The False False Fly- Jane Siberry- from her album "Hush" released in 2000.
[This is not traditional but included as an adaptation that curiously relates to one of the earliest versions collected in North America which was sung before 1870, in Fort Kent, Me., by a French girl who could speak very little English, as learned from an illiterate Irish family.
From "The False Knight upon the Road," A, Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States recollected by M. L. F., Portland, Me., Oct. 16, 1907.
1. "What have you in your bottle, my dear little lad?"
Quo the fol fol Fly on the road,
"I have some milk for myself for to drink!"
Said the child, who was seven years old.
In this text the words "fol fol Fly" are very likely corrupted from "foul, foul Fiend;" that is, the Devil.
Canadian singer-songwriter Jane Siberry adaptation has similarly "false, false fly." Her version is similar to or based on Henneberry version collected by Creighton at Devil's Island Nova Scotian in 1929. Another Canadian version was collected in New Brunswick by Manny in 1962. both have the extra stanzas from Child 1. Curiously several similar versions have been recently recorded from Northern Ireland singers Gleeson and Graham.
R. Matteson 2011, 2014]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mT8rPfiGVQ
THE FALSE FALSE FLY- Jane Siberry
'O and where are you going?' said the False False Fly
To the lovely little child on the road
'I am going to my school,' said the lovely little child
She was only but seven years old
'O what have you in your bag?' said the False False Fly
To the lovely little child on the road
'Me bread and me books,' said the lovely little child
She was only but seven years old
'Will you come along with me?' said the False False Fly
To the lovely little child on the road
'No, I won't come with you,' said the lovely little child
She was only but seven years old
'I will give you a ball,' said the False False Fly
To the lovely little child on the road
'Ah, but you'd be Lord of all,' said the lovely little child
She was only but seven years old
'What is rounder than a ball?' said the False False Fly
To the lovely little child on the road
'The earth is rounder than a ball,' said the lovely little child
She was only but seven years old
'What is higher than the sky?' said the False False Fly
To the lovely little child on the road
'Heaven is higher than the sky,' said the lovely little child
She was only but seven years old
'What is deeper than the sea?' said the False False Fly
To the lovely little child on the road
'Hell is deeper than the sea,' said the lovely little child
She was only but seven years old
Then he flew away in flames
Did the False False Fly
From the lovely little child on the road
'Twas the devil in disguise
Was the False False Fly'
Said the lovely little child on the road