DAVY CROCKETT (1786-1836)
美國歴史中一位民族英雄、西部拓荒者、軍人、政治家和革命軍人。在現代文學被稱為 "邊疆荒野之王 King of the Wild Frontier"。
Davy Crockett 生於1786年, 田納西州 Tennessee 東部的格林維爾 Greeneville, 祖先是法國裔移民美國的愛爾蘭人。家中兄弟姐妹共九人, 他排行第五; 八歲, 父親教他開槍, 經常與哥哥一起遠足和四出狩獵。自小口齒伶俐又善於講故事, 引來不少同輩聽眾追隨者。十三歲, 被父親强迫才上學, 但幾天後, 與同學在外毆鬥, 恐怕回校要受懲罰而開始逃學, 最後甚至放棄學業並離家出走; 在外期間, 替人家伐木斬柴, 賺錢過活。
成 家
飄泊近三年, 十六歲才返回家中, 父親因為負上債務, 要他為借貸人工作, 以工資代為清還債项; 至完成後, 他仍繼續留下來工作至二十歲成婚, 婚後育有兩子一女, 十年後妻子 Polly Finley 去世。繼而再婚, 與妻子 Elizabetg Patton 另育有兩兒。
從 軍 1813年九月, 二十七歲加入田納西州, 羅倫斯縣 Lawrence County 志願騎兵第二團, 他的長官就是後來當上美國第七任總統的 Andrew Jackson 安德魯·傑克遜。在服役期間, 曾參予對印第安人的戰爭。
議 政
三十五歲被選為州的立法代表, 令市政府清洗貪污風氣。1827年, 當選為美國國會眾議院, 田納西州 Tennessee 第九區的議席代表至1831年, 期間在國會曾反對時任總統 Andrew Jackson 安德魯·傑克遜許多政策, 特別是强迫印地安人遷徙和被驅逐的法案, Crockett 强烈反對, 雖然受到大多數新移民的支持, 但亦因此令致他在往下的競選敗陣。兩年後, 1833年, 成功再當選, 這次代表第十二區。及後, 在1835年的競選當中, 以輕微票數再次落敗而决意離開議會政治。
德 薩 斯 獨 立
離開華盛頓眾議院, Davy Crockett 投身 Texas 德薩斯獨立政府 (當時墨西哥的 Tejas), 以反抗墨西哥統治, 並参予 "德薩斯革命 Texas Revolution"。1836年三月, Crockett 率領十多人前赴 San Antonio 聖安東尼奧 Alamo 阿拉莫, 展開了 "阿拉莫戰役 Battle of the Alamo", 革命軍雖然屢戰屢敗, 在援軍增兵和勇戰之不, 最終戰勝令致德薩斯得以獨立。後來的歴史有述, 不少革命軍在戰役結束前被俘, 墨西哥總統 Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna 下令要立刻把他們槍決, 當中包括 Davy Crockett。在文獻的記載, 他是戰死 "阿拉莫戰役 Battle of the Alamo", 終年四十九歲。
THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT
原曲的歌詞共有二十段, 是 Davy Crockett 一生的速寫, 亦是整個故事的簡述, 後來的不同版本因錄音所限, 衹取其中的幾段而己; 有記載最完整歌詞版本是收錄在 Walt Disney 和路迪士尼的電視片集 "邊疆荒野之王 Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier", 1954年由合唱樂隊 "The Mellomen" 演繹超過七分鐘的錄音。
The Ballad of Davy Crockett ~ From Walt Disney ~ The Mellowmen 1954
Songwriters: Tom Blackburn / George Edward Bruns
1. Born on a mountain top in Tennessee
greenest state in the land of the free
raised in the woods so he knew ev'ry tree
kilt him a be 'are when he was only three
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!
2. In eighteen thirteen the Creeks uprose
addin' redskin arrows to the country's woes
Now, Injun fightin' is somethin' he knows,
so he shoulders his rifle an' off he goes
Davy, Davy Crockett, the man who don't know fear
3. Off through the woods he's a marchin' along
makin' up yarns an' a singin' a song
itchin' fer fightin' an' rightin' a wrong
he's ringy as a be 'are an' twict as strong
Davy, Davy Crockett, the buckskin buccaneer!
4. Andy Jackson is our gen'ral's name
his reg'lar soldiers we'll put to shame
Them redskin varmints us Volunteers'll tame
'cause we got the guns with the sure-fire aim
Davy, Davy Crockett, the champion of us all!
5. Headed back to war from the ol' home place
but Red Stick was leadin' a merry chase
fightin' an' burnin' at a devil's pace
south to the swamps on the Florida Trace
Davy, Davy Crockett, trackin' the redskins down!
6. Fought single-handed through the Injun War
till the Creeks was whipped an' peace was in store
An' while he was handlin' this risky chore
made hisself a legend for evermore
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!
7. He give his word an' he give his hand
that his Injun friends could keep their land
An' the rest of his life he took the stand
that justice was due every redskin band
Davy, Davy Crockett, holdin' his promise dear!
8. Home fer the winter with his family
happy as squirrels in the ol' gum tree
bein' the father he wanted to be
close to his boys as the pod an' the pea
Davy, Davy Crockett, holdin' his young'uns dear!
9. But the ice went out an' the warm winds came
an' the meltin' snow showed tracks of game
An' the flowers of Spring filled the woods with flame
an' all of a sudden life got too tame
Davy, Davy Crockett, headin' on West again!
10. Off through the woods we're ridin' along
makin' up yarns an' singin' a song
He's ringy as a be 'are an' twict as strong
an' knows he's right 'cause he ain' often wrong
Davy, Davy Crockett, the man who don't know fear!
11. Lookin' fer a place where the air smells clean
where the trees is tall an' the grass is green
where the fish is fat in an untouched stream
an' the teemin' woods is a hunter's dream
Davy, Davy Crockett, lookin' fer Paradise!
12. Now he's lost his love an' his grief was gall
in his heart he wanted to leave it all
an' lose himself in the forests tall
but he answered instead his country's call
Davy, Davy Crockett, beginnin' his campaign!
13. Needin' his help they didn't vote blind
They put in Davy 'cause he was their kind
sent up to Nashville the best they could find
a fightin' spirit an' a thinkin' mind
Davy, Davy Crockett, choice of the whole frontier!
14. The votes were counted an' he won hands down
so they sent him off to Washin'ton town
with his best dress suit still his buckskins brown
a livin' legend of growin' renown
Davy, Davy Crockett, the Canebrake Congressman!
15. He went off to Congress an' served a spell
fixin' up the Govern'ments an' laws as well
took over Washin'ton so we heered tell
an' patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell
Davy, Davy Crockett, seein' his duty clear!
16. Him an' his jokes travelled all through the land
an' his speeches made him friends to beat the band
His politickin' was their favorite brand
an' everyone wanted to shake his hand
Davy, Davy Crockett, helpin' his legend grow!
17. He knew when he spoke he sounded the knell
of his hopes for White House an' fame as well
But he spoke out strong so hist'ry books tell
an' patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell
Davy, Davy Crockett, seein' his duty clear!
18. When he come home his politickin' done
the western march had just begun
So he packed his gear an' his trusty gun
an' lit out grinnin' to follow the sun
Davy, Davy Crockett, leadin' the pioneer!
19. He heard of Houston an' Austin so
to the Texas plains he jest had to go
Where freedom was fightin' another foe
an' they needed him at the Alamo
Davy, Davy Crockett, the man who don't know fear!
20. His land is biggest an' his land is best
from grassy plains to the mountain crest
He's ahead of us all meetin' the test
followin' his legend into the West
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!