The Farmer's Curst Wife- Morris (VA) 1935 Wilkinson; Bronson 43
"The Farmer's Curst Wife" - Wilkinson MSS., 1935-36. Also in Chase, 1938, p. 23. Tune sung by Polly Morris,- Pirkey, Va.; noted by William Wilkinson- text conflared from versions from Randolph Harrison, Cartersville, Va., learned from his father, and from Pat Campbell Buchanan, Marion, Va., learned from Horton Barker, Chilhowie, Va.
aI
1. There was an old farmer lived under the hill,
(Whistled)
There was an old farmer iived under the hill;
He had a little farm and on it did dwell.
Twice fala, fa lilly, fa la ri O!
2. The devil came to him one day at the plow
Says, "One of your family I'll have to have now."
Twice fala, fa lilly, fa la ri O! (Repeat at end of each verse.)
3. "It's neither your son nor your daughter I crave
But your old scolding I now must have.
4. "Take her, O take her with all my heart
I hope you and she will never more part.
5. So the devil he bundled her up in a sack
And slung her up across his back.
6. He carried her down to the high gates of Hell,
Says, "Poke up the fire boys, we'll scorch her well."
7. Twelve little devils came walking by
She up with her foot, kicked eleven in the fire.
8. The odd little devil peeped over the wall
Says, "Take her back, daddy, she's a-murderin' us all."
9. The poor old farmer he looked through the crack
And saw the oid devil a-waggin' her back.
10. The poor old man he lay sick in the bed
She upped with the butterstick and paddled his head.
11. And now you see what a wornan can do
She can outdo the devil, and her old man too.