THE SAGA OF ME AN' BIGUN Two men rode out, from Old Saint Lou' In the spring of 'twenty three... The big one on the mule was "Bigun" Beside him on the mare was "Me". We follered th' Missouri to the mouth of th' Platte, Then struck out overland... 'Caught up with Bridger on th' Popo Agie An' asked to join his band; Bridger said, "Well boys, I'd shore consider it... ...If'n I'd some idea of who ya' be?" Bigun said, "They call me Bigun!" An' I shrugged, an' said, "Heck, I'm Jus'Me..." "Jus'Me an' Bigun! - Well, I like th' sound a' that! Tell me boys - do ya' trap an' shoot?" Bigun said, "Gabe, when Ol' Beulah barks - them injuns fall! An' trappin's just a hoot! "Why when I run muh string, them beavers fight Just ta' see who's first in line - Heck, I been known with a single set Ta' pull 'em two an' three at a time! Why..." ...I said, "Uh, Mister Bridger? There's somethin' you oughta' know about Ol' Bigun here; He 'uz dropped on his head, when he 'uz just a kid - An' it's made his thinkin' queer! "Truth is, he couldn't hit a barn if he 'uz standin' inside it! An' he cain't lay a trap ta' save his butt! Fact is, I do th' work - while th' glory goes To this big ol' mangy mutt!!!" Bridger laughed 'n' said, "Boys, you'll fit right in! Glad ta' have ya' along!" And while I broke ruck and set up camp, Bigun broke into song: "Wa'll, they aint' no har' on a billygoats' arse - An' that's why it's so shiiii-neee... But Ah' knows whar' they is some har' On th' girl Ah' lef' behind me!..." ...For fifteen years, we rode side by side Trappin' the beaver streams. 'Made our fortunes and lost 'em again Whilst livin' out our dreams... Then on the Yeller'stone, down from Colter's Hell, We mixed it up with a Blackfoot band; 'Fore th' powder smoke cleared, six braves went to Hell And I'd took an arrow thru' my hand.... Bigun was down - hit pretty hard - But he managed a ragged grin, "By Gawd, Me, that was a helluva' tussle! But Ah' think Ah'm packin' it in... "An' danged if Ah' ain't had a thought, just layin' here, That's filled my soul with shame - 'We been partners fer' a coon's age, now, An' Ah' never knowed yer' proper name! "Hell, ever'one knows who Bigun is - Ah've blazed a trail fer' men ta' see! But 'fore Ah' go under - What is yore' name? An' don't say "Ah'm Jus'Me!" I said, "Don't you dare die on me now, ya' big galoot - It'll rim my page with black! 'Sides, my name's always been the same as yer's; Dammit Bigun, I'm your little brother, Mac..." He looked at me, sort of puzzled like, And a tear came to his eye. He said, "...'Don't reckon Ah've heered this yarn before... Mayhap, you might oughta' tell me 'fore I die..." "Ok... Well, I uz' just a kid - 'Member how you took off after that fight with Pa? Well... Bigun, it broke his heart til the day he died! An' with his dyin' breath, he made me promise That, somehow, I'd look out fer' yer' mangy hide! "So I tracked ya' down - 'Reckon I'd changed, cuz' when we partnered up, You never once suspected we'uz kin - An', somehow, callin' ya' "Brother" wasn't near as important As bein' able ta' call ya' "Friend"! "So fer' fifteen years, I've helped ya' build a legend Ta' fill a lesser man with awe, An' I've stood by yer' side, an' I've watched yer' back - An' I've kept my word to Pa! "An' all this time, I've played yer' second fiddle - An' I've been yer' tit nurse, too! But if you die on me now - I swear I'll skin yer' hide, An' feed the wolves what's left a' you!"   "...Whah', damn me fer a google eyed greenhorn! Dammit, Me, Ah' don't know whether to laugh or spit! C'mere an' help me git this damn shirt off - An' let's see how bad Ah'm hit!" I said, "Well, ere' you gon' die or ain'tcha?" He said, "Ah' reckon not - Dammit, Me, yuh got me in a bind, ol friend If'n Ah' went under now, Pa'd flay muh' soul Fer' up an' leavin' you behind again!   I said, "Well if yer' bound to live, don't you breath a word Of the things I've just told you - It's bad enuff, folks knowin' we're partners, Without 'em knowin' we're brothers, too!"   He said, "Naw, dammit! Yer' secret's safe! Lord knows hit wouldn't do my reputation any good!" ...And, so for FORTY years now, we've fought with - and for - each other Like friends and brothers should... ...We left the mountains in 'forty-five... Went back in 'forty-eight thru' 'fifty-one - Addin' to the legends, whilst guidin' the fools On th' California run... And everyone knows who Bigun is - Six foot seven, two hundred eighty pounds of walkin', stompin' hell! Injuns run when they see 'im comin'! (And skunks keel over from the smell!) He's climbed the mountains plumb up to the top Just to watch the eagles fly - He's fought grizzly bears bare handed, An' he's spit in the Devil's eye! He's seen the critter an' flung th' chunk - Blazed a trail fer' MEN ta' see... Why, he's the one called BIGUN! An'... Well, I reckon I'm still Jus'Me... ...But now if'n ya' hear how Me an' Bigun done this er' that Or maybe, Me an Bridger too - Well... Now ya' know - I'm the "Me" they're talkin' about! An' that's straight from "Me" ...To you! An' I promise ya' this: When that Ol' Role Up Yonder is fin'ly called And Th' Good Lord's Face we see... There'll be my partner Bigun, standin' tall and proud! And beside him - There'll be "ME"!   Don "Jus'Me" McCrary September, 03, 1999 Back Home