The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #56126   Message #875563
Posted By: Fairy Hill
27-Jan-03 - 01:00 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: The Miller's Will / Miller's Three Sons
Subject: Lyr Add: THE MILLER'S WILL / MILLER'S THREE SONS
This is a song handed down through my mother's family in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. It seems to be of English origin. I have not encountered it anywhere else. I would love to hear if anyone else has.

There was an old miller who had three sons,
And they were young and gay.
And when he went to make his will.
He didn't have nothing but a little old mill.
Tumerink, tuma tralalaladay.

Well he called up the youngest son,
"Son, oh son, my race is run,
Unto you this will I'll make
If you tell me the toll you're going to take."
Tumerink, tuma tralalaladay.

"Well Dad, oh Dad, my name's Ec.
Dad, oh Dad, my name's Ec.
Dad, oh Dad my name's Ec.
And out of a bushel I'll take a peck."
Tumerink, tuma tralalaladay.

"You're a fool!" the old man cried.
"You're a fool!" the old man cried.
"You're a fool!" the old man cried,
"Such a toll as that wouldn't keep a man alive!"
Tumerink, tuma tralalaladay.

So he called up the second son.
"Son, oh son, my race is run.
Unto you this will I'll make,
If you'll tell me the toll you're going to take."
Tumerink tuma tralalaladay.

"Well, Dad, oh Dad my name's Rafe,
Dad, oh Dad my name's Rafe,
Dad, oh Dad my name's Rafe,
And out of a bushel I'll take a half (hafe)"
Tumerink, tuma tralalaladay.

"You're a fool," the old man said.
"You're a fool," the old man said.
"You're a fool," the old man said,
"Such a toll as that wouldn't keep a man in bread."
Tumerink tuma tralalaladay.

So he called up the youngest son.
"Son, oh son my race is run.
Unto you this will I'll make,
If you'll tell me the toll you're going to take."
Tumerink, tuma tralalaladay.

"Oh, Dad oh, Dad I'm your boy.
Dad oh, Dad, I'm your boy.
Dad oh Dad, I'm your boy,
And taking toll is all my joy."
Tumerink, tuma tralalaladay

"If taking toll is all I lack,
If taking toll is all I lack,
If taking toll is all I lack,
I'll take all the corn and swear to the sack."
Tumerink, tuma tralalaladay.

"Halie-Halieluja!" the old woman cried.
"Halie-Halieluja!" the old woman cried.
"Halie-Halieluja!" the old woman cried.
And the old man shut his eyes and died.
Tumerink, tuma tralalaladay.