In the depths of his vast land
Hunted the great Bedan-Tro
Over the rocks and dry sand
Did his hardened bare feet go

He was bound for the green field,
Where the wild antelopes roam,
And a stout spear did he wield,
To slay food for precious home

But in the brambles nearby
(How could Bedan-Tro know then?),
Lurked the evil Tupen-Kai,
Fallen hunter of good men

Who betrayed tribal brothers,
For devilish white men of sin,
Tupen-Kai captured others;
He made slaves of his own kin

Bedan-Tro battled them long,
And with all his fearsome might,
But Tupen’s men were too strong,
And defeated him that night

And then out strode Tupen-Kai,
Wearing hat of silken trim,
Looking Bedan in the eye,
He fastened chains on him

“I am going to take you,
Said Tupen-Kai, cold as ice,
“To the coast, where they’ll break you;
You will be my sacrifice”

Then the great Bedan-Tro spat
(Indeed, what words could he say?)
On Tupen-Kai’s silken hat
For which his slaving did pay

But Tupen-Kai stayed his knife,
For dead slaves were of no use,
He spared Bedan-Tro his life,
Saving him for more abuse

At Tupen’s camp Bedan saw
(they in strong cuffs, just as he)
Ten more captive slaves, wrists raw,
Chained and bound for Fearsome Sea

Then they started Fateful Trip,
Lasting thirty bright moons long,
Hastened onward by the whip,
Soothed a little by the song
When they reached great Giant Coast
Only six slaves did remain,
Two had starved, one had roast,
Two more had been shot and slain

At the Great Coast Bedan-Tro
Was helpless to stop a thing:
Sold by Tupen-Kai the Low
For beads and a shiny ring

Off strode evil Tupen-Kai
More kin Africans to seek
Bedan wished to see him die,
But he was hot, broken, weak

Bedan now saw his new lord,
Tall, fat, and ghostly pale white,
He led Bedan by the sword
To a dungeon that same night

There they stayed, one hundred men
For a time above one week,
In a room built for just ten
Without light, which all men seek

But Bedan finally saw
His object of most desire,
Sweet light, pure, intense, and raw,
Coming from Great Ball of Fire
For he was at long last led
Out of deep and darkened gloom
Not to freedom, but instead
Just the next stage of his doom

Thus he was forced by strong hand
On a rough and dirty trip
Down the beach and through the sand
To a huge beast of a ship

Whither would this beast take him?
This, great Bedan-Tro knew not
But he knew, it would break him,
For the chains could not be fought

The End