On a night by the light of the great full moon,
When the crickets play their melodies in June
A ghostly couple in the misty blue dance
In the ruins of the mossy bayou manse
She was fair of face the belle of Acadia
He was brave: all things the girls dream of
From their births to their teens, their parents planning
The wedding of Etienne and Evangeline
Then one summer day in her seventeenth year
While she walking with her brother across the landing pier
A pirate captain took noticed of her innocent beauty
And stole Evangeline away for his pirate booty
The families fearing the worse had already began to mourn
Etienne was devastated that his true love was gone
He vowed by the light of June full-moon
That his Evangeline would be back in his arms soon
And so he began his journey to find her,
Not knowing or caring the search would take a year
For the ways of the pirate can only be seen
By a person walks by that very same creed
Then one day he came in sight of Lafitte’s prow
Pretending to be a friend he made a vow
And as Etienne reached the deck
He found Lafitte’s pistol pointed at his head
“I know why you have come,” Captain Lafitte had said.
“And if you were wise, Son, you would leave her for dead.”
And with one look at the damsel in distress so sad
Etienne thought he would surely go mad
Pardon me, Monsieur, but you have know no idea
Of the trials, horrors, or the fears
I will face to have my Evangeline by my side again
So en garde, draw your sword and let us begin
Lafitte laughed at that and said “There’s no need.
Your Evangeline has the fever, she’ll be dead in a week
And while we are at you can join her, he said as he drew his sword
“This is how the big boys play” with that he struck Etienne hard.
And with that he led the dying lad to the place where she lay
With the look that her death was a breath away
And Etienne took her in his arms so light
Evangeline woke with a start at the sight
Oh my dear, I am so sorry. I re¬ally tried to get home. She said
But the beautiful face of Etienne in front of me I must already be dead.
For heaven could not be heaven if he isn’t by my side.
A tear slid down her face, she closed her eyes and died
Etienne held her close and screamed his rage
It wasn’t fair to be so close, yet so far away
All the crew was witness to his grief
But not one was more sorry than Captain Jean Lafitte.
With his dying breath his words were clear.
I’ll meet you in the moonlight Evangeline, my dear
And dance to the melody that crickets play in the place you were to be my bride
And with that he touched her lips and cried.