Specimens of Mississippi Folk-Lore (1928)

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SPECIMENS OF MISSISSIPPI FOLK-LORE
Collected with the assistance of Students and Citizens of Mississippi
and Edited by Arthur Palmer Hudson, M. A.
Professor of English at the University of Mississippi

Published under the Auspices of the Mississippi Folk-Lore SOciety
1928

Mimeographed and Printed by
Edwards Brothers
Ann Arbor, Mich.


I hadn't posted this yet, it seems. No big surprises here.


Pg. 85: I'LL EAT WHEN I'M HUNGRY
I'll eat when I'm hungry
I'll drink when I'm dry.
If the Yankees don't get me,
I'll live till I die.

Pg. 97: I LOOKED OVER JORDAN
I looked over Jordan, and what did I see
Comin' for to carry me home,
A band of angels comin' atter me,
Comin' for to carry me home.

If you get there before I do,
Comin' for to carry me home,
Tell all my folks I'm a-comin' too.
Comin' for to carry me home.

(The origin form of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" had no chariot?--ed.)

Pg. 102: TURNIP GREENS (I love food songs. It's also called "Good Old Turnip Greens" and has Ozark lyrics and 425 Google hits--ed.)
Had a dream the other night--
Dreamed that I could fly,
Flapped my wings like a buzzard
And flew up to the sky.

St. Peter stood at the Golden Gate.
"From what place did you fly?"
I told him from Mississippi
I flew up to the sky.
Pg. 103:
He showed me through a telescope--
I don't know what the means--
I saw ten thousand people
Living on turnip greens.

They all looked so sassy,
Been living above their means,
And he kicked them down to the hot place
For stealing turnip greens.

Turnip greens, turnip greens,
Good old turnip greens.
Cornbread and buttermilk,
And good old turnip greens.

Pg. 112: Chickama Craney Crow (It's famous and probably much older--ed.)
Chickama, chickama, craney crow;
I went to the well to wash my toe.
When I got back my black-eyed children was gone.
What time is it, Old Witch?

Pg. 113: William Come Tremble-Toe
William come tremble toe
He's a good fisherman, all of us know.
Catches hens, puts 'em in pens.
Some lay eggs, some lay none.
Wire, brier, limberlock,
Three geese in a flock,
One flew east and one flew west,
And one flew over the cuckoo's nest.
O-U-T spells out and go,
You dirty dish rag YOU.

Pg. 116:
Ikka bokka soda cracker
Ikka bokka boo.
Ikka bokka soda cracker,
Out goes you.

Pg. 118:
A bushel of wheat and a bushel of clover,
All ain't hid can't hide over.

A bushel of wheat and a bottle of rum;
You better look out, for here I come.

Pg. 118:
A tea, a tasket,
A green and yellow basket.
Wrote a letter to my girl,
And on my way I lost it, lost it,
A little doggie picked it up
And put it in his pocket,
His pocket, his pocket,
A little doggie picked it up
And put it in his pocket.

Pg. 122:
Little Sally Walker
Sitting in a saucer,
Weeping, crying.
Rise, Sally, rise,
And wipe your eyes,
Look east and then look west,
Look to the one that you love best.

Pg. 122: Threading the Needle
The needle's eye, just come by,
And spread your love so true.
Many a beau have I let go
Because I wanted you.