Devil and the Farmer's Wife

Cat. #1439 (MFH #149) - As sung by Otis Williams, Wesley, Arkansas on

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