The Farmer's Curst Wife- H. J. C. (MA-ME) 1908 Barry B
[First appearing in Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States published in 1908, this is Barry's B text in the 1911 JOAFL and Barry's E text in British Ballads from Maine. The grouping of the stanzas is questionable.]
From: New Ballad Texts
by Phillips Barry
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 24, No. 93 (Jul. - Sep., 1911), pp. 344-3
"The Farmer's Curst Wife," B, Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States. MS. of H. J. C., Boston, Mass., as recollected by an old soldier, northern part of Penobscot County, Maine. In the MS., stanzas 2 and 3 are written as one stanza. (Sept. 21, 1910.)
1. The old farmer was ploughing his field one day,
Sing twice fallal ding,
Tal-lal-o-day.
2. The old Devil came into his field one day,
Saying, "One of your family I'll carry away."
3. "Is it my eldest son you do crave?
4. " It is not your eldest son I do crave,
But it's your old scolding wife I'll carry away!"
5. He picked her up into his knapsack,
And like a brave soldier went sacking his pack.
6. He carried her till he came to Hell's gate,
Where he laid her down a spell for to wait.
7. She up with her foot and kicked nine in the fire,
8. Then a little imp comes peeping over the wall,
Saying, "Take her back, or she'll destroy us all!"
9. He picked her up into his knapsack,
And like a damned fool went packing her back.
10 . . . . . . .
She's been through Hell, and she's ten times worse!"