The 7-stanza version in the DT is from Fuson 'Ballads of the Kentucky Highlands' Mitre Press 1931. There is another 7-stanza version printed in Camblaire in 'East Tennessee and Western Virginia Mountain Ballads' Mitre Press. Apart from their abridgement, these are substantially similar to the oldest surviving 'ballet' copy of 10 stanzas, found by Edward Ward of Bledsoe, Harlan County, in an old handbag belonging to his cousin.

Hays Shepherd sang an 8-stanza version that also is substantially similar to Ward's ballet. Below are my transcription of the Shepherd recording and the text of Ward's ballet.

The Coltman article, which is cited below and from whence comes my information, is well worth a read. Coltman suggests the most logical candidate for authorship is the blind street singer, Charlie Oaks, but Edd Ward doubts this. Blind Jim Howard recorded a version with a different tune from Shepherd's for the Library of Congress in 1937. Ward says that neither Shepherd's nor Howard's tune was the same as the tune his grandmother used, but Howard's was closer.

Here is how I hear the Shepherd recording:

THE PEDDLER AND HIS WIFE
(Unknown)

Just as the sun was a-rising high
One day in merry June
The birds were singing in the trees
All nature seemed in tune

A peddler and his wife were travelling along
Along a lonely way
A-sharing each other's toils and cares
They both were old and grey

They were labouring, toiling hard
A living for to make
Nor did not know, nor did they think
Men their dear lives would take

Alas for them, this scheme was laid
By some treacherous men
With hearts as hard as any stone
And did not care for sin

They were hidden by the road
With hearts like murderers came
With voices hushed and weapons aimed
To kill the weary twain

Just then a wagon came in view
Shots rang upon the air
And while the echoes died away
Those beings perished there

His wife fell out upon the ground
And tossed her dying head
Those men rushed out and took her gold
Poor lady, she was (fell) dead

The team rushed on with a dying man
Till kind friends checked their speed
Alas, alas, it was too hard
To stop (prevent) that horrible deed

Source: transcription of The Appalachia Vagabond [Hayes Shepherd] 'Peddler and His Wife' recorded 29 or 30 March 1930 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Issued as Vocalion 5450 in October 1930. Reissued among extra tracks on Dock Boggs 'Country Blues' Revenant CD 205 and also on Various Artists 'Music of Kentucky Vol II' Yazoo CD 2014.


And here is the Ward ballet text:
THE PEDDLER AND HIS WIFE
(Unknown)

Just as the sun was rising high
One day in merry June
The birds were singing in the trees
All nature was in tune

A peddler and his faithful wife
Were travelling on their way
Sharing each other's toils and cares
Though both were old and grey

They were labouring, toiling hard
A living for to make
They did not know, nor did they think
That men their lives would take

Alas for them, a scheme was laid
By some cruel and treacherous men
Whose hearts were hard as any stone
And did not care for sin

They were hiding by the way
With hearts like murderers came
With voices hushed and weapons aimed
To kill the weary twain

They were watching for a chance
To take the peddler's life
They would get the gold and leave no trace
They would kill the faithful wife

Just then a wagon came in view
Shots rang upon the air
And when the echoes died away
Two beings perished there

His wife fell out upon the ground
And tossed her dying head
The men rushed out and took her gold
Poor lady, she was dead

The horse rushed on with a dying man
Until kind friends checked their speed
Alas, alack, it was too late
To stop that horrible deed

And now they're sleeping in the tomb
Their souls have gone above
Where thieves disturb them now no more
But all is peace and love

Source: reprinted in Robert Coltman 'A '90s Murder Mystery: "The Peddler and His Wife"' in 'Old Time Music' #30 Autumn 1978, p14.

--Stewie.