50
The Dilly Song
This cumulative number song (or carol, for such it may be
called, at least in English ; the meanings set down for the numbers —
where a meaning can be made out — are for the most part Biblical
or doctrinal), variously known as The Tzvelve Apostles, The Ten
Commandments, I Will Sing You One 0, and by other names, is
traceable in English as far back as the seventeenth century and
elsewhere still further back. As W. W. Newell (JAFL iv 215-20)
and Leah R. C. Yoffie (SFLQ iv 73-5) have pointed out, it has a
parallel in a chant, Echod Mi Yodea, sung by Jews at the feast of
the Passover. Archer Taylor (in the Handworterbuch des deutschen
Mdrchens 11 171-2) shows that it has a much wider range and
suggests that it has its roots in Sanskrit culture. For further treat-
ment, see, besides the articles mentioned above, Sharp's notes on it
in his Folk-Songs from Somerset, Baring-Gould's in Songs of the
West, Mrs. Greenleaf's in Ballcds and Sea Songs of Newfoundland,
Kittredge's bibliography in JAFL xxx 335-6, Archer Taylor's in
SFLQ IV 161, Donald E. Bond's in SFLQ iv 247-50; and espe-
cially, Dr. Yoffie's recent detailed study in JAFL lxii 382-411.
Analyzing and comparing versions found in Hebrew, Latin, French,
Breton, Spanish, Italian, modern Greek, German, Swiss, Dutch,
Danish, and the English-speaking countries, she concludes that at
least the European forms of the song all go back to the Hebrew
Passover chant which was printed at Prague in 1526 — earlier than
any datable version in the European vernaculars.^
* Mrs. Perry thought it should perhaps be "union" instead of "coun-
try" and "daddy" instead of "father."
It should be observed that the last six lines are metrically of a differ-
ent pattern from the preceding stanzas. They fit the situation well
enough, but belong really to a different song.
^ Her study deals also with two other number songs, Nos. 51 and 52
in the present collection. And she throws out (loc. cit., p. 403) the
very interesting suggestion that number songs originate among literate
peoples.
200 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
The song is very widely known in the English-speaking world.
It has been reported as traditional song from Scotland, the Shet-
lands, Derbyshire, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire,
Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Berkshire, Dorset, Somerset,
Devonshire, and Cornwall; from Newfoundland, Maine, Vermont,
Massachusetts, New York, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee,
North Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, Illinois, and Michigan. The
meaning attached to the numbers is in some cases fairly clear and
constant, in others varies widely, and in some pretty much defies
interpretation. There are two texts in the Brown Collection.
'Singing the Ten Commandments.' Sent in in 1914 by I. T. Poole of
Morganton, Burke county, who had it frorn "Miss Mattie Dobson, at
Gibbs, N. C. It is sung in the neighborhood. The obtainer does not
know anything regarding the origin of the song." In the manuscript
the speeches are assigned antiphonally to "chorus" and "questioner," and
are not written as verse ; but it seems more likely that there are pri-
marily two speakers (singers, rather) and that it becomes a chorus only
in the cumulative repetition. It begins with number five, but the chorus
shows how the numbers are defined from one on. Despite the title, it
runs to the number twelve — omitting three and four. It is here printed
in verse lines, the speakers distinguished by quotation marks.
1 'I will sing.' 'What will you sing?'
'I'll sing the fifth.' 'What is the fifth?'
'Five is the firemen in the boat,
And two of them were strangers ;
Two of them were little white babes
All dressed in morning granger ;
One of them was God alone,
Shout every nation !
2 'I will sing.' 'What will you sing?'
'I'll sing the six.' 'What is the six?'
'The six is the gospel preacher;
Five is the firemen in the boat,
And two of these were strangers ;
Two of them were little white babes
All dressed in morning granger :
One of them was God alone.
Shout every nation !
3 'I will sing.' 'What will you sing?'
'I will sing the seven.' 'What is the seven?'
'Seven is the seven stars in the sky,
And six is the gospel preacher ;
Five is the firemen in the boat,
And two of them are strangers ;
Two of them were little white babes
All dressed in morning granger ;
OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH
One of them was God alone.
Shout every nation !
*I will sing.' 'What will you sing?'
'I'll sing the eight.' 'What is the eight?'
'Eight is the eight archangels ;
Seven is the seven stars in the sky,
And six is the gospel preacher ;
Five is the firemen in the hoat,
And two of them are strangers :
Two of them are little white halves
All dressed in morning granger ;
One of them is God alone.
Shout every nation !
'I will sing.' 'What will you sing?'
'I'll sing the nine.' 'W^hat is the nine?'
'Nine is the night that the star shone bright,
And eight is the eight archangels ;
Seven is the seven stars in the sky,
And six is the gospel preacher ;
Five is the firemen in the boat,
And two of them were strangers ;
Two of them were little white babes
All dressed in morning granger ;
One of them was God alone,
Shout every nation !
'I will sing.' 'What will you sing?'
'I'll sing the ten.' 'What is the ten?'
'Ten is the ten commandments ;
Nine is the night that the star shone bright.
And eight is the eight archangels ;
Seven is the seven stars in the sky.
And six is the gospel preacher ;
Five is the firemen in the boat,
And two of them were strangers;'
Two of them were little white babes
All dressed in morning granger ;
One of them was God alone.
Shout every nation !
'I will smg.' 'What will you sing?'
'I'll sing the eleven.' 'What is the eleven?'
'Eleven is the eleven apostles ;
Ten is the ten commandments ;
Nine is the night the star shone bright,
And eight is the eight archangels ;
NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
Seven is the seven stars in the sky,
And six is the gospel preacher ;
Five is the firemen in the boat,
And two of them were strangers ;
Two of them were httle white babes
All dressed in morning granger ;
One of them was God alone,
Shout every nation !
