Where I grew up, in Southern Maryland, there was the ghost story/legend of The Blue Dog of Rose Hill Rd. I was terrified as a child when my mom would drive down that road. I thought the blue dog would get us. Later, I got brave, and would drive down that road, at night, by myself! Until I totaled my first car, right in the vicinity of the manor, in early February. I still put the blame on the blue dog.
This turned out a LOT longer than I intended. I went back and forth between the legend I posted below, and the stories told to me growing up. Not sure how well it'd do put to music, but if anyone want's to give it a shot, have at it.
https://thebaynet.com/a-halloween-tale-the-legend-of-the-blue-dog-html/
In the midst of a deep Maryland forest
A low ghostly howl is heard
I'll tell you a tale of a blue dog
Whose spirit has now been stirred
In the town of Port Tobacco, it's said
Came Thomas Sims and his dog
A blue tick hound that cares for his master
Both wandering in through the fog
It happened after the Revolution
The date was February 8th
Thomas and hound slipped into a tavern
And talked to the locals in faith
His tongue was loosed by the strong libations
The words that stank of "new money"
And boasted a property deed in his hands
Others did not think it funny
Henry Hanos and friends were listening
To Thomas's bragging of riches
Resentment, and spite, washed over their faces
"Lets scare him out of his britches"
As Thomas and dog left the loud tavern
Into the quiet cold of the south
Unbeknownst to him, he had been followed
Soon to regret his loose mouth
Thomas and dog got as far as Rose Hill
The Manor was but a short distance
Henry and friends stopped him dead in his tracks
And threatened against resistance
Henry demanded the money and deed
To hand it clean over to him
Threatened to take it by force if need be
Otherwise his chances looked grim
Henry and friends took the riches by force
Thinking nothing of their bad deed
Leaving Thomas dead on the forest floor
They tried running home with great speed
To late, they remembered the angry dog
Defending his master full force
Henry and friends bashed it's head on a rock
Left the poor dog to die, of course
Henry buried the treasures and the deed
Under a lonesome holly tree
Vowing to return to fetch it home soon
He's hoping he wont have to flee
Legend tells us that both Thomas and dog
Were killed on a rock near Rose Hill
That Henry and friends killed em in cold blood
With heads full of hate and ill-will
When the shock of the murder died down in town
Henry got the urge to go back
In order to dig up the buried gold
Brought only a shovel and sack
Approaching the tree where he buried the gold
He heard a haunting, rumbling sound
Looking round crazed, with his soul filled with dread
He spotted a large angry hound
The great blue dog howled, and chased him away
Defending his master in death
The dog, it's said, is a harbinger of doom
As Henry learned with his last breath
The treasure today has never been found
And don't you go looking for it
The Holly's still there, and the smudged rock too
Blood stained as a warning, don't sit
You ignored the warning, though, didn't you
You're sitting in the cold in fear
Listening to the dark loathsome howling
A sense that the blue dog is near
You feel the dread as the blue dog comes close
The prowling eyes bore through your soul
You run, and he howls, bounding after you
Running fast, you get away whole
There's a lesson to be learned from this tale
Some things should not be sought after
Buried treasure, trouble, ghosts, or a good fright
Will bring you malicious laughter
@yewnorker Feb 2022
Epic! I write these type myself so I can appreciate them all the more. I grew up near the site of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. These tails will hound you.
@timfatchen Feb 2022
A rambunctious tale of treasure, murder and retribution! As spoken verse in a saloon this would go well. It'd be a pretty long song though if set.
@p3t3h4rv3y Feb 2022
great story telling here
@sunfire Feb 2022
Henry got what he deserved. Great storytelling with good imagery.
I felt really bad for the dog. Terrific writing. Very clever.