Our Goodman- (NS) pre1928 Mackenzie
[Durham is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Pictou County beside the West River of Pictou. This is the only US and Canadian version I've seen that can correctly be titled, "Our Goodman." Compare to the other NS version that was collected by Creighton.
R. Matteson 2013]
BALLADS AND SEA SONGS FROM NOVA SCOTIA- Makenzie 1928
OUR GOODMAN (Child, No. 274)
The following version, so far as it goes, corresponds pretty closely to Child A. The song used to be a great favourite in the Scotch communities in the north of Nova Scotia, but the Scotch inhabitants of Nova Scotia for the most part gave up their ballads many years ago. The fragment which I present was recollected by my mother from the singing of a maid in her home at Durham, Pictou County.
For references see Journal, XXIX, 166; XXX, 328; XXXV, 348, Cox p. 154. Cox presents three variants of Child A from West Virginia.
1. O hame came our goodman at e'en,
And hame came he,
And there he saw a horse
Where nae a horse should be.
2. "O how came this horse here?
And how came he here?
O how came this horse here
Without the leave o' me?"
3 "O ye puir blind doted body,
Blinder mat ye be!
It's but a bonny milk cu
Me mither sent to me."
4 "A milk cu?" quo' he.
"Aye, a milk cu," quo' she.
5 "O lang hae I ridden,
And muckle hae I seen,
But a saddle on a milk cu
Saw I never nane."
6 O hame came our goodman at e'en,
And hame came he,
And there he saw a coat
Where nae a coat should be.
7 "O how came this coat here?
And how came it here?
O how came this coat here
Without the leave o' me?"
8 "O ye puir blind doted body,
Blinder mat ye be!
It's but a bonny blanket
Me mither sent to me."
9 "A blanket?" quo' he.
"Aye, a blanket," quo' she.
10 "O lang hae I ridden,
And muckle hae I seen,
But buttons on a blanket
Saw I never nane."
11 O hame came our goodman at e'en,
And ham came he,
And there he saw a sword
Where nae a sword should be.
12 "O how came this sword here?
And how came it here?
O how came this sword here
Without the leave o' me?"
13 "O ye puir blind doted body,
Blinder mat ye be!
It's but a bonny parritch stick[1]
Me mither sent to me."
14 "A parritch stick?" quo' he.
"Aye, a parritch stick," quo' she.
15 "O lang hae I ridden,
And muckle hae I seen,
But tassels on a parritch stick,
Saw I never nane."
1. porridge stick