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The Barrin' o' the Door

  • (Trad - Child 275)

    O the barrin' o' the door o
    Weel weel weel
    O the barrin' o' the door
    Weel

    It fell about a Christmas time, and a cauld time it was then o
    When our guidwife had puddings to make, and she boiled them in the pan

    The wind it blew from north to south, and it blew untae the floor o
    Said our guidman to his guidwife, Get up and bar the door

    My hand is in the mixing bowl as well that you can see o
    If it's never barred this hundred year, it'll not be barred by me

    They made a pact between themselves, they made it firm and sure o
    Whoever should speak the first word, should rise and bar the door

    By there came two gentlemen at twelve o'clock at night o
    There they saw the man and wife sitting by candlelight

    Have we found a rich man's house, or is it but you're poor o
    But neither o' them would speak a word for the barrin' o' the door

    First they ate the white puddings and then they ate the black o
    And though the guidwife thought a lot yet never a word she spak

    Said one traveller tae the other ye're a man to wield a knife
    You shave off the auld man's beard and I will kiss his wife

    There's no hot water in the house, and what shall I do then o
    Why don't you use the gravy that's boilin' in the pan

    Then up jumped our guidman, and an angry man was he o
    Wad ye kiss my wife before my eyes and shave my beard with gravy

    Then up jumped our guidwife and skipped around the floor o
    Admit it now, you've spoken first, get up and bar the door

    1, As sung by The Ian Campbell Folk Group


    There was an old couple lived under the hill
    Blunt, it was their name-o
    They had good beer and ale for to sell
    It bore a wonderful fame-o

    John Blunt and his wife, they drank of the drink
    Until they could drink no more-o
    They both got tired and they went up to bed
    And forgot to bar the door-o

    So they a bargain, bargain made
    Made it strong and sure-o
    The first of them should speak the first word
    Should get up and bar the door-o

    So there came travellers, travellers three
    Travelling in the night-o
    No house, no home, no fire had they
    Nor yet no candle light-o

    They went to his cellar, they drank up his drink
    Until they could drink no more-o
    But never a word did the old couple speak
    For fear who should bar the door-o

    They went to his larder, they ate up his food
    Until they could eat no more-o
    And never a word did the old couple speak
    For fear who should bar the door-o

    They went upstairs, they went to his room
    They broke down the door-o
    But never a word did the old couple speak
    For fear who should bar the door-o

    They hauled his wife all out of the bed
    Laid her out on the floor-o
    Then up got poor John Blunt in his bed
    For he could stand no more-o

    Says, You've eaten my food, you've drunk all my drink
    Laid my wife on the floor-o
    You spoke the first word, John Blunt, she said
    So go down and bar the door-o

    2, as sung by Martin Carthy under the title John Blunt

Susannes Folksong-Notizen

  • [1880:] Get up and Bar the Door has been a very popular song in Scotland since it was first published by Herd in 1776. [...] The hero of the story was one Johnnie Blunt, who lived on Crawford Moor. [...] The scene of the humorous story is laid at the Martinmas time, when the goodwife has puddings to make, the "mart" having been laid in - that is the beef for the winter. (Ord, Glasgow Weekly Herald, May 1)

    [1969:] A traditional Scottish song which tells of a minor engagement in the age-long battle of the sexes. (Notes 'The Ian Campbell Folk Group')

    [1979:] This side of marriage - the struggle rather than the idyll - is far more sung about in the oral tradition. (Henderson/Armstrong 71)

    [1980:] As Bronson says, this narrative "has been popular in Scotland and is known in various forms, fabliau or folk-tale, in many parts of Europe and the Near East. [The] earliest known copy [...] appeared in Herd's 'Ancient and Modern Scots Songs' in 1769. (Palmer, Ballads 211)

Quelle: Scotland

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