's as good as won." He swung up in the saddle just As easy as could be He gave a grin an' touched his horns An' turned the mustang free. Hoss blew up like he always does An' gave a mighty spin Then he bucked hard just like he knew He was carryin' Sin Weren't very long at all it seems Devil was on his back Ol' hoss jumped up an' down on him Like some potato sack We drug him out an' piled him on The hoss that he came on He headed back across the slide His fire was out an' barely smoked We heard him mumblin' well "Damn cowboys sure ain’t welcome Down in my burnin' Hell"