The Old Devil- Huskins (NS) 1950 Creighton E
[From: Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia by Creighton and Senior, 1950. Creighton's title (Farmer's Curst) is not local and I've changed it to, "The Old Devil." No date is given, published in 1950.]
Creighton notes: The Farmer's Curst Wife
[Child 278 ]
This rollicking song is one of the most singable in my collection. The legend of a curst wife, who was a terror to demons, is widely spread in Europe and the Orient as well as in Great Britain. Child writes: "See Benfey, Panchatantra, I, 519-34; and Ralston, Russian Folk-Tales, p. 39." Variants have been found with and without the effective whistling chorus. Burns is said to have founded his Carle of Killyburn Braes on this ballad.
See Journal, vol. 2, p.184; vol. 3, pp. 131, 132, etc. American texts: Hudson, pp. 124, 125; Linscott, pp. 188-191; Belden, pp. 89-91; Brewster, p. 155; Mackenzie, p. 64; Gerould, p. 48; S.B.N. S. pp. 18, 19; T.F. N. S., with piano accompaniment; Sharp, I, pp. 275-281; Barry, pp. 325-333; Gardner and Chickering, pp. 373-378; Davis, pp. 505-515; Cox, pp. 164, 165.
Library of Congress recordings: Ben Henneberry, Richard Hartlan and Edmund Henneberry; National Museum recording: Ralph Huskins.
According to Mr. Ben Henneberry, the last stanza is variable. It may be:
"This proves that women are better than men,
They can go through hell and come back again."
Or, "They can go to the devil and come back again. "
[The Old Devil] The Farmer's Curst Wife [E] Sung by Ralph Huskins, Cape Sable Island, NS; Melody transcribed by Margaret Sargent.
1. The old devil came into a field one day,
Dol dol dol dol diddle dol dey,
It isn't your old-est son I crave,
It's your old scolding wife and she I must have,
CHORUS: With my tor rol ro ral tor rol ro rel
Diddle all diddle dol dey.
2. Take her old devil with all of my heart,
Dol dol dol dol diddle dol dey,
Take her old devil with all of my heart,
I hope you and her will never part. Cho.
3. The old devil he mgscred her on to his back,
Dol dol dol dol diddle dol dey,
The old devil he muscled her on to his back
And like an old Jew went carrying his pack. Cho.
4. And when he got her in sight of hell,
Dol dol dol dol diddle dol dey,
And when he got her in sight of hell
Saying here's the place where you got to dwell. Cho.
5. He carried her to a big iron door
Dol dol dol dol diddle dol dey,
He carried her to a big iron door
And tumbled her in with ten thousand more. cho.
6 One little devil peeped over the wall
Dol dol dol dol diddle dol dey,
One little devil peeped over the wall
Saying take her away or she'll kill us all. Cho.
7. No, says the old devil, we'll hang her up higher
Dol dol dol dol diddle dol dey,
No, says the old devil, we'll hang her up higher
And then she up foot and kicked nine in the fire. Cho.
8. The old devil he mustered her on to his back,
Dol dol dol dol diddle dol dey,
The old devil he mustered her on to his back
And like an old fool went carrying her back. Cho.
9. And when he got her in sight of home,
Dol dol dol dol diddle dol dey,
And when he got her in sight of home,
She kicked all the skin off the devil's backbone. Cho.
10. He said, I brought your old scolding wife back safe and well,
Dol dol dol dol diddle dol dey,
I brought your old scolding wife back safe and well,
She's been through hell and she's ten times worse. Cho.