When the sun comes back and the first quail calls,
follow the drinking gourd,
for thee old man is awaiting for to carry you to freedom
if you follow the drinking gourd.
"When the sun comes back" means aanytime after the Winter Solstice, Dec. 21st, when the sun stays in the sky for longer each day. "and the first quail calls..." refers to the fact that quail are migratory birds that winter in the south, so leave the south about Christmas time, and "follow the drinking gourd" or Big Dipper to the North. To get there, runaways had to cross the Ohio River which was easiest in winter when it was frozen. Since it took most escapees about a year to get to the river, this advised them to leave so the river would be frozen when they got there.
The riverbank makes a very good road,
the dead trees show you the way,
Left foot, peg foot, traveling on
follow the drinking gourd.
This tells them to follow the banks of the Tombigbee River north watching for dead trees that were marked with drawings of a left foot and a peg leg. These marks were found only along this river to distinguish it from other rivers flowing into it.
The river ends between two hills,
follow the drinking gourd.
There's another river on the other side,
follow the drinking gourd.
This verse means that when you reach the source of the Tombigbee River, keep on going north and you will come to the Tennessee River, keep on going north along it...
Where the great big river meets the little river,
follow the drinking gourd.
for the old man is awaiting to carry you to freedom
if you follow the drinking gourd.
When the Tennessee meets the Ohio, cross over and you will be met by a guide from the Underground Railroad.
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