VERSE 1
Th Devil, he came to th farmer's one day
Hi-o-hey
Saying, one of your flock I must take away
Come, falter-a-diddle-la-day
VERSE 2
Then, cried th farmer, I'm undone
Hi-o-hey
Where now you've come for my eldest Son
Come, falter-a-diddle-la-day
VERSE 3
T'is not your eldest Son that I crave
Hi-o-hey
But your ole scolding wife an' it's she I must have
Come, falter-a-diddle-la-day
VERSE 4
Then, take 'er, o take 'er with all my heart
Hi-o-hey
An' hope from you she never will part
Come, falter-a-diddle-la-day
VERSE 5
One little Devil cried, lift me up higher
Hi-o-hey
She up, with her foot an' kicked 'im in th fire
Come, falter-a-diddle-la-day
VERSE 6
Another little Devil peeked over th wall
Hi-o-hey
Saying, take 'er away, or she'll brain us all
Come, falter-a-diddle-la-day
VERSE 7
The Devil, he put 'er all into his sack
Hi-o-hey
An' like a whipped cur, he come packing 'er back
Come, falter-a-diddle-la-day
VERSE 8
An then he said, I'll be hung
Hi-o-hey
If I didn't get th wrong one
Come, falter-a-diddle-la-day
(Mr. Williams plays a cow horn.)
VARIANTS:
0437 Devil Doings
0481 Farmers Curst Wife
04999 Devils Curst Wife
1134 The Ole Man Under the Hill
1519 The Devil and the Farmer
1541 Ole Devil and the Lady
OTHER COLLECTIONS:
Child: 278 the Farmers Curst Wife
Randolph: I-36 The Old Man Under the Hill
Belden: p. 94 The Farmers Curst Wife
Brown: II-45 The Farmers Curst Wife
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