The Old Man that Lived under the Hill- Lunsford/Lane (1949) 1925 NC; Bronson No. 19.
"The Old Man that Lived under the Hill" Sung by Bascom Lamar Lunsford of Asheville, N.C. in Washington, D.C., 1949. Learned from Henry Lane, Rabbit Ham, Buncombe County, N.C, c. 1925 LC/AAFS rec. No. 1975(Az). Collected by Duncan Emrich and Mrs. Rae Korson.
1. There was an old man who lived under the hill,
Fi fi diddle alli day,
If he's not dead he's living there still,
Fi fi diddle alli day.
2. He geared up his horses and he went to the plow,
Fi fi diddle alli day,
The way he was going I don't know how,
Fi fi diddle alli day.
3. The old black man came tearing up the hill,
Fi fi diddle alli daY,
"There's one of your family I'm going to steal,"
Fi fi diddle alli day.
4. "l don't want your eldest son,"
Fi fi diddle alli day,
"But it's the old woman for the sins she's done,"
Fi fi diddle alli day.
5. He picked her up all on his back,
Fi fr diddle alli day,
Like a pedlar with his heavy pack,
Fi fi diddle alli day.
6. He took her down to the brink of Hell,
Fi fi diddle alli day,
He built up a fire and he scorched her well,
Fi fi diddle alli day.
7. He then bound her all in chains,
Fi fi diddle alli day,
He [She] picked up a little devil and he dashed our his brains,
Fi fi diddle alli day.
8. Three Little devils went scaling round the wall,
Fi fi dildle alli day.
"Take her away, Dad, she's a-goin to kill us all,"
Fi fi diddle alli day.
[Alternate ending]
There's many a thing that a woman can do,
Fi fi diddle alli day,
She can outwit the devil and the old man too,
Fi fi diddle alli day.