Stringybark Creek The Ballad Of Ned Kelly

Bm Bm D G F#7 A sergeant and three constables rode out from Mansfield town Bm A Bm Near the end of last October for to hunt the Kelly's down. D G D F#7 They headed for the Wombat Hills and thought it quite a lark Bm A G A F#m Bm To be camped along the borders of a creek called Stringybark Bm D G F#7 When Scanlon and the sergeant road away to search the scrub Bm A Bm Leaving Macintyre and Lonigan in camp to cook the grub D G D F#7 Ned Kelly and his comrades came to take a nearer look Bm A G A F#m Bm For being short of flour they wished to interview the cook Bm D G F#7 Both troopers at a stump alone they were well pleased to see Bm A Bm Watching as the billy boiled to make their pints of tea D G D F#7 They joked and chatted gaily never thinking of alarm Bm A G A F#m Bm When they heard the dreaded cry behind "bail up, throw down your arms" Bm D G F#7 The traps they started wildly and Mac then firmly stood Bm A Bm While Lonigan made tracks to gain the cover of the woods D G D F#7 But brave Kelly muttered sadly as he loaded up his gun Bm A G A F#m Bm "Oh what a flaming' pity that the bastard tried to run" Bm D G F#7 'Twas later in the afternoon the sergeant and his mate Bm A F#m Came riding blithely through the scrub to meet a cruel fate D G D F#7 "The Kellys have the drop on you" cried Macintyre aloud Bm A G A F#m Bm But the troopers thought it was a joke and sat their horses proud Bm D G F#7 Then trooper Scanlon made a move his rifle to unsling Bm A Bm But to his heart a bullet sped and death was in it's sting D G D F#7 Then Kennedy lept from his horse and ran for cover near Bm A G A F#m Bm And fought, a game man to the last for all that he held dear Bm D G F#7 The sergeant's horse raced from the camp alike from friend and foe Bm A Bm And Macintyre his life at stake, sprang to the saddle-bow D G D F#7 And galloped far into the night a haunted harassed soul, Bm A G A F#m Bm Then like a hunted bandicoot hid in a wombat hole Bm D G F#7 At dawn of day he hastened forth and made for Mansfield town Bm A BM To break the news that made men vow to shoot the Kellys down D G D F#7 So from that hour the Kelly gang was hunted far and wide Bm A G A F#m Bm Like outlaw dingoes in the wild until the day they died