The Farmer's Curst Wife- Vest (VA) 1917 Davis C
[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.
C. "The Farmer's Curst Wife." Collected by Mr. John Stone. Sung by Mr. Charles Vest, Louisa County. September 13, 1917. With music. Mr. Vest is "an old Mosby man and heard this ballad while in the army. I heard him sing it fifteen years ago and have never forgotten the song itself though I could think of neither the tune nor the words. Last week I went over to
Louisa got him to sing it for me. He had forgotten it, but recalled it." (Mr. Stone).
1. There was an old farmer and he had a little farm. (Whistle)
He had no horses to carry it on,
Sing fol-de-rol-dol-de-rol-di-do.
2. He hitched his oxen (up) to the plow; (Whistle)
Mr. Devil come along a-crossing his brow,
Sing fol-de-rol-dol-de-rol-di-do.
3 "Now, Mr. Devil, what is it you crave?" (Whistle)
"Your derned old scolding wife I'll have."
Sing fol-de-rol-dol-de-rol-di-do'
4 "Now, Mr. Devil, I'll tell you apart, (Whistle)
You can take her will all my heart."
Sing fol-de-rol-dol-de-rol-di-do.
5 He threw her over across his back (Whistle)
And off he went a-clickety-clack.
Sing fol-de-rol-dol-de-rol-di-do.
6 When he got her to his door, (Whistle)
He threw her sprawling on the floor,
Sing fol- de-rol-dol-de-rol-di-do.
7. One little devil came dragging a chain. (whistle)
She up with her foot anid kicked out his brains.
Sing fol- de- rol- dol-de-rol-di-do.
8. One little devil says, "Take her up higher." (whistle)
She up with her foot and kicked him in the fire.
Sing fol-de-rol-dol-de-rol-di-do.
9 One little devil peeped over the wall: (Whistle)
"Take her back, pap, she'll kill us all."
Sing fol-de-rol-dol-de-rol-di- do.
10 So the devil he bundled her up in a sack, (whistle)
And like an old fool came lugging her back.
Sing fol-de-rol-dol-de-rol-di-do.
11. Now what will become of the women? (whistle)
Won't have them in hell and they can't get to heaven.
Sing fol-de-rol-dol-de-rol-di-do.