My friends in Traverse City, had friends there to the west,
An island off of Leland, was being troubled by some pest.
Bigger than many, bigger than most, two brothers that they were,
frolicked between two islands in their rascal grizzly fur.
So the citizens of city Leland asked me if I would rout
the brothers two of grizzly, perhaps and run them out.
So on a gray dense foggy morning, I paddled off the shore,
I took my pack and my day wares, and put the water to the oar.
Quickly the people of Leland became absorbed by the gray,
And my boat rocked ashore the island, sitting big within the bay.

In a misty muddled afternoon, not as gray as before,
I came in from the islands, and waiting on the shore,
Were the good people of Traverse City and ones from Leland too,
They seemed as if to ready a feast, as I hopped down from my canoe.
They relished in excitement, anticipating my returnish,
“Did you route the bears, did you encounter a skirmish?”
“The boys were quite agreeable as I proposed them your request,’
‘And they promised to stay on the isle far side, or at least do their best.”
“But how did you survive sir, we’ve heard of bear attacks?”
“Easy you see, gave ‘em something to eat, and then I just scratched their backs.”