The Old Devil- Presnell (NC-AR) pre1966 Burton
[Hattie's version was recorded by Frank Warner in 1951- it's not known when Burton recorded Presnell, I assume it was later. In the 3rd stanza (footnote 2) Warner has "scolding." Warner's transcription, although missing the first stanza, is more accurate except for the last verse. See footnotes for comparisons.]
Burton's notes: "The old Devil"or "The Farmer's Curst wife" was in print as early as 1630 under the title of "How the Divall Was Guld by a Scould. "
HATTIE PRESNELL (bio Burton)
Hattie Kneevista Hicks Presnell was born June 19, 1907, to Buna and Roby Monroe Hicks, She moved with her family to the Watauga River and returned with them to Spice creek. There she went to Rominger School and got to the third primer before she stopped attending in order to bear more responsibilities at home because of illness in the family, Hattie remained at home until she was nineteen years old, at which time she married Dewey Presnell. She has traveled to Arkansas, Canada, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Many of the songs she knows come from Van Buren County, Arkansas, where her husband for eleven years of his childhood would often hear "song after song all night long" sung by Mrs. Ida Mcintyre Hattie's song were also learned from her father-in-law and great-uncle, Lee Monroe Presnell, and through him from Lie-hew (John Calvin Yonce came to Beech Mountain every seven years and was named Lie-hew by the folks on the mountain because he "lied so much and hewed on a stick, all the time"; it was rather difficult to leam his songs, Hattie says because if he thought that the motive behind a request was to learn a song he would refuse to sing). Hattie is also indebted for songs to her mother, with whom she has remained closely associated over the years.
THE OLD DEVIL (child 278) sung by Hattie Presnell, December 9, 1966; learned from her sister-in-law, Lena Manora Presnell Armstrong, who learned it from Mrs. Ida Mclntyre in Van Buren County, Arkansas. range: hexatonic IIIa M6
(After stanza 1 the meter remains duple throughout.)
1. One day the old devil came to my palace, [1]
Da, da , da, dee da da.
One day the old devil came to my palace;
"One of your family I may turn out."
A wack to fie doodle all day.
"Old Mr. Devil, you surely in fun,
Old Mr. Devil, you surely in fun;
How can you spare my oldest son?"
"Hit's not your oldest son I crave,
Hit's not your oldest son I crave;
Hit's your old strollin' wife I'm after today." [2]
"Old Mr. Devil, with all of my heart,
Old Mr. Devil, with all of my heart,
I'll go to the house and I'll help you get a start."
He picked the old woman up on his back,
He picked the old woman up on his back,
Like a traveler a-waggin' his pack.
He carried her down three steps of hell,
He carried her down three steps of hell;
She picked up a stick and she lathered the old devil, [3]
Three little devils peeped over the wall,
Three little devils peeped over the wall;
Said, "Take her back, Pap, 'fore she kills us all!"
The old devil got her up on his back,
The old devil got her up on his back,
"Like a fool I oughta take you back track." [4]
He carried the old woman down to the forks of the road,
He carried the old woman down to the forks of the road;
He said, "Old woman, you're a hell of a load."
The old woman went whistlin' across the hill,
The old woman went whistlin' across the hill;
"If the devil won't have me, I don't know who will." [5]
1. Only version with palace; maybe was "place" at one point.
2. strolling for scolding.
3. lathered the old devil well (Warner has "lathered him well.")
4. track? added to rhyme, but makes no sense. Warner has "Like a fool now he take a back track." Compare to Bronson 17:
He picked her up on his ole hump back
An' like a black dog, he took the back track.
5. Warner has "I know who will" which is surely wrong.