WAGONER'S LAD
(learned from Charlie "Brown" Artman in the 1960s)
Oh, sad is the fortune of all womankind,
Forever controlled and forever confined,
Controlled by their parents until they are wives,
Then slaves to their husbands for the rest of their lives.
Oh, I am a poor girl, my fortune's been bad,
I've always been courted by the wagoner's lad,
He courted me nightly for a year and a day,
But now he is loaded and going away.
Go saddle your horses and feed them some hay,
And sit down beside me for as long as you stay,
My horses ain't hungry, they won't eat your hay,
So fare you well darling, I'm going away.
Your wagon needs greasing, your whip is to mend,
Come and sit down beside me for as long as you can,
My horses are harnessed, my whip's in my hand,
So fare you well darling, my horses won't stand.
Your parents don't like me, they say I'm too poor,
They say I ain't worthy to enter your door,
I earn my own living, my money's my own,
And people don't like me they can leave me alone.
(from miriam berg's folksong collection)