Theytriedtostandoffthesoldiers,butthemenfiredandkilledthemboth.Sothesong’swrongaboutthejail,butthat’sputinforpoetry.Youcan’tallushavethingsliketheyareinpoetry.Poetryain’twhatyou’dcalltruth.Thereain’troomenoughintheverses.

           —ASINGER’SCOMMENTARYON"THEBALLADOFSAMBASS,"ATREASURYOFAMERICANFOLKLORE

           Noneofthiscanactuallybehappening.Ifitmakesyoumorecomfortable,youcouldsimplythinkofitasmetaphor.Religionsare,bydefinition,metaphors,afterall:Godisadream,ahope,awoman,anironist,afather,acity,ahouseofmanyrooms,awatchmakerwholefthisprizechronometerinthedesert,someonewholovesyou—even,perhaps,againstallevidence,acelestialbeingwhoseonlyinterestistomakesureyourfootballteam,army,business,ormarriagethrives,prospersandtriumphsoverallopposition.

           Religionsareplacestostandandlookandact,vantagepointsfromwhichtoviewtheworld.

           So,noneofthisishappening.Suchthingscouldnotoccurinthisdayandage.Neverawordofitisliterallytrue,althoughitallhappened,andthenextthingthathappened,happenedlikethis:

           AtthefootofLookoutMountain,whichisscarcelymorethanaveryhighhill,menandwomenweregatheredaroundasmallbonfireintherain.Theystoodbeneaththetrees,whichprovidedpoorcover,andtheywerearguing.