The Devil And The Farmer's Wife

Words & Music:

Traditional English (from a Shropshire tale)

 

A                                                   D                             A

There was an old farmer and he lived on a hill; teeroo, teeroo, and he lived on a hill.

D                A                       E7

He ain't moved away, he's a-living there still.

E7     A                    D          E7       D      E7      A

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

The devil came up to the farmer one day; teeroo, teeroo, to the farmer one day.

Says "One of your family I'm taking away"

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

"Oh, please don't take my eldest son; teeroo, teeroo, my eldest son.

There's work on the farm that's got to be done."

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

"Take my wife, with the joy of my heart; teeroo, teeroo, with the joy of my heart.

And I hope, by golly, that you never part."

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

The devil put the old woman into a sack; teeroo, teeroo, into a sack.

And down the road went clickety-clack.

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

And when they got to the fork of the road; teeroo, teeroo, to the fork in the road.

He says, "Old woman, you're a Hell of a load".

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

And when they got to the gates of Hell; teeroo, teeroo, to the gates of Hell.

He says, "Stoke the fire, boys, we'll roast her well."

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

Then up stepped a devil with a ball and chain; teeroo, teeroo, with a ball & chain.

She upped with her foot and kicked out his brain

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

Then nine little devils went running up the wall; teeroo, teeroo, went climbing a wall.

Crying "Take her back, Daddy, she'll murder us all".

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

Well, the old man was peeping out of a crack; teeroo, teeroo, peeping out of a crack.

When he seen the old devil come a-bringing her back.

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

"Here's your wife, both sound and well; teeroo, teeroo, both sound and well.

If she'd stayed any longer, she'd a-torn up Hell."

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

"I've been a devil most all of my life; teeroo, teeroo, most all of my life.

But I never knew what Hell was 'till I met with your wife"

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."

 

This proves that the women are better than men; teeroo, teeroo, are better than men.

They can all go to Hell and come back again.

Sing, "Hi-diddle, I-diddle, fye-diddle I, hi-diddle, diddle-I-day."