Wild Hog- Ruby Bowman (Virginia) 1932 Davis DD
[From Davis; More Traditional Ballads of Virginia, 1960, p. 77, version DD. Davis recorded Bowman and Eunice Yeattes McAlexander when they were students at Radford teachers College (1932). Surely this is nearly the same version although McAlexander had a unique second verse (not found here).
R. Matteson 2014]
WILD HOG- from Miss Ruby Bowman, Carroll County, of Laurel Fork, Virginia. This was recorded on aluminum disk by A.K. Davis, Jr., on August 11, 1932, just about 73 years ago.
There's a wild hog in these woods,
Diddle o down, diddle o day,
There's a wild hog in these woods,
Diddle o down today,
This is a wild hog in these woods
That kills men and sucks their blood,
Kill him tell, cut him down, kill him if you can.
Do you see him a-comin' through yonders mash[1],
Diddle o down, diddle o day,
See him a-comin' through yonders mash,
Diddle o down today,
See him a-comin' through yonders mash,
Splittin' his way through oak and ash,
Kill him tell, cut him down, kill him if you can.
I fought him with my wooden[2] knife,
Diddle o down, diddle o day,
I fought him with my wooden knife,
Diddle o down today,
Fought him with my wooden knife,
Before I'd take that wild hog's life,
I followed that groundhog[3] to yonders bend,
Diddle o down, diddle o day,
I followed him to yonders bend,
Diddle o down today,
Followed that groundhog to yonders bend,
And there lay the bones of a thousand men,
I kill him tell, cut him down, kill him if I can.
1. probably "mast." The "mast" is fruit or nuts, usually after it's fallen from the tree. It usually means a part of the forest that has lots of acorns.
2. Woodsman's knife
3. wild hog- a mis-singing or mishearing