Away up the top in Australia Simply days drive from anywhere at all~ We were camped on the side of a river bank Not far from a wet season water fall~ Running outa food to some extent I assured them we were fine~ That I as camp cook had enough to last us And tonight as usual we were gonna dine~ We were up there on a top end fishing trip And Id been up there before~ Where the best fish were only caught In the land that I adore~ One bloke had a friend with him Who was a city well fed chum~ And he kept boasting how his wife could cook As he sat swigging on the last of his ***~ I knew they were going up stream for the day To fish and do some prospecting up the way~ And I told them tonight a real Irish stew And he replied that sounds real good ay~ He said no way I can eat that bush tucker I gotta have whats proper and comes from shops~ I don't eat that out back wild bush Tucker stuff It ll never pass through my chops~ But Irish stew yes that ll do It sounds real good ta me~ When we get back from up the track I ll have my share you wait an see~ So they left in one direction And I left in the other~ Hoping the thick bushland would act as To my rifle shots a cover~ I shot a Roo and a Goanna A Bandicoot and one wild cat~ And then I shot a large parrot Got a young croc in the water and headed back~ A little ways from the camp I used a fallen log as a butchers block~ And then I got this big bucket full Of meaty bits right to the top~ The fire now lit and big cooking *** half full I went on a wild herb search~ And when down by the river again I got my self a pool trapped perch~ Added it as well to the stew With bush herbs and thickened with some flour~ And I can tell in awhile it smelt so good When they d be due back in about an hour~ Had honey Id robbed from a distant hive So I made a patty cake or two~ With what flour I had left Yep .... That ll surely do~ Well when they got back the aroma drifted And they picked it up down the track~ And couldn't wait to eat the lot And complimented the cook for the snack~ The city bloke that did all the complaining About running out of food~ Said he was sorry that he went on a bit And didn't mean to be at all rude~ He said Id have died if I had to eat bush Tucker And believe me it is true~ In all my life .. including the wife Never tasted a better Irish stew~
Terrence Michael Sutton copyright ( 1970 ) .....2018