Title
Old Woman's Blind Husband, Lyric Variant 01, Copy
Description
One leaf typewritten on the front side. The document is in excellent physical condition. The document was laminated. There is acid-related staining along the lower edge.
Subject
Ballads, Scots Marital conflict -- Songs and music Blindness -- Songs and music Suicide -- Songs and music
Alternative Title
Rich Old Lady. Marrow Bones. The Old Woman of Slapsadam. The Old Woman of London. An Old Woman's Story. The Wily Auld Carle. The Old Woman of Dover
Publisher
W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University
Rights
The images and audio files contained in the "So Mote It Ever Be: The Folksong Heritage of North Carolina's Northern Blue Ridge Mountains" collection are available for free personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that proper citation is used (e.g. I. G. Greer/W. Amos Abrams Manuscript Files Series, Folksong Files Subseries. W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection. Special Collections. Appalachian State University, Boone, NC). Any commercial use of the materials without the written permission of Appalachian State University is strictly prohibited. Please contact the Appalachian State University W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection with specific questions or with requests for further information.
Transcription
Tittery Ira A.
There was a n old woman,
In London she did dwell,
She loved her husband dearly,
But another man twice as well.
Tittery-Ira-A
Saying Tittery-Ira-A.
She went to the Doctor
To see if she could find
Something to make her old man go blind
Tittery-Ira-A.
Saying Tittery-Ira-A.
He said: Take three marrow bones,
And make him gnaw them all.
Then he’ll be so very blind
He can’t see you at all.
Tittery-Ira-A.
Saying Tittery-Ira-A.
She got three marrow bones
And made him gnaw them all.
He said to her: My loving wife,
I can’t see you at all.
Tittery-Ira-A.
Saying Tittery-Ira-A.
He said: I’d go drown myself
If I could find the way.
She said to him, I’ll go along
For fear you go astray.
Tittery-Ira-A.
Saying Tittery-Ira-A.
They went down to the river bank.
They walked up on the shore.
He said to her: My loving wife,
You’ll have to push me o’er.
Tittery-Ira-A.
Saying Tittery-Ira-A.
She backed herself a space or two
Just to push him in.
He stepped aside a little bit
And let her tumble in.
Tittery-Ira-A.
Saying Tittery-Ira-A.
She kicked and she scrambled
She hollered and she squalled.
He said to her, My loving wife,
I can’t see you at all.
Tittery-Ira-A.
Saying Tittery-Ira-A.
The old man being goodnatured
And for fear that she might swim
Took a great long poplar pole
And pushed her further in.
Tittery-Ira-A.
Saying Tittery-Ira-A.
Now I’ve sung all my song
And I shall not sing no more.
But wasn’t she another fool
For not swimming to the shore?
Tittery-Ira-A.
Saying Tittery-Ira-A.
