The Yorkshire Boy- DeCoster (ME) 1925 Barry A
[From British Ballads from Maine, 1929; Barry Eckstorm Smyth pp. 406-413, "The Yorkshire Bite" (3 texts, 1 tune); also pp. 477-478, "The Crafty Farmer".
Barry published one of the first US version in 1908, reprinting it in 1910 in JOAFL. He teamed up with Flanders in the early 1930s. Below are the notes which seem to be Eckstorm's.
R. Matteson 2013]
"The Crafty Farmer" has been so difficult to obtain that we have come no nearer than this occurrence, noted by Captain Donovan [who heard a version sung similar to Child A], so far as we know, the only American text of it ever reported was one from West Virginia by Professor Cox. It is certain, however, that the ballad was known in Massachusetts at the close of the eighteenth century. See the "Anecdote of Rev. Ivory Hovey" with notes by P.B. in JAFL, XXIII, PP. 451-453. Yet while, The Crafty Farmer" has hitherto proven an impossibility, there is no limit to the number of copies obtainable of the derived, and very similar song, "The Yorkshire Bite." We have found a number cf texts and could have had many more, as it was very popular in Maine. It is the song often called "Saddle to Rags." There is also a parallel- story of the girl who outwits the highwayman, which we have not found in Maine.
THE YORKSHIRE BITE
(cf. Child 283)
A. "The Yorkshire Boy." Taken down in May, 1925, from the recitation of Mr. Justin DeCoster of Buckfield.
1 In London there lived a mason by trade,
He had for his servants a man and a maid;
A Yorkshire boy he had for his man
For to do his brisiness, and his name it was John.
Chorus
Whack fol de diddle de dol,
Whack fol de diddle de day.
2. One morning he called for Johnny to come,
Johnny heard his master and quickly he did run;
He says, "Take this cow and drive her to the fair,
For she is in good order and she's all I have to spare."
3. Johnny took the cow out of the barn
To drive her to the fair, as you shall soon l'arn;
Upon his way there he met with a man,
Johnny sold him the cow for six pound and ten.
4. He stopped in a tavern for to get a drink;
'Twas the the good old farmer paid him down the chink.
Thus Johnny to the landlady did say,
"What shall I do with my money, I pray?"
5. "I will sew it in your coat lining," says she,
"For fear you'll be robbed while on the highway."
A highwayman standing by a-drinking of the wine,
He said to himself, "That money shall be mine."
6. Johnny started for to go,
The highwayman following him also,
And as he came up to Johnny he did say,
"You're well overtaken while on the highway."
7. "How far are you going?" The highwayman replied,
"Four or five miles, as far as I do know."
Then he jumped in behind him
And away they did go.
8. They rode till they came to a dark lane,
The highwayman says, "I'll tell you in words that are plain,
Just hand out that money without fear or strife,
Or in these dark woods I'll take your sweet life."
9. Johnny seeing there was no time to be lost,
Quickly he dismounted off from his horse,
Out of his coat lining pulled the money out,
And in the tall grass he strewed it all about.
10. The highwayman, thinking it would be no loss,
He, too, quickly jumped from his horse;
While he was a-picking up the money by his side
Johnny jumped on the highwayman's horse and quickly he did ride.
11 The highwayman called out for Johnny to stop,
Johnny didn't mind him but quickly rode away;
Horse to his master Johnny he did bring,
Horse, saddle and bridle and many a pretty thing.
12 The servant, seeing Johnny returning home,
We went and told the master who was in the other room;
He went to the door and spoke to him thus:
"What in the devil! Has my cow become a horse?"
13 "Oh, no, kind master,"' Johnny says, I pray,
I've been robbed while in the highway;
While he was a-picking up the money in his purse
To make your demands I come off with his horse."
14 The bags they were opened, the money all told,
Four hundred pounds in silver and go1d,
A pair of pocket pistols, Johnny says, "I vow,
I think, my dear master, I sold well your cow."
15 "I think for a boy you've done very rare,
Half of this money you shall have for your share,
And as for the villain, you served him just right,
And the trick you played upon him was a Yorkshire bite."
* A Yorkshire bite was a shrewd trick played on a person, such as Yorkshire people were supposed to think of.