The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #9182 Message #4221370
Posted By: Tony Rees
21-Apr-25 - 02:34 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Jesus Met Woman at the Well/Maid & Palmer
Subject: RE: Origins: Jesus Met Woman at the Well/Maid & Palmer
And here is the full text of Anna Ní Mháille's 1955 version, as reproduced by Anne O'Connor in her 1991 book (refer Wikipedia page on "The Maid and the Palmer" for full details). I am indebted to Steve Roud for supplying me with a photocopy from which I have typed this out.
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"There was a rider passin' by" ,collected by Pádraig Ó Móráin on 9 May 1955 in Co. Mayo from Anna Ní Mháille, an old lady (pensioner, 86 years) from Achill Island in County Mayo (text as reproduced in Anne O'Connor, "Child Murderess and Dead Child Traditions", Helsinki, 1991; some breaks added between stanzas for clarity)
There was a rider passing by He askhed a drink, as he was dry At the well below the valley, oh! My washing tub it is afloat Green grows the valley, oh!
If I give you a drink, I might fall in In the well below the valley, oh! (Says she)"My true love never was born" She swore by grass an' swore by corn That her true love never was born "How dar' you tell me such a lie An' you havin' six childer, by the by, At the well below the valley, oh!"
"So's you're a man o' such a skill, Tell me the father o' them" "Your (father's) kitchen boy one o' them Your parlour boy another o' them Your father's kitchen boy one o' them Your parlour boy another o' them Your brother another o' them An' three more behind the hall door At the well below the valley, oh!"
"So's you're a man o' such a skill, What's goin' to happen to me?" "You're going to be Seven years a nut in a wood Seven years a tongue in a bell Seven years a fish in a flood Seven years more burnin' in hell At the well below the valley, oh!"
"I don't care to be a nut in a wood I don't care t be (a) fish in a flood I don't care to be a (tongue on a bell) At the well below the valley, oh! But the Lord may save my poor soul from Hell At the well below the valley, oh!"
[The informant adds:] And it *was* God that was talking to her an' He saved her.