The Yorkshire Bite- Harmon (GA-TN) 1931 Henry C
[From: Mellinger Henry's Folk Songs from the Southern Highlands.
No title has been assigned by Henry, this was collected at Harmon's daughter's house in GA (was he living there temporarily?). For the complete Harmon version, see Version B at the bottom of the page. Compare also to other versions from Henry (Version A and B) and from NC in the Brown collection, esp. the version in Vol. 4. Inexplicably, Mrs. Mary Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, who is the Harmon's daughter, has a full version but her father can't remember it!!
R. Matteson 2014]
8. THE YORKSHIRE BITE.
(Cf. Child, No. 283).
C. The following fragment was obtained from Samuel Harmon, Varnell, Georgia, August, 1931, who said he used to know the song but that he could remember no more of it.
1. "Come down, come down,"
Said the farmer to his son,
"A make some money
Or have some fun."
Like tuthers, tuthers,
Turn a fare, turn a day.
2. "We have an old cow —"
B. Obtained from Mrs. Mary Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, November 5, 1930. Mary Tucker is the daughter of Mr, and Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Tennessee.
1. "Come down, come down,"
Said the father to his son.
"We will make some money,
Or lose some one."
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
2. "I have a old cow;
You can take her to the fair;
She is in good order;
You can sell her there."
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
3. This boy tuk his cow
And he tuk her to the fair;
She was in good order
And he sold her there.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
4. He was afraid
The wild robbers would find;
He sewed up his money
In his coat line.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
5. There was a lady
In her silk so fine
Seen him sew up his money
In his old coat line.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
6. It wasn't very long
Till the wild robber followed on;
He knowed this money
Was in the boy's coat line.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tumranr ound tummy O!
7. "Son, O son,
I want your money without any strife
And if I don't get it,
I will end your life."
Lye teller tum rag,
Turn around tummy O!
8. The boy began to rake
To get his money out -
A big patch of weeds -
And he sowed all about.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
9. While the robber was down
Picking up the loss,
The boy jumped in his saddle -
Rode off with his horse.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
10. "Come back, come back,"
The wild robber did a-roar,
"You can have your money back
And ten times more."
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
11. The boy rode on
To his father's door;
He jumped off
With a pump on the floor.
Lye teller turn rag,
Tum around tummy O!
12. "Son, O son,
Has it come to occur
That our old cow
Has turned to a horse?"
Lye teller turn rag,
Turn around tummy O!
13. "No, the wild robbers
Robbed of my silver and gold
And while he was down picking up the loss,
I jumped in his saddle, rode off with his horse."
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
14. They come in the saddle
To unfold
And out of the saddle
A thousand pounds of gold.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
15. The boy jumped up
With a pump on the floor,
Says, "I got my money back
And ten times more,"
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!