The Miller and His Sons by Richard Chase
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 48, No. 190 (Oct. - Dec., 1935), pp. 392-393
RICHARD CHASE.
The Institute of Folk Music, Chapel Hill, N. C.
THE MILLER AND HIS SONS
Tune as sung by Dr. E. E. Ericson, U. N. C., Chapel Hill; learned in 1897 in Lindsay, Nebraska.*
Mixolydian mode
1. There was an old miller and he lived all alone,
he had three sons that were almost grown.
He was about to make his will and all that he had was a little old mill.
Hi! Fol! Did-dle all day!
2. So he said to his oldest son,
Son, O son, I'm almost gone,
And if to you this mill I make, pray tell me the toll that you mean to take.
Hi! Fol! Diddle all day!
3. Father, you know my name is Jack;
out of a bushel I'll take a peck;
for if my fortune I would make, O that is the toll that I mean to take.
Hi! Fol! Diddle all day!
4. Son, O son, I'm afraid you're a fool,
you have not learned to follow my rule.
To you this mill I will not give, for by such a toll no man can live.
Hi! Fol! Diddle all day!
5. Then he said to his second son,
Son, O son, I'm almost gone,
and if to you this mill I make, pray tell me the toll that you mean to take.
Hi! Fol! Diddle all day!
6. Father, you know my name is Ralph;
out of a bushel I'll take a half;
for if my fortune I would make, O that is the toll that I mean to take.
Hi! Fol! Diddle all day!
7. Son, O son, I'm afraid you're a fool,
you have not perfect learned my rule.
To you this mill I will not give, for by such a toll no man can live.
Hi! Fol! Diddle all day!
8. Then he said to his youngest son,
Son, O son, I'm almost gone,
and if to you this mill I make, pray tell me the toll that you mean to take.
Hi! Fol! Diddle all day!
9. Father, you know my name is Paul;
out of a bushel I'll take it all,
take all the grain and swear to the sack,
and beat the farmer when he comes back.
Hi! Fol! Diddle all day!
10. Glory be to God, the old man says,
I've got one son that's learned my ways.
Hallelujah! the old woman cried,
and the old man straightened out his legs and he died.
Hi! Fol! Diddle all day!
* Collected by R. Chase, and set down by him with the assistance of Winston Wilkinson, University of Virginia. Verses selected from various sources by R. Chase.