He Went To The Gate- Mitchell (NC) 1918 Sharp MS; Bronson 52.
[My title, replacing Our Goodman. The last line of each stanza is unsual.]
He Went To The Gate ("Our Goodman") Sharp MSS., 4671/3293. Sung by Mrs. Polly Mitchell, Burnsville, N.C., September 22, 1918. The last two phrases were probably repeated to carry the last two lines of the stanza, though the MS. does not indicate the repetition.
1. He went to his gate to see what could be seen,
Called to his loving wife, Kind sir, she answered me.
What's these gentlemen's horses here, one, by two, by three?
You old fool, you blind fool, can't you so mighty well see?
There's my three milking cows my mammy sent to me.
Yea ho, milking cows with saddles on like I never did see
Every time I go from home here they all must be.
2. He went to his gate to see what could be seen,
Called to his loving wife. Kind sir, she answered me.
What's these gentlemen's dogs here, one by two, by three?
You old fool, you blind fool, can't you so mighty well see?
There's my three sucking calves my mammy sent to me
Yea ho, sucking-calves with curly tails like I never did see
Every time I go from home here they must be.
3. He went to his bedside to see what could be seen,
Called to his loving wife. Kind sir, she answered me.
What's these gendernen's boots here, one by two, by three?
You old fool, you blind fool, can't you so mighty well see?
There's my three milking churns my mammy sent to me,
Yea ho, milking-churns with heel tops on like I never did see.
Every time I go from home here they all must be.
4. He went to his bedside, etc.
What's these gentlemen's hats here, etc.
There's my three milking-bowls my mammy sent to me.
Yea ho, milking-bowls with hat bands on iike I never did see, etc.
5 He went to his bedside to see what could be seen,
Called to his loving wife. Kind sir, she answered me.
What's these gentlemen's coats here, one, by two, by three?
You old fool, you blind fool, can't you so mighty well see?
There's my three coverlets my mammy sent to me.
Yea ho, coverlets with buttons on like I never did see.
Every time I go from home here they all must be.
6. He went ro his bedside to see what could be seen,
Called to his loving wife. Kind sir, she answered me.
What's these gentlemen's heads here, one by two, by three,
You old fool, you blind fool, can't you so mighty well see
There's my three cabbage-heads my mammy sent to me,
Yea ho, cabbage-heads with hair on like I never did see.
Every time I go from home here they all must be.