It was in the Queensland drought;
And over hill and dell,
No grass the water far apart,
All dry and hot as hell.
The wretched bullock teams drew up
Beside a water-hole
Theyd struggled on through dust and drought
For days to reach this goal.
And though the water rendered forth
A rank, unholy stench,
The bullocks and the bullockies
Drank deep their thirst to quench.
Two of the drivers cursed and swore
As only drivers can.
The other one, named Daniel,
Best known as Holy Dan,
Admonished them and said it was
The Lords all-wise decree;
And if theyd only watch and wait,
A change theyd quickly see.
Twas strange that of Dans bullocks
Not one had gone aloft,
But this, he said, was due to prayer
And supplication oft.
At last one died but Dan was calm,
He hardly seemed to care;
He knelt beside the bullocks corpse
And offered up a prayer.
"One bullock Thou has taken, Lord,
And so it seemeth best.
Thy will be done, but see my need
And spare to me the rest!"
A month went by. Dans bullocks now
Were dying every day,
But still on each occasion would
The faithful fellow pray,
"Another Thou has taken, Lord,
And so it seemeth best.
Thy will be done, but see my need,
And spare to me the rest!"
And still they camped beside the hole,
And still it never rained,
And still Dans bullocks died and died,
Till only one remained.
Then Dan broke down good Holy Dan
The man who never swore.
He knelt beside the latest corpse,
And heres the prayer he prore.
"Thats nineteen Thou has taken, Lord,
And now Youll plainly see
Youd better take the bloody lot,
Ones no damn good to me."
The other riders laughed so much
They shook the sky around;
The lightning flashed, the thunder roared,
And Holy Dan was drowned.
