Green River Ordinance

i was fishin’ by the river
with a little bit o’ liver
catchin’ catfish
catchin’ catfish

i heard this clatter down the line
and i turned in time
to see a peddler
sellin’ handles

well, there was nothin’ attached,
like a door to its latch
he’s just tottin’ ‘em in a sack...
the handles

he asked, as in a wish
for a look at my fish,
and the sack in which i’d
tote ‘em

i said it’s this here gunny
an’ he laughed and said “it’s funny”
that i’d tote that fish sack home
without no handle

he said he’d met a thousand kings
walked the world in a thousand rings
but never saw a sack
without no handle

he said he’d help a fellow man
then placed an object in my hand...
a handle

i took the handle an’ he was on his way
i got a fine bargain, don’t mind to say
and in exchange he’s just one wish
imagine...
only my lowly sack o’ fish