Our Goodman

The Text is from Herd's MSS., as given by Professor Child to form a regular sequence. The ballad also exists in an English broadside form.     The Story of the ballad has a close counterpart in Flemish Belgium, and in southern France. The German variants, however, have a curious history. The English broadside ballad was translated into German by F. W. Meyer in 1789, and in this form gained such popularity that it was circulated not only as a broadside, but actually in oral tradition,--with the usual result of alteration. Its vogue was not confined to Germany, but spread to Hungary and Scandinavia, a Swedish broadside appearing within ten years of Meyer's translation.     OUR GOODMAN         1.         Hame came our goodman,             And hame came he,         And then he saw a saddle-horse,             Where nae horse should be.         2.         'What's this now, goodwife?             What's this I see?         How came this horse here,             Without the leave o' me?'         Recitative.                     'A horse?' quo' she.                     'Ay, a horse,' quo' he.         3.         'Shame fa' your cuckold face,             Ill mat ye see!         'Tis naething but a broad sow,             My minnie sent to me.'                     'A broad sow?' quo' he.                     'Ay, a sow,' quo' shee.         4.         'Far hae I ridden,             And farer hae I gane,         But a saddle on a sow's back             I never saw nane.'         5.         Hame came our goodman,             And hame came he;         He spy'd a pair of jack-boots,             Where nae boots should be.         6.         'What's this now, goodwife?             What's this I see?         How came these boots here,             Without the leave o' me?'                     'Boots?' quo' she.                     'Ay, boots,' quo' he.         7.         'Shame fa' your cuckold face,             And ill mat ye see!         It's but a pair of water-stoups,             My minnie sent to me.'                     'Water-stoups?' quo' he.                     'Ay, water-stoups,' quo' she.         8.         'Far hae I ridden,             And farer hae I gane,         But siller spurs on water-stoups             I saw never nane.'         9.         Hame came our goodman,             And hame came he,         And he saw a sword,             Whare a sword should na be.         10.         'What's this now, goodwife?             What's this I see?         How came this sword here,             Without the leave o' me?'                     'A sword?' quo' she.                     'Ay, a sword,' quo' he.         11.         'Shame fa' your cuckold face,             Ill mat ye see!         It's but a porridge-spurtle,             My minnie sent to me.'                     'A spurtle?' quo' he.                     'Ay, a spurtle,' quo' she.         12.         'Far hae I ridden,             And farer hae I gane,         But siller-handed spurtles             I saw never nane.'         13.         Hame came our goodman,             And hame came he;         There he spy'd a powder'd wig,             Where nae wig shoud be.         14.         'What's this now, goodwife?             What's this I see?         How came this wig here,             Without the leave o' me?'                     'A wig?' quo' she.                     'Ay, a wig,' quo' he.         15.         'Shame fa' your cuckold face,             And ill mat you see!         'Tis naething but a clocken-hen,             My minnie sent to me.'                     'Clocken hen?' quo' he.                     'Ay, clocken hen,' quo' she.         16.         'Far hae I ridden,             And farer hae I gane,         But powder on a clocken-hen             I saw never nane.'         17.         Hame came our goodman,             And hame came he,         And there he saw a muckle coat,             Where nae coat shoud be.         18.         'What's this now, goodwife?             What's this I see?         How came this coat here,             Without the leave o' me?'                     'A coat?' quo' she.                     'Ay, a coat,' quo' he.         19.         'Shame fa' your cuckold face,             Ill mat ye see!         It's but a pair o' blankets,             My minnie sent to me.'                     'Blankets?' quo' he.                     'Ay, blankets,' quo' she.         20.         'Far hae I ridden,             And farer hae I gane,         But buttons upon blankets             I saw never nane.'         21.         Ben went our goodman,             And ben went he,         And there he spy'd a sturdy man,             Where nae man shoud be.         22.         'What's this now, goodwife?             What's this I see?         How came this man here,             Without the leave o' me?'                     'A man?' quo' she.                     'Ay, a man,' quo' he.         23.         'Poor blind body,             And blinder mat ye be!         It's a new milking-maid,             My mither sent to me.'                     'A maid?' quo' he.                     'Ay, a maid,' quo' she.         24.         'Far hae I ridden,             And farer hae I gane,         But lang-bearded maidens             I saw never nane.'