Old Man Lived Under the Hill- Spradley (AR) 1929 Randolph A
[From: Ozark Folksongs Vol. 1 British Ballads and Songs; Vance Randolph. Verse 7 is misplaced and should appear after verse 11.]
36. THE OLD MAN UNDER THE HILL
Child (English and Scottish Popular Ballads, 1832-1898, No. 278) prints several British texts. Compare the poem entitled "Kelly Burn Braes," by Robert Burns. For American texts see JOAFL (30, 7917 , p. 329), Lomax (cowboy songs,1910, p. 110), campbell and Sharp Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, 1977, No.34), Cox (Folk-Songs of the South 1925, p. 164), Davis (Traditional Ballads of Virginia, 1929, pp. 505-515), Kirkland (Southern folklore Quarterly 2, 1938, p.77), Chappell (Folk-Songs of Roanoke and the Albemarle, 1939, Gardner (Ballads and Songs of Southern Michigan, 1939, pp.373-378), Linscott (Folk Songs of old New England, 1939, p. 188), Belden (Ballads and, Songs, 1940, pp.94-97), Brewster (Ballads and Songs of Indiana, 1940, pp. 155-157), Beck (Southern Folklore Quarterly 4, 1940, a lumberjack version), Anderson (Tennessee Folklore Society Bulletin 8, 1942, p.73), forthcoming Brown (North Carolina Folk-Lore Society) collection.
A. Sung by Mrs. Isabel Spradley, Van Buren, Ark., Nov. 7, 1929.
There was an old man lived under the hill,
Hi di diddle di day,
There was an old man lived under the hill,
If he hasn't went crazy he's livin' there still,
Sing twice fi dum fi diddle,
Fi dum fi dum fi day.
The old man he went out to plow,
Hi di diddle di day,
The old man he went out to plow,
But to save his life he didn't know how,
Sing twice fi dum fi diddle,
Fi dum fi dum fi day.
The devil come a-creepin' across the field,
Hi di diddle di day,
The devil come a-creepin' across the field,
Says one of your family I'm a-goin' to steal,
Sing twice fi dum fi diddle,
Fi dum fi dum fi day.
You caint have my oldest son,
Hi di diddle di day,
You caint have my oldest son,
For the work has only just now begun,
Sing twice fi dum fi diddle,
Fi dum fi dum fi day.
You can have my scoldin' old wife,
Hi di diddle di day,
You can have my scoldin' old wife,
But you caint keep her to save your life,
Sing twice fi dum fi diddle,
Fi dum fi dum fi day.
An' then one day the devil appeared,
Hi di diddle di day,
An' then one day the devil appeared,
This old woman was badly scared,
Sing twice fi fum fi diddle,
Fi dum fi dum fi day.
He lugged her all upon his back,
Hi di diddle di day,
He lugged her all upon his back
An' like a thief went a-waggin' her back,
Sing twice fi dum fi diddle,
Fi dum fi dum fi day.
When he got down to hell's fair gates,
Hi di diddle di day,
When he got down to hell's fair gates,
There he bid her to walk mighty straight,
Sing twice fi fum fi diddle,
Fi dum fi dum fi day.
Three little devils come a-rattlin' their chains,
Hi di diddle di day,
Three little devils come a-rattlin' their chains,
She up with her foot an' kicked out their brains,
Sing twice fi dum fi diddle,
Fi dum fi dum fi day.
Four little devils peeped over the wall,
Hi di diddle di day,
Four little devils peeped over the wall,
Sayin' take her back, daddy, she'll murder us all,
Sing twice fi dum fi diddle,
Fi dum fi dum fi day.
When he got there they was all in bed,
Hi di diddle di day,
When he got there they was all in bed,
She up wilh a plate an' battered their heads,
Sing twice fi dum fi diddle,
Fi dum fi dum fi day.
The old man went a-braggin' in remorse,
Hi di diddle di day,
The old man went a-braggin' in remorse,
My wife rode the devil all round for a horse,
Sing twice fi dum fi diddle,
Fi durn fi dum fi day.