188
The Three Rogues
This song is widely known both in England and in America. See
BSM 268, and add to the references there given Maine (FSONE
213-14), Virginia (FSV 136-7), North Carolina (FSRA 185), the
Ozarks (OFS i 416), and Ohio (BSO 177-8).
'In the Good Old Colony Times.' Copied by K. P. Lewis from the
manuscript book of Dr. Kemp P. Battle of Chapel Hill in 1914. "In
the singing," says the manuscript, "clap your paw on one of your audi-
ence." The last lines of each stanza are repeated as indicated in stanza i.
I In the good old colony times,
When we were under the king.
Three roguish chaps fell into mishaps
Because they could not sing.
Because they could not sing,
Because they could not sing.
Three roguish chaps fell into mishaps
Because they could not sing.
* This is a corruption of "Lord have mercy upon my soul."
OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH 459
2 Now the first he was a miller,
And the second he was a weaver,
And the third he was a little tai-lor —
Three roguish chaps together,
3 Now the miller he stole corn,
And the weaver he stole yarn,
And the little tailor stole broadcloth
For to keep the three rogues warm.
4 The miller got drowned in his pond.
And the weaver got hung in his web,
And the little tai-lor went down below
With the broadcloth under his arm.
With the broadcloth under his arm.
With the broadcloth under his arm.
And Satan clapped his claws on the little tai-lor
With the broadcloth under his arm.
'Colony Times.' Contributed by Miss Eula Todd of Jeflferson, Ashe
county, in 1921. The same as A except that it has "dam" instead of
"pond" in the last stanza and ends :
But the divil clept his claw on the little tailor
With a broadcloth under his arm.
c
The Three Rogues.' From Mrs. J. J. Miller (Mrs. Sutton's Myra
Barnett), Caldwell county, in 1921. Mrs. Miller recalled but one stanza,
as follows :
The first was a miller and he stole yarn.
The second was a weaver and he stole corn,
The third was a tailor and he stole cloth
To keep those three rogues warm.
D
'In Good Old Colony Times.' From Miss Amy Henderson of Worry,
Burke county, in 1914. The same as B except that it does not indicate
the repetition by way of refrain.
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The Three Rogues
B
'Colony Times.' Sung by Miss Eula Todd. Recorded at Jefferson, Ashe county,
in IQ2I.
For melodic relationship cf.**SHP 9; FSONE 213-14, the very beginning
only; *BSO 197-8, the very beginning only.
Scale: Hexatonic (4), plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: aabcccbc (1,1,1,1,
1,1,1,1) = abb^ (2,4,2) [the b is terminally incremented].
'The Three Rogues.' Sung by Mrs. J. J. Miller. Recorded in Caldwell county
in 1921.
Scale: Irrational, plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: abac (2,2,2,2) = aa^
(4,4). Circular tune (V).