The Old Man and the Door- (KY) c.1898 Niles
[John Jacob Niles (April 28, 1892—March 1, 1980) says, "I have known since early childhood," which I've guesstimated to be circa 1898 when Niles was 6. No versions have been found in Kentucky, where Niles grew up. Since some of Niles versions have been rejected summarily by "ballad" musicologists, this one may also be deemed questionable (even though I'm sure many of his contributions are authentic and this ballad seems to be something he heard). His version was published in his 1961, The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles.
R. Matteson 2013]
The Old Man and the Door (Niles No. 58) (Major mode on D) Learned, I presume, from his parents c. 1898 in Louisville KY. Niles is vague about the source, citing it's from "the Niles family."
1. With a heigh-ho for the dummerie-do
The wind blew in the window.
With a heigh-ho for the dummerie-do,
The wind blew on the floor-o.
2. The goodman to the goodwife said,
"Old woman, shut the door-o."
With a heigh-ho for the dummerie-do,
"Go shut the door yourself-o."
3. They made a paction [1] good and strong,
The first to speak a word-o,
With a heigh-ho for the dummerie-do,
Would rise and shut the door-o.
4. The travelers whooped, the travelers howled,
The travelers drank his ale-o.
With a heigh-ho for the dummerie-do,
They swilled her puddins, too-o.
5. The goodman leapt from out his bed,
"Ye scald my beard with brew-o!"
With a heigh-ho for the dummerie-do,
"Ye cannot kiss my Jane-o!'
6. Our goodwife skipped upon the floor,
Our goodman he was angry-o.
With a heigh-ho for the clummerie-do,
'Twas he who closed the door-o.
1. Agreement.