Digital Tradition Mirror

Old Grumbler

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Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Old Grumbler

Old Grumbler ripped, Old Gnumbler swore
By all the green leaves on the tree,
That he could do more work in one day
Than his wife could do in three -three,
Than his wife could do in three.

Mis' Grumbler turned around about
Saying, You'll have trouble now,
For you may do the work in the house,
And I'll go follow the plow - plow,
And I'll go follow the plow.

And you must milk the muley cow
For fear that she goes dry,
And you must feed the pig in the pen,
Tlie pig that's blind in one eye - eye,
The pig that's blind in one eye.

And you must watch the speckled hen
For fear she lays astray,
And you must spool the cut of thread
That I spun yesterday - day,
That I spun yesterday.

And you must churn the churning of cream
That stands in yonder frame,
And you must watch the kettle of mush
For fear it catches a flame - flame,
For fear it catches a flame.

Mis' Grumbler picked up the old ox goad
And started to follow the plow,
Old Grumbler picked the slop bucket up
And started to milk the cow - cow,
And started to milk the cow.

Old Muley kicked, Old Muley stomped,
So, Muley, so -
Old Muley kicked Old Grumbler's shins
Till the blood ran down to his toes-toes,
Till the blood ran down to his toes.

Next, Grumbler went to feed the pig,
The pig that was blind in one eye,
He bumped his head against the pen
Till his brains were ready to fly - fly,
Till his brains were ready to fly.

Next, Grumbler went to watch the hen
For fear she laid astray,
But he forgot the cut of thread
That his wife spun yesterday - day
That his wife spun yesterday.

Next Grumbler went to churn the cream
That stood in yonder frame,
But he forgot the kettle of mush
Till it was all in a flame - flame,
Till it was all in a flame.

Old Grumbler turned around about
To see how high the sun,
Old Grumbler ripped, Old Grumbler swore
That his wife would never come - come,
That his wife would never come.

Old Grumbler ripped, Old Grumbler swore
By all the green leaves on the tree,
If his wife didn't do a day's work in a year
She'll never be scolded by me - me,
She'll never be scolded by me.

From Folk Songs and Singing Games of the Illinois Ozarks, McIntosh
Collected from Mrs. Mono Jones, Sparta, IL 1945
DT #343
Laws Q1
RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!