'I will sing.' 'What will you sing?'
'I'll sing the twelve.' 'What is the twelve?'
'Twelve is the twelve disciples ;
Eleven is the eleven apostles ;
Ten is the ten commandments;
Nine is the night that the star shone bright.
And eight is the eight archangels ;
Seven is the seven stars in the sky,
And six is the gospel preacher;
Five is the firemen in the boat,
And two of them were strangers;
Two of them were little white babes
All dressed in morning granger ;
One of them was God alone,
Shout every nation !
'Come and I will sing you.' As sung by Miss Edith Walker of Boone.
Watauga county, in 1940.
1 'Come and I will sing you.'
'What will you sing?'
'Sing you one.'
'What is your one?'
'One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main. So
2 'Come and I will sing you.'
'What will you sing?'
'Sing you two.'
'What are your two?'
'Two of them are lily-white babes
Clothed the morning green.
One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main. So
'Come and I will sing you.'
'What will you sing?'
'Sing you three.'
'What are your three?'
OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH 203
'Three of them are strangers ;
Two of them are lily-white babes
Clothed the morning green ;
One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main. So
'Come and I will sing you.*
'What will you sing?'
'Sing you four.'
'What are your four?'
'Four gospel preachers,
Three of them are strangers ;
Two of them are lily-white babes
Clothed the morning green ;
One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main. So
'Come and I will sing you.'
'What will you sing?'
'Sing you five.'
'What are your five ?'
'Five of the ferrymen on the boat;
Four gospel preachers ;
Three of them are strangers ;
Two of them are lily-white babes
Clothed the morning green ;
One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main. So
'Come and I will sing you.'
'What will you sing?'
'Sing you six.'
'What are your six?'
'Six cheerful waters ;
Five of the ferrymen on the boat ;
Four gospel preachers ;
Three of them are strangers ;
Two of them are lily-white babes
Clothed the morning green ;
One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main. So
'Come and I will sing you.'
'W^hat will you sing?'
'Sing you seven.'
'What are your seven?'
'Seven of the seven stars in the sky ;
Six cheerful waters ;
204 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
Five of the ferrymen on the boat ;
Four gospel preachers ;
Three of them are strangers ;
Two of them are Uly-white babes
Clothed the morning green ;
One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main. So
8 'Come and I will sing you.'
'What will you sing?'
'Sing you eight.'
'What are your eight?'
'Eight's the eight archangels ;
Seven of the seven stars in the sky;
Six cheerful waters ;
Five of the ferrymen on the boat ;
Four gospel preachers ;
Three of them are strangers ;
Two of them are lily-white babes
Clothed the morning green ;
One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main. So
9 'Come and I will sing you.'
'What will you sing?'
'Sing you nine.'
'What are your nine?'
'Nine of the moon shines bright and clear;
Eight's the eight archangels;
Seven of the seven stars in the sky ;
Six cheerful waters ;
Five of the ferrymen on the boat ;
Four gospel preachers ;
Three of them are strangers ;
Two of them are lily-white babes
Clothed the morning green ;
One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main. So
10 'Come and I will sing you.'
'What will you sing?'
'Sing you ten.'
'What are your ten?'
'Ten's the ten commandments ;
Nine of the moon shines bright and clear;
Eight's the eight archangels ;
Seven of the seven stars in the sky;
Six cheerful waters ;
OLDER BALLADS — MOSTLY BRITISH 205
Five of the ferrymen on the boat ;
Four gospel preachers ;
Three of them are strangers ;
Two of them are hly-white babes
Clothed the morning green ;
One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main. So
'Come and I will sing you.'
'What wmII you sing?'
'Sing you eleven.'
'What are your 'leven?'
'Eleven's the 'leven that's gone to heaven ;
Ten's the ten commandments ;
Nine of the moon shines bright and clear;
Eight's the eight archangels ;
Seven of the seven stars in the sky;
Six cheerful waters ;
Five of the ferrymen on the boat ;
Four gospel preachers ;
Three of them are strangers ;
Two of them are lily-white babes
Clothed the morning green ;
One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main. So
'Come and I will sing you.'
'What will you sing?'
'Sing you twelve.'
'What are your twelve?'
'Twelve's the twelve apostles ;
Eleven's the eleven that's gone to heaven;
Ten's the ten commandments ;
Nine of the moon shines bright and clear ;
Eight's the eight archangels ;
Seven of the seven stars in the sky ;
Six cheerful waters ;
Five of the ferrymen on the boat ;
Four gospel preachers ;
Three of them are strangers;
Two of them are lily-white babes
Clothed the morning green ;
One of them is God alone,
Shall forever 'main.
-----------------------------
50
The Dilly Song
'Singing the Ten Commandments.' Sung by Miss Mattie Dobson. Recorded as
MS score, but no date or place given. Another title given is 'The Twelve
Apostles.' Cf. FSmWV 44-45- For other titles see AFSC 66. For the sixth
stanza, measure a (see below), is inserted after the fourth measure. For the
seventh stanza, measure b (see below), is added preceding measure a.
Scale: Pentachordal, plagal. Tontal Center: f. Structure: aaaabbib2 (1,1,1,1,
2,2,2) = ab (4,6). Circular Tune (V).
'Come and I Will Sing You.' Sung by Miss Edith Walker. Recorded at Boone,
no date given. The various stanzas are taken care of by interpolating inter-
mittently a and b (see below), independently, and only once combined. Like-
wise, the last four measures are repeated as the text requires. Sometimes,
either a or b is interpolated, but there is no stereotyped procedure in this.
Scale: Pentachordal. Tonal Center: c. Structure: aaifab^ca^ (2,1,1,1,1,2).