Verse 1:
Elijah was the first baby
First born free,
Way back in slavery,
In the Buxton settlement
For runaway slaves.
Elijah'd grow his bravery.

Chorus:
Follow the drinking gourd
Follow the drinking gourd
For the old man is waiting
For to carry you to freedom
If you follow the drinking gourd.

Verse 2:
Now Elijah Freeman
Was a fra-gile child.
He tried hard not to cry,
But the tears came easy
And his feet would run fast.
He'd grow some courage by and by.

Chorus:
Follow the drinking gourd
Follow the drinking gourd
For the old man is waiting
For to carry you to freedom
If you follow the drinking gourd.

Verse 3:
Cooter was his best friend,
But not too bright.
He found critter tracks
In the sand.
The Preacher pulled a trick
To scare them to death.
It went just as he planned.

Verse 3:
Elijah and Cooter found a
Toady-frog.
Big as a tin pie pan!
Now it was their
Turn to play a trick.
To scare his Ma
Was 'Lijah's plan.