1. There was an old man that lived in a wood as you can plainly see,
Who said he could do more work in a day than his wife could do in three.
If that be so, the old woman waid, Why this you mus allow.
That you shall do my work for a day while I go drive the plom.
2. “But you must milk the Tiny cow, for fear she should go dry,
And you must feed the little pigs that are within the sty.
And you must watch the speckled hen or she will run away,
And you must wind the reel of yarn that I spun yesterday.”
3. The old woman took the staff in her hand and went to drive the plow.
The old man took the pail in his hand and went to milk the cow.
But Tiny hinched and Tiny flinched and Tiny wrinked her nose.
And Tiny gave the man such a kick that blood ran down his toes.
4. ‘Twas, “Hey my good cow,” and “Ho my good cow,” and “Now my good cow stand still,”
If I ever milk this cow again, ’twill be against my will.”
He went to feed the little pigs that stand in yonder sty,
He bumped his head against the post and how the blood did fly.
5. And then he watched the speckled hen for fear she’d run away,
But he forgot the reel of yarn his wife spun yesterday.
He swore by all the leaves on the tree and all the stars in heaven,
That his wife could do more work in a day than he could do in seven.
Traduction
Le Père Bougon
C'était un viel homme qui vivait dans les bois, comme vous pouvez le voir,
Qui disait qu'il pouvait travail plus en un jour que sa femme en trois.
Ah bon ? Dit la vieille dame. Alors disons que
Tu feras mon travail un jour, pendant que j'irai aux champs.
[...]
