29. The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin
29. THE WIFE WRAPT IN WETHER'S SKIN (Child, No. 277)
In West Virginia, this ballad goes under the titles: "Dandoo," "Bandoo," and "Gentle Virginia." Five variants have been found, A, B, and D practically alike and very similar to the version printed by Belden, Journal, xix, 298. The first four and the last two stanzas in C correspond to stanzas in A or B, but the arrangement is somewhat confused and several stanzas are more or less corrupt. Stanzas 5, 6, 7, and 8 are not to be found in any other American version nor in any of the Child versions. They may point to a different source for this copy, or they may have been deliberately added by some singer to satisfy a whim or to
make a local hit. In phraseology and in the burden, E shows a close relationship to the text printed by Newell, Journal, vn, 253 (Child, v, 304).
For American texts see Journal, vn, 253 (Newell; Massachusetts; reprinted by Child, v, 304); xix, 298 (Belden; Missouri); xxx, 328 (Kittredge, from Belden; Missouri; reprinted by Pound, No. 6 A) ; Campbell and Sharp, No. 33 (Virginia and Kentucky) ; Pound, No. 6 B (Nebraska). For references see Journal, xxx, 328. Add Bulletin, Nos. 7-10; Reed Smith, Journal, xxvm, 200.
A. "Dandoo." Contributed by Mr. Wallie Barnett, Leon, Mason County, 1915; learned from his grandfather about the year 1898. His grandfather was of English descent, a native of Gilmer County. The last stanza was furnished by some teacher whose name was not secured. It is a reminiscence of the famous nursery rhymes about the man who had naught — "and robbers came to rob him." Reported by Cox, xlv, 159.
1 There was a little man, he lived in the West,
Dandoo, dandoo
There was a little man, he lived in the West,
Ham bam gingo
There was a little man, he lived in the West,
He had an old woman that was none of the best.
With a ham bam berry winkeye doodle jerry comingo
calla callacum collingo
2 He came in from sowing wheat,
Says, "Old woman, is there anything to eat?"
3 "There lies some bread all on the shelf,
If you want any more you can get it yourself."
4 He went out to his sheepfold,
He killed a ewe both fat and old.
5 He hung her up on two little pins,
With two little jerks she was skinned.
6 "I'll tan the hide on my wife's back,
Take two little sticks to make it crack."
7 "I'll tell all my folks and all my kin,
You whip me on the naked skin."
8 He ran fourteen miles in fifteen days,
And that's what I call getting away.
B. "Dandoo." Contributed by Miss Courtney, Clay Court House, Clay County, August 8, 1918.
1 There was an old man lived in the West,
Dandoo
There was an old man lived in the West,
Tommy Tim cli clingo
There was an old man lived in the West,
He had a little old wife that was none of the best.
With a hare and a bear liddy I cliddy I
Tommy Tim cli clingo
2 This old man went out to plow,
"Hey! old woman, is dinner ready now?"
3 "A piece of dry bread lies on the shelf,
If you want any more you can get it yourself."
4 This old man went to his sheepfold,
And the best old wether he strung on a pole.
5 He threw the skin around his wife's back,
And two little sticks went whickity whack.
6. I'll tell our neighbors and all our kin,
The way you tan your wether's skin."
7 This old man then ran away,
Went fourteen miles in fifteen days.
C. "Dandoo." Communicated by Miss Maud Groves, Deepwell, Nicholas County, April 27, 1916; obtained from Miss Bertie Johnson, who learned it about twenty years before from Russel McMillon in Greenbrier County. Printed by Cox, xlv, 92.
1 Little old man he lived in the West,
Dandoo dandoo
Little old man he lived in the West,
Ham bam jingo
Little old man he lived in the West,
And he married a woman she was none of the best.
And a ham bam by and a winkeye doodle jar and a
mingo come like a lightning
2 Little old man went out to plough,
And when he came to his breakfast now.
3 A piece of corn dodger was laying on the shelf:
"If you want any thing better, you can get it yourself. "
4 Little old man he swore he would run away,
And he run fourteen miles in fifteen days,
And that's what I call getting away.
5 He run till he came to his father's house:
"O father, O father, my wife's caught a louse."
6 "O son, O son, if you have took my advice,
You would have married a woman that had no lice."
7 "Father, O father, hold your tongue!
You married my mother when she was young,
8 "And hair was thick and lips were thin,
When she went to stir her puddin' and her nose dipped in."
9 He run till he came to a sheep pen,
And there he found an old sheepskin.
10 And he cut off a piece and threw it over his back,
And he made that tail go whickity whack.
11 "Father and mother and all your kin,
And that's the way I tan my old sheepskin."
D. "Bandoo." Contributed by Mr. B. C. Cutlip, Hacker Valley, Webster County, August, 1921.
1 There was an old man who lived in the West,
Bandoo tol de day
There was an old man who lived in the West,
And his old wife was none of the best.
To me arms Barney while I curry Mingo
Comme comme cannick klice and a clingo
2 O, the old man he went out to plow,
Saying, "O, good wife, is my breakfast ready now?"
3 " There's a piece of bread upon the shelf,
If you want any more you can bake it yourself.''
4 O, he killed a wether and hung it on a pin,
And with his knife ripped off the skin.
5 O, he stretched that skin on his* wife's back,
And with a withe went whickaty whack.
6 "O, I'll tell dad and mam and all my kin,
What a whipping you gave me."
7 "O, you can tell dad and mam and all your kin,
But I'm just dusting my old wether's skin."
E. "Gentle Virginia." Contributed by Miss Florence Miller, Turtle Creek, Boone County, 1919.
1 I married me a wife,
Gentle Virginia my Rosy my Lee
And I wish to the Lord I had let her alone,
As the dew flies over the green valley.
2 So the very next day I went out to plow,
I come in, "Is my dinner ready now?"
3 "You triflin' old scamp, you triflin' old whelp,
If you get any dinner, you'll get it yourself."
4 So I went into the kitchen, what I did not choose,
In fear I would spoil my new cloth shoes.
5 So I went out to the barn,
I cut me a switch as long as my arm.
6 And on my way back [her] I met,
And around her back went whickity whack.
7 "I'll tell all my people, I'll tell all my kin,
You beat me up with a hickory limb."
8 "Go tell all your people, go tell all your kin,
If I take a notion I'll whip you again."
9 And ever since that she has been a good wife,
And I hope that she will to the end of her life.