191. The Good Old Man

 

191
The Good Old Man

Known in Virginia (FSV 164), Kentucky (SharpK 11 338-0
OSC 128-9), the Ozarks (OPS iii 171-4), and Illinois (SFLQ 11
155-6, from Virgmia); also in Wales; see note on it in SharpK.

A
[Good Old Man.' From Miss Amy Henderson, Worry, Burke county,
m 1914. The questions are each repeated three times, as in the first
stanza; and the old man's answers are spoken, not sung.
* For "sweet-gum."

 

464 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

1 Where are you going, my good old man?
Where are you going, my good old man r
Where are you going, my good old man?
Best old man in the world.

H tin tin'.

2 What d'you want for breakfast ?

Eggs.

3 How many d'you want ?

4 A bushel will kill you.

5 Where must I bury you

6 The pot will boil over.

 

A bushel.

I don't care.

In the chimney corner.

I don't care.

 

'The Good Old Man.' From the manuscripts of Obadiah Johnson ol
Crossnore, Avery county, in 1940. Here the repeated wording is a little
different, as shown in the first stanza, here given in full. The answers
doubtless are spoken, as in A, not sung. The sense of the last stanza is
obscure — to the editor, at least.

1 Where are you a-going, my good old man?
Where are you a-going, my honey, my love?
Best old soul in the world.

Going to the store.

2 What are you going to buy ?

New dress.

3 How much will it cost?

Fifty cents.

4 Fifty cents will break you.

Fix my supper, old woman.

5 What do you want for your supper?

Sack of potatoes.

6 A sack will kill you.

IV ant to die anyhow.

7 Where do you want to be buried ?

In the chimney corner.

8 Ashes will fall on you.

Don't care if they do.

 

OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH 465

9 V\'hy do you want to be buried there?

So I can Jia'nt you.

10 A ha'nt can't ha'nt a ha'nt, my good old man.
A ha'nt can't ha'nt a ha'nt, my honey, my love.
Meanest old devil in the world !