The Old Woman and the Devil (Child 278)
[This is a version of Child 278: The Farmer's Curst Wife. The humorous ballad was recorded twice by early country artists: 1928 Bill and Bell Reed (Listen: Old Lady and the Devil) and 1939 Billy Cox and Cliff Hobbs (Battle Axe and the Devil).
R. Matteson 2014]
The Old Woman and the Devil (Child 278)
The old man went to the field one day
Hitched up his mule and he ran away.
Singing yi-i-doddle, i-doddle-i,
Yi-i-doddle-i-day.
The old devil came to the field one day,
Said, "One of your family, I'm going to take away."
Singing yi-i-doddle, i-doddle-i,
Yi-i-doddle-i-day.
The old devil started wit the woman on his back.
Looked like a camel with a hump on his back.
Singing yi-i-doddle, i-doddle-i,
Yi-i-doddle-i-day.
The old devil came to the forks of the road,
Saying, "Old woman, you are a hell of a load."
Singing yi-i-doddle, i-doddle-i,
Yi-i-doddle-i-day.
One little devil peeping round the wall.
Said, "Take her home, daddy, she's killing us all."
Singing yi-i-doddle, i-doddle-i,
Yi-i-doddle-i-day.
One little devil peeping through the crack
Said, "Take her home and don't bring her back."
Singing yi-i-doddle, i-doddle-i,
Yi-i-doddle-i-day.
Two little devils dragging a chain,
I [She] picked up a hammer and knocked out their brains.
Singing yi-i-doddle, i-doddle-i,
Yi-i-doddle-i-day.
Went to the barn and looked out the crack,
Saw the old devil wagging her back.
Singing yi-i-doddle, i-doddle-i,
Yi-i-doddle-i-day.
Come on, Mama, Let's go to the show,
You can wear out the devil and the old woman[man] too.
Singing yi-i-doddle, i-doddle-i,
Yi-i-doddle-i-day.