Mary

Three little sister, barnyard blisters
Cornhusk dolls and pinesap feet
Grooms of barley, blushing when they ought be
Milking cow and threshing wheat

Way-hey! Fiddle-aye-ay!
Where is our Mary? Run, run away
Took to the Cumberland road past May
Mary, Mary, come home, come home
Way-hey! Fiddle-aye-ay!
Where