As The Dew Flies- Dennis (KY) c.1922 Cox 1939
[My title, replacing the generic, Wife Wrapt. This version is different from Sharp D collected at the Hindman School in 1917. Jean Ritchie's version, which is from a similar source is almost identical to Sharp D. I'm including this for comparison, the first verse and two refrains are nearly identical.
Sharp D- Sung by Miss POLLY ANN KELLY at Hindman School, Knott Co., Ky., Sept. 20, 1917.
1. I married me wife and took her home,
For gentle, for Jenny, for rosa maree,
I often wish I'd left her alone,
As the dew flies over the green valley.
2 For fear of spoiling her new cloth shoes,
All in the kitchen she would not use.
3 First day at noon came in from plough.
My dearest wife, is my dinner ready now?
4 Lays a piece of bread upon the shelf.
If you want any dinner go get it yourself.
5 Next day at noon came in from plough.
My dearest wife, isn't dinner ready now?
6 Get out of here, you dirty scamp (?). [elf]
If you want any dinner go get it yourself.
7 Took my knife and went to the barn.
I cut me hickory as long as my arm.
8 As I went back to the house,
Around her back I made it crack.
9 I'll tell my father and all my kin
That you have hit me with a hickory limb.
10 You can tell your father and all your kin;
I've whipped you once and I'll whip you again.
R. Matteson 2013]
[As The Dew Flies Over the Green Valley] "The Wife Wrapped in Wether's Skin" Cox, 1939, p, 46; and 1964 (ed. Boswell), p. 57, Taken from a song-book compiled by Camilia Dennis from the singing of school children at Hindman, Knot County, 1922-23. D/M (inflected VI)
1. I married me a wife, I got her home,
For gentle, for Jenny, my Rosamarie
But I oftentimes wished I'd let her alone,
As the dew lies over the green valley.
2. When I come in it's from my plough,
"O now, my kind wife, is my dinner ready now."
3. "There's a piece of bread upon the shelf,
If you want any more you can bake it yourself."
4. I gets me a knife and I went to the barn,
And I cut me a hickory as long as my arm.
5. Then I went out to my sheep pen,
And soon had off an old wether's skin.
6. I placed it on my old wife's back,
And made my hickory go whickety-whack.
7. "I'll tell my father and all my kin,
That you have hit me with a hickory limb."
8. "If you do, I'll tell you lied,
For I was a-dressing my old wether hide."
9. Then I come in it's from the plough,
"O now, kind wife, is my dinner ready now?"
10. She few around, the board was spread,
And every word it was "Yes, sir, No, sir."