The Devil and the Feathery Wife
Martin Carthy Lyrics

Now there was an old farmer lived over the hill,
There was an old farmer who lived on a highland.

And a poor old fellow they say,
He was a poor miserable man as it's been told.

He was plagued by hunger and a scolding wife,
He suffered from starvation and a nagging spouse.

The worst misfortune that day.
A most unfortunate and unpleasant situation.

And as he cut wood in the forest one day,
Once when he was chopping wood in the woods,

Between dark doom and despair
Feeling hopeless and discouraged.

The devil himself, he jumped out of the bush,
Satan abruptly appeared from the bushes.

And he stood before him there.
He stood in front of the old man.

"O, what's the matter?" the devil he cried,
"What's wrong?" the devil asked.

"You look so discontent,
"You seem unhappy,

Haven't you got any money to buy your food
Do you not have enough money to purchase food?

Or to pay your landlord rent?
Or to fulfill your commitment to the landlord?

"What would you give me?" the devil he cried,
"What could you offer me?" the devil asked.

"If I should end your debate,
"If I could put an end to your problems,

And I gave you money and gear enough,
And grant you enough money and resources,

So you'd never more want for meat"
So you would never suffer hunger again."

"But I've nothing to give you," the old man cried,
"I don't have anything to give you," the old man said,

"I've nothing right here to my hand.
"I don't have anything at the moment.

But if you would do what you say for me
But, if you could fulfill what you promised me,

I'll be at your command."
I'll be at your service."

"Right then I'll make you a bargain," the devil he cried,
"In that case, I'll offer you a deal," the devil said,

"It's a bargain you just couldn't miss:
"It's an irresistible agreement:

You bring me a beast at seven years' end,
You'll bring me a creature in seven years' time,

I'll try to say what it is.
I will endeavor to name it.

"But if that beast I name aright,
"But if I precisely name that creature,

(You mark what I do tell)
(Take note of my words),

You've got to toddle along with me
You'll need to go with me,

For to view the ovens of Hell."
To see the furnaces of Hell."

So the old man prospered and prospered well,
The old man had great success,

It was all gained and spent,
But, all of his success was short-lived,

Till he come to the end of seven long years;
Until he reached the end of seven years,

Sorely he did lament.
And greatly he did grieve.

"Oh, what is the matter?" his wife she cried,
"What's wrong?" his wife asked.

"You look so discontent.
"You seem unhappy.

Sure you've got some silly young girl with child,
I bet there's another woman who's pregnant with your child,

Making you sore lament"
Causing you much grief."

"No, I've made a bargain with the devil," he cried,
"No, I made a deal with the devil," he said,

"It was a bargain I just couldn't miss:
"It was an offer I could not refuse:

I've got to bring him a beast at seven years' end
I must bring him a creature in seven years' time,

He's got to say what it is.
And he has to identify it.

"But if that beast he names aright
"But if he names the creature precisely,

(You mark what I do tell)
(You must remember my words)

I've got to toddle along with him
I have to go with him

For to view the ovens of Hell."
To witness the ovens of Hell."

"Oh, never you worry," his wife, she cries,
"Don't worry," his wife said,

For your cattle, your keep, or your feed,
About your livestock, your sustenance, or your means of living,

For the wit of a woman, it comes in handy
A woman's intelligence can be advantageous

At times in an hour of need.
Particularly in times of crisis.

"Go and fetch me the droppings from all of our chickens
"Bring me chicken feces from all our birds,

And spread them all over the floor.
And spread it all over the floor."

Stark naked I will strip myself
I will undress entirely

And I'll roll in it all over and o'er.
And I'll roll in it repeatedly.

"And fetch me the basket of feathers," she cries
"Also bring me the basket of feathers," she said,

"Of the beast we had for our tea
"From the animal we had for dinner

And I'll roll and I'll roll all over in them
I'll roll in them, again and again,

Until never an inch be free"
Until not one inch is uncovered."

So she rolled and she rolled in feathers and droppings
She kept on rolling around in the feathers and feces,

From her head down to her navel.
From her head down to her belly.

"By Christ", he says, "what an horrible sight,
"By God," he said, "what an awful sight,

You look far worse than the devil."
You look much scarier than the devil."

Then the devil himself come in,
Then the devil himself arrived,

He began to for steam and to hiss.
He started to steam and hiss.

"By Christ," he said, "What an awful sight,
"By God," he said, "What a terrifying sight,

I'm damned if I know what it is."
I have no idea what it is."

He started to shake and he started to quake,
He began to tremble and shake,

Saying, "Have you any more of these at home?"
Asking, "Do you have any more of these at your house?"

"Yes," he cries, "I've got seven more
"Yes," he replied, "I have seven more

That in my forest do roam."
That are wandering around in my woods."

"If you've got seven more of these beasts
"If you have seven more of these creatures

That in your forest do dwell,
That live in your woods,

I'll be as good as my bargain and I'm off home
I'll keep my end of the bargain and I'll leave

For she's worse than the demons in Hell."
Because she's worse than the demons in Hell."