The Old Lady and the Devil - Bill, Belle Reed

There was an old man lived foot of the hill

If he ain’t moved away, he’s a-livin' there still

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

He hitched up his horse and went out to plow

How he got around we never knew how

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

Ol' devil come to him in the field one day

Sayin', «One of your family I’m gonna take away»

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

Take her on, take her on with the joy of my heart

I hope, by golly, you’ll never part

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

Ol' devil got her all up on his back

He looked like a pedlar with a hump on his back

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

Ol' devil got to the forks of the road

He said «Old lady, you’re a hell of a load»

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

Ol' devil got to the gates of hell

Said, «Punch the fire up, we’ll scorch her well»

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

Out come a little devil a-draggin' a chain

She picked up a hatchet and split out his brains

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

Out come a little devil a-skatin' on a wall

Said, «Take her back, Daddy, she’s a-murderin' us all»

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

Little devil was a-peepin' out the crack

Said, «Take her home, Daddy, don’t you bring her back»

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

The old man was a-peepin' out the crack

He seen the old devil come wagonin' her back

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

The old man lay sick in the bed

She up with a butter stick and rattled his head

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

The old lady went whistlin' over the hill

Said, «The devil won’t have me and I don’t know who will»

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

Now you see what a woman can do

She can outdo the devil and the old man too

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

The old lady went whistlin' over the hill

Said, «The devil won’t have me and I don’t know who will»

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

The old man was a-peepin' out the crack

He seen the old devil come wagonin' her back

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

The old man lay sick in the bed

She up with a butter stick and rattled his head

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day

Now you see what a woman can do

She can outdo the devil and the old man too

Singin' fa diddle-a, diddle-a, fa diddle-a, diddle-a day