Down past the cottonwoods, under the barn
Was the home of Raul the Rat
As rotten rats go Raul caused little harm
He was happy and lazy and fat
But farmers and rats are just destined to be
mortal enemies through all the years
It would seem Raul’s days of livin scott free
Were about to crash down round his ears
A new sheriff showed up one day at the ranch
A spritely Blue Heeler named Bo
And it seemed that poor Raul had little chance
Against this new sleek canine foe
Bo was a cattle dog who worked for his pay
And a hard little worker he was
But he likes to relax at the end of his day
And rats are just something he does
He could strike without warning, moving like lightning
He could climb like a dang tomcat too
His expression while hunting was really quite frightening
But Raul figured out what to do
He went up to the ranch house and sat on the porch
Awaiting Bo’s late day return
And Bo spotted the rat bold as Liberty’s torch
Sittin next to the full butter churn
Bo charged up the steps like the Angel of Death
And Raul simply stepped to the side
So close he could even feel Bo’s hot, dog breath
As the butter churn gave Bo a ride
It upended quite well with Bo’s impact and then
the butter went every which way
Through the doorway Bo slid on a carpet of cream
As Raul just avoided the fray
The spinning churn knocked over two table lamps
And then slowly spun to a stop
The fancy French carpet was spilt-butter damp
It would surely need more than a mop
Up slithered Bo, up out of the butter
His eyes blazed with rage at Raul
“You Rat”, muttered Bo (as if dogs can mutter)
“You’ve made me look like a dang fool”
Now Raul was athletic despite his rat paunch
From years of avoiding barn cats
Almost too fast to see he suddenly launched
His target? A shelf of knick knacks
Treasured porcelain dolls on their white doily mats
Quickly fell to the floor with a crash
Bo had leaped to the shelf in pursuit of the rat
Perhaps that had been a bit rash
One more dash cross the room and more chaos followed
As Bo tried to deliver a blow
But Raul slid through a hole in the baseboard he’d hollowed
Just a few weekends ago
Out through his rat door and down through the loam
Raul disappeared just like smoke
And he waited and watched till the rancher came home
And enjoyed how he’d pulled his rat joke
When the rancher returned with his wife later on
It was like a volcano went off
Their was cussin and yellin and then Bo was gone
Raul dozed just a bit in the loft
Bo ended up workin about two counties down
And he did a good job so it seems
But in sleep now and then, he’ll bark, howl and frown
Cause he still sees Raul in his dreams
