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 !