Farmer's Curst Wife- Rohrbaugh (WV) 1942 Boette A
[The title should be: There was an Old Farmer. Below are Mary Boette's notes.]
THE FARMER'S CURST WIFE (A)
This ballad is found in Child, No. 278. Oriental and European tales tell humorous stories of a cursed wife who was the terror of demons. It has a humor about it that is lacking in some of the more melodramatic ballads. The humor is at the expense of women and follows the broad, and trite conclusion that all evil sprang from woman, beginning with the story of Adam and Eve.
Tales of a curst wife, who is a terror to mortals and demons as well, haue always been prevalent. There is one in the sanskrit Panchatantra, which goes back to the fifth century. This version was recorded March 12, 1942, by Mrs. John Rohrbaugh who said it had been handed down in her family. On the whole, the influence of folk transrnission is a leuelling influence. The total effect of its alterations brings homogeneity in style and manner of narration. Imported songs, once of totally different character, accommodate themselues to the characteristics of their new home. Some effective incident or story, presented in a simple, memorable way, commends itself to folk-consciousness. Graduarly it transforms itself in agreement with the tastes and traditions of the localities where it becomes domesticated, and sometimes it ends as something quite different from that it was when it began.
Incremental repetition gives the effect of motion and speed throughout this version and there is an unusual variant in verse eleven where "she asked for the'baccer, she left in the crack," more like an old mountaineer woman which would fit into this ballad than another version which says "she called for the mush that was left in the pot." The little devils calling the big devil "daddy" is a variant that is most assuredly regional.
The melody is in the pentatonic scale, the Ionian Mode 3. There is the feeling of a B ftat tonic because the first skip is to B flat. Upon analysis it is observed that F is most recurrent and the ending is one of final tonality. Although the rhythm varies as is apparent in many old, songs, the tune is rollicking and words and music are synonymous.
The Farmer's Curst Wife (A); recorded March 12, 1942, by Mrs. John Rohrbaugh, Harrison County Collected by Marie Boette.
1. There was an old man lived under the hill,
Hi ran de dan de da-
If he hain't moved away he's a living there still.
So gallop me ran de dan de da.
2. One day the old man went out to plow,
Hi ran de dan de da-
The devil flew over his old gray mare.
So gallop me ran de dan de da.
3. He dropped his plow, he broke and he ran,
Hi ran de dan de da-
The devil's come after my oldest son.
So gallop me ran de dan de da.
4. "Tis not your oldest son I pray,"
Hi ran de dan de da-
"Tis your scolding old wife I'll take away."
So gallop me ran de dan de da.
5. "Take her, take her, with all my heart,"
Hi ran de dan de da-
"If you can't pack her away, I'll lend you my cart."
So gallop me ran de dan de da.
6. He took her down to the gates of Hell;
Hi ran de dan de da,
He gave her a push saying, "You go there."
So gallop me ran de dan de da.
7. Nine little devils came rattling their chains;
Hi ran de dan de da-
She up with her crutch and knocked out their brains.
So gallop me ran de dan de da.
8. One little devil leaned over the wall,
Hi ran de dan de da-
Saying, "Take her back, Daddy, or she'll kill us all."
So gallop me ran de dan de da.
9. He picked her up on his tired back,
Hi ran de dan de da-
And like an old fool went packing her back,
So gallop me ran de dan de da.
10. Her old man lying sick in the bed;
Hi ran de dan de da
She took the pewter pot and bashed in his head.
So gallop me ran de dan de da.
11. She was nine months going and six coming back;
Hi ran de dan de da;
She asked for the "baccer" she left in the crack,
So gallop me ran de dan de da.
12. What a woman will do no one can tell;
Hi ran de dan de da;
They ain't fit for heaven and they won't have 'em in hell.
So gallop me ran de dan de da.