The Farmer's Curst Wife- Chisholm (VA) 1916 Sharp B; Davis E
[I've kept the generic title, Davis has biographical info about the Chisholm family: N. B.'s brother is J. H. Chisholm, of Greenwood, Va. Abermarle county. "Uncle Jim" Chisholm, though well advanced in years when this record was made, was still an expert fiddler and clog dancer as well as a singer. His sister, the late Mrs. Betty ("Aunt Betty") Smith, of Charlottesville, was also a fine singer, well represented in Cecil Sharp's Southern Appalachian collection. A great-niece now carries on the tradition and also sings in a church choir.]
English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians
Comprising 122 Songs and Ballads, and 323 Tunes With Lyrics & sheet Music
Collected by Olive Dame Campbell and Cecil J. Sharp, 1917
No. 34. The Farmer's Curst Wife.
Texts without tunes:—Child, No. 278.
Texts with tunes:—Journal of the Folk-Song Society, ii., 184; iii., 131. Dick's Songs of
Robert Burns, No. 331. American variants:—Journal of American Folk-Lore, xix., 298; xxvii., 68. Lomax's
Cowboy Songs, p. no.
"Bell, blubs," stanza 10, version A, may be a corruption of "Beelzebubs." Most of the published versions of this song have whistling refrains
The Farmer's Curst Wife- Chisholm (VA) 1916 Sharp B
1 There was an old man lived under the hill,
Sing ti-ro rat-tle-ing all day.
If he ain't moved away he's living there still,
Sing ti-ro rat-tle-ing all day.
2 This old man went out to his plough,
Sing ti-ro rat-tle-ing all day.
To see the old devil fly over his mow,
Sing ti-ro rat-tle-ing all day.
3 The old man cries out: I am undone, [sim.]
For the devil has come for my oldest son.
4 It's not your oldest son I want,
But your damned old scolding wife I'll have.
5 He took the old woman upon his back,
And off he went with her packed in a sack.
6 He packed her back in one corner of hell,
Saying: I hope the old devil will use you well.
7 Twelve little devils came walking by,
Then she up with her foot and kicked eleven in the fire.
8 The odd little devil peeped over the wall,
Saying: Take her back, daddy, or she will kill us all.
9 She was six months going and eight coming back,
And she called for the mush she left in the pot.
10 The old man lay sick in the bed.
With an old pewter pipe she battered his head.
11 The old man cries out: I am to be cursed,
She has been to hell and come back worse.