The Old Woman and the Devil- (KY) 1912 Niles A
The Old Woman and the Devil- (Niles No. 60 A) Sung by an old-granny woman (mid-wife) 1912, Jackson, Ky.
1. There was an old farmer went out for to plow,
With a nu sing naggle sing nu,
There was an old farmer went out for to plow,
He hitched up an ox and an ass and a cow,
With a nu stng naggle sing nu, nu, nu,
A nu sing naggle sing nu.
2. The devil flew by with a flickety-flack,
With a nu sing naggle sing nu,
The devil flew by with a flickety-flack,
He carried a pitchfork wrapped up in a sack,
With a nu sing naggle sing nu, nu, nu,
A nu sing naggle sing nu.
3. The old farmer dropped his lines and he run,
"The devil's a-lookin' for my oldest son."
4. "I don't want your son nor your daughter fair,
But your old scoldin' wife what's lost all of her hair."
5. So sayin', he harvest her up on his back,
And he left like a peddler a-totin' his pack.
6. He toted her down to the gates of hell,
Said, "Blow up the fire, boys, we'll roast this one well."
7. Seven small devils came rattlin' their chains,
She handled a poker and mellered their brains.
8. The other small devil looked over the wall,
Said, "Take her back, Daddy, she'll murder us all."
9. He harvest her up on his poor old tired back,
And he left like a peddler a-totin' his pack.
10. Seven years goin' and six comin' back,
She asked for the cornpone she left in the crack.
11. "Oh, what I can do now the devil won't tell,
I ain't fit for heaven and I'm too mean for hell."