Ha, mah name is Little Johnny. When I was tree
yassode, I was in ma tub and I
thot of Big Old Muddy
Nah dat Im dis many, I go ta scoo. Im gon' on a
fiel'trip angoto BIG MUDDY!
Ona real bus!
(On bus) Ima big boy nah, huh Bus Driva
Bus driver: Yes, Little Johnny, sho' nuff,
heheh(closes door)
(getting off bus, walking towards river) Gee, this BIG
OLD MUDDY! Is dis old
big muddy, teacher?
Man teacher: Yess, Little Johnny, dayr's Big Muddy
(Little Johnny running ahead)
Hey, Jody, Patty, Belinda, Charlie, Marcel, Jerry,
Becky, Christmas Its BIG
MUDDY!
Marcel,Jerry,Julie Shore a biggun!
Teacher: Well students, maybe you'll all be lucky an
see some catfish and
maybe a bote or two.
The river empties into a
tri-angle called a delta, where
we get our good sole for farmin'!
Little Johnny(proudly): An' MUD too, all sorta MUD in
da world!!!!!!!
Marcel: Hey, lookit a crawdad! (Holding it up, scaring
Christmas)
Teacher: OK kids, behave yasse'ves! It's OK Christmas,
dis Crawdad wants to
go home now. (placing it on the bank)
(On a boatride, later in the day)
Teacher: Dis is a replica of the Miss'ippi Queen boat
dat rich folks rode in
the Tom Sawya' days in thay finest clothes.
(Students on boat looking excited)
Little Johnny: Lookit in da water, A MUDPUPPY!
Marcel: Neat, little Johnny!
Christmas: Lookit, purty flow'rs in da water!
Teacher: Why, yes Christmas, those are called
cattails!
Julie: Maybe we'll see a frog to taketa scoo!
Charlie: I already did! (Holding up frog, scaring
Belinda)
Julie: Charlie, you ma hero!
Teacher: Thay's some good fishin' in Big Muddy.
Big
Muddy stretches from
Minneso-ta to Nawlins, Loosiana, cuttin this country
near in two!
(All the students listen, wide-eyed)
(Busdriver dropping them off at school)
Busdriver: Did y'all enjoy that Big Old Muddy river?
Children speaking up at different times: Yes,
busdriva, we saw BIG MUDDY in a
bote and felt the water!
Busdriver: Mah mah, that's good, kids, heheh!
(Walking home together, Johnny and his best friend,
Marcel)
Little Johnny: Hey Marcel, Ima gonna like taking my
bath nah, I can really
think its Big Muddy!
Marcel: Good idea, Little Johnny, I will too! Maybe
take my frog with me, too!