Cox gives 7 versions from West Virginia under the titles 'Father Grumble' and 'The Old Man Who Lived in the Woods'. Here is his G text:

OLD GRUMBLE

Old Grumble he came in from work
As tired as he could be
He swore he could do more work in a day
Than his wife could do in three (x3)
He swore he could do more work in a day
Than his wife could do in three

Mrs Grumble had both brewed and baked
She was tired too I vow
She said, You do the work in the house
And I'll go follow the plough

But be sure to watch the speckled hen
Or she will go astray
And don't forget to wind the yarn
That I spun yesterday

Now don't forget to milk the cow
For she is kind and tame
And don't forget to watch the fat
Or it will turn to flame

Don't forget to churn the cream
Or it will turn to whey
Don't forget to feed the pig
That in the sty does lay

Old Mrs Grumble put on her hat
And went to follow the plough
Old man Grumble took the pail
And went to milk the cow

The cow she hooked, the cow she kicked
The cow she wrung her nose
And kicked old Grumble on the shin
Till the blood run to his toes

He went to feed the little pig
That lay within the sty
He bumped his head upon the door
Till the brains began to fly

He forgot to feed the speckled hen
And she did go astray
And he forgot to wind the yarn
That she spun yesterday

He forgot to churn the cream
And it turned to whey, you know
He forgot to watch the fat
And it to flame did go

Old Grumble then went off to bed
And sure, sure, then was he
That his wife could do more work in a day
Than he could do in three

John Harrington Cox 'Folk-Songs of the South' #156, G text. Communicated by Hattie M. Wickwire, Albright, Preston County, June 1923 – obtained from Maurice Wilhelm, a travelling stave-maker.


--Stewie.