As The Dew Flies- Wade (VT) c.1870 Flanders B
[My title replacing the generic- Wife Wrapt. The possibility exists that the "dew" was originally the British "doo" or "dove." The opening verse is commonly found in the related "Slattern Wife" songs- see Appendix to child 277. Flander's extensive notes from "Ancient Ballads" are below. She refers to the "Dandee" refrain which is almost always "Dandoo" in the South, not "Dandee." This version dates back to the when the informant was a boy (he was born c. 1857) -I've dated it 1870.
R. Matteson Jr. 2013]
The Wife Wrapped in Wether's Skin (Child 277)
This ballad derives from an old tale which Child, v, 104, cites under the title "The Wife Lapped in Morrel's Skin" and is related to a whole host of stories on similar themes. See Aarne-Thompson, Mt. 1370*.
The ballad is still popular in America, where the basic outline of the story remains constant, but where the minor details vary greatly. william H. Jansen has made a careful study (HFQ IV, #3,41) of the ballad and its developments in America [see article attached to Recordings & Info page], and from his remarks two groupings of the American texts emerge: songs with the "dandee, clish maclinge" refrains, popular in the South and Midwest; and songs with the "juniper, gentian, and rosemary" refrains, popular in the South and Northeast. The plant refrains of the latter group have caused some comment. Phillips Barry, British Ballads from Maine, 324-5, suggests, on the authority of Lucy Broadwood (JFSS, II, 12-15), that the wife originally was beaten to exorcise the evil spirits that infested her and that "juniper, gentian, and rosemary" were regarded as charms against the demons. Later the names of the plants were forgotten and confused with the names of girls, June, Jenny, and Rose Mary.
The Flanders texts are highly representative of the American forms of the ballad. A-I, with the plant refrain, relate to Child F (from Massachusetts) and are normal Northeastern versions. J-L illustrate the "dandee" refrain and the common "old man who lived in the West" opening.
M-N (see also Child C) are from the Scottish tradition. Text L, which concerns "Riddleson's daughter Dinah," is the only unusual version in the group. See Coffin, 146-8 (American); Belden, 92-94 (English); and Greig and Keith, 218-20 (Scottish) for bibliographical material and discussion.
All of the tunes for child 277 except the Richards tune are members of the same tune family. Within this group, the Prevost and Baldwin tunes are especially close, as are the Hayward and Hall tunes. The Monson tune is slightly outside the group.
B. [As The Dew Flies] Wife Wrapped in Wether's Skin- Sung by Charles Wade of Wallingford, Vermont, who has known this song most of his seventy-seven years. H. H. F., Collector- October 3, 1934
I married me a wife by the light of the moon,
Tella flow gentle Rosa Marie,
Though fear that I had married too soon,
As the dew flies over the mulberry tree.
As I came in from jogging my plow,
Tella flow gentle Rosa Marie,
Saying, "Dear wife, have you dinner for me now?"
As the dew flies over the mulberry tree.
She called me a sassy old whelp, [elf]
Tella flow gentle Rosa Marie;
"If you want any dinner, you can get it yourself,"
As the dew flies over the mulberry tree.
I took my knife, went out to the yard,
Tella flow gentle Rosa Marie;
I ketched a wether as it passed my bard,
As the dew flies over the mulberry tree.
I cut his throat, took off his skin,
Tella flow gentle Rosa Marie;
I cut him in quarters and I carried him in,
As the dew flies over the mulberry tree.
I stretched the skin on my wife's back,
Tella flow gentle Rosa Marie,
And every blow went whickety whack,
As the dew flies over the mulberry tree.
"O husband dear, don't beat me so,
Tella flow gentle Rosa Marie;
I'll be your boy and drive your plow,"
As the dew flies over the mulberry tree.
"I care for you or any [of] your help, [1]
Tella flow gentle Rosa Marie;
I'll get a boy or drive it myself."
As the dew flies over the mulberry tree.
"I have brothers, one, two by three,
Tella flow gentle Rosa Marie,
If they were here, you wouldn't beat me.''
As the dew flies over the mulberry tree.
"I care for you and any of your kin, [1]
Tella flow gentle Rosa Marie,
But your old back shall tan my skin."
As the dew flies over the mulberry tree.
Footnotes:
1. The sentiment is wrong here- possibly: I care [not] for you. . .