The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #151894   Message #3549965
Posted By: Reinhard
16-Aug-13 - 05:43 PM
Thread Name: DTStudy: Well Sold the Cow/Crafty Farmer-Child 283
Subject: Lyr Add: JACK AND THE ROBBER (from Brazil Family)
From The Brazil Family, "Down by the Old Overside", Musical Traditions MTCD345-7:

1-24 Jack and the Robber (Roud 2637, Laws L1 / Roud 2640, Child 283)
Sung by Danny Brazil. Rec: Peter Shepheard [66.6.11], Over Bridge, Gloucester, 12.5.66

There was an old farmer I'm going to tell you plain,
He had a servant boy and Jack was his name;
For he said to him, "Jack, take the cows to the fair,
For she's in good order for all I can spare."
Chorus:
With me fol the diddle I do, fol the diddle ay.

Jack drove the cow straight out of the barn,
And in to the fair the cow simply run;
He wasn't there long before he met three men,
And there he sold the cow for thirteen pound ten.
Chorus:

Jack went in the public for to get a drink,
And then to the landlady in ready money jinked;
"Where shall I put this money," to the servant he did say,
"For I'm feared on the road it is robbed I shall be."
Chorus:

"In the lining of your coat, you may sew it so," says she,
"I am feared on the road it is robbed you will be."
Chorus:

For the robber in the room he sat drinking up his wine,
And he swore to hisself "All this money shall be mine."
Chorus:

Now Jack left the public and started for home,
The robber followed after him straight out of the room;
"I'd be glad of your company, young man" he did say,
And he jumped to the saddle and he rode straight away.
Chorus:

For they both jogged along together 'til they came to the bine1 of a lane,
"And now," said the robber, "I'm going to tell you plain;
You come 'liver up your money without any more delay,
For this very same moment your life I'll take away."
Chorus:

Jack throwed the money out, out the lining of his coat,
And all about the green grass he sowed it all about.
While the robber was picking up the money that was sown amongst the grass,
Jack jumped to the saddle and he rode away his horse.
Chorus:

For it's one of the servants saw Jack coming home,
And in to the master he simply did run;
"Oh master, oh master, oh here comes Jack and I think he's had a swap,
And how did the old cow turn into a horse?"
Chorus:

"Oh master, oh master, I mean to tell you plain,
I met a bold robber on the highway that I came.
While he were picking up the money that was sown amongst the grass,
For to bring you home commission, sir, I brought you home his horse."
Chorus:

When the saddlebags was opened it's there I'll behold,
Five hundred bright guineas and some silver and some gold;
A good pair of pistols, the old farmer dewelled,
He said, "Well done, Jack, for you well sold the cow."
Chorus:

1 entrance

A song also known as The Crafty Farmer and The Yorkshire Bite; a version of Child 283. There are a total of 172 Roud entries between his two numbers - which tell of roughly the same scam in two rather different ways. This one, often called Well Sold the Cow, is the more interesting of the two, in my opinion.

Sadly, of the 31 sound recordings listed, no other versions appear to be available on CD.