The Farmer's Curst Wife- Commins (VA) 1917 Davis F
[I've kept the generic title given by Davis and his collectors. No informant unfamiliar with the ballad's provinence would title it- Farmer's Curst Wife- since it is not part of the text. The title should be taken in most cases from the first line.]
46. THE FARMER'S CURST WIFE
(Child, No. 278)
Davis' Notes: The ballad is represented by fifteen texts and six tunes in the Virginia archives, Of these, thirteen texts and all six tunes are here printed. Most of the Virginia texts show a likeness to the Child A version, but some exhibit features found only in Child B. It is clear that both versions are represented, with many interesting variations, not least in the philosophical stanza or stanzas at the end. The tripping tunes, some of them with a whistled burden, fit perfectly the comic story of the ballad, which is thus summarized by Child: "The devil comes for a farmer's wife and is made welcome to her by the husband. The woman proves to be no more controllable in hell than she had been at home; she kicks the imps about, and even brains a set of them with her pattens or a maul. For safety's sake, the devil is constrained to take her baik to her husband." The moral of the tale is often pointed. "The Old Man under the Hill" seems to be the only unusual Virginia title; it is not, of course, the usual song of that name, though the title of that song may have been appropriated.
The material here given more than doubles the American store of this ballad. Other American references are Barry, No. 28; Belden, No. 13 (fragment); Bulletin, Nos. 4-6, 8-10; Campbell and Sharp, No. 34 (North Carolina, Virginia); Cox, No. 30; Journal, XIX, 298 (Belden, Missouri);- XXIV, 348 (Barry, Massachusetts, fragment, Maine), XXVII, 68 (Barry, Massachusetts); XXX, 329 (Kittredge, Missouri, fragments); Mackenzie, Ballads, No. 15; Sharp, Songs, 11, No. 3 (Kentucky). For additional references, see Cox, p. 164; Journal, XXX, 329.
F. "The Farmer's Curst Wife." Collected by Mr. John Stone. Sung by Mr. T. C. Commins, of Rumford, Va. King William County. September 13, 1917. With music.
1 There was an old farmer who in Gloucester did dwell, (Whistle)
He had an old wife whom he wished was in hell.
Sing Tol-le-rol-dol,
Sing Tol-le-rol-diddle-dee-dee.
2 The devil he made his appearance one day, (Whistle)
And said, "One of your family I must take away."
Sing Tol-le-rol-dol,
Sing Tol-le-rol-diddle-dee-dee.
3 "Then you may take my oldest son, (Whistle)
If he won't do, take two for one."
Sing Tol-le-rol-dol,
Sing Tol-le-rol-diddle-dee- dee.
4 "Your oldest son I do not crave, (Whistle)
But your old wife I must have."
Sing Tol-le-rol-dol,
Sing Tol-le-rol- diddle-dee-dee.
5 He packed her up in a sack, (Whistle)
And slung the sack across his back.
Sing Tol-le-rol-dol,
Sing Tol-le-rol-diddle-dee-dee.
6 When he arrived at hell's gate, (Whistle)
He chucked her in and she fell on her pate. [1]
Sing Tol-le-rol-dol,
Sing Tol-le-rol-diddle-dee-dee.
7 She spied two little devils fettered with chains, (Whistle)
She took up their fetters and knocked out their brains.
Sing Tol-le-rol-dol,
Sing Tol-le-rol-diddle-dee-dee.
8 Three little devils sitting on the wall, (Whistle)
"Cried, "Father, take her back or she'll murder us all."
Sing Tol-le-rol-dol,
Sing Tol-le-rol- diddle-dee-dee.
9 So he rammed her back into the sack, (Whistle)
And like an old fool came trudging her back.
Sing Tol-le-rol-dol,
Sing Tol-le-roi-diddle-dee-dee.
10 This proves that the women are worse than the men, (whistle)
For when sent to hell they come back again.
Sing Tol-le-rol-dol,
Sing Tol-le- rol-diddle-dee-dee.
1. pate= top of her head. Davis G has feet.