To keep everything in one place, I'll repeat here what I said above for liner notes on "Old Man at the Mill" performed by Barbara Shaw with ShoreGrass:

Bluegrassers know this as an old Dillard's tune from the 60's, and folkies know it as "The Jolly Miller." It was first published in 1883 as a party dance, although no one seems to know the dance anymore!

Old Man at the Mill
Traditional, 1883

(Chorus)
Same old man livin' at the mill
The mill turns around of it's own free will
Hand in the hopper and the other in the sack
Ladies step forward and the gents fall back.

Down sat an owl with his head all white
Lonesome day and a lonesome night
Thought I heard a pretty girl say
Court all night and you sleep next day.

Well then said the raven as she flew
If I was a young one I'd get two
One for to get and the other to sew
I'd have a string for my bow, bow, bow.

Well my old man's in Kalamazoo
He don't wear no yes I do
First to the left and then to the right
This old mill grinds day and night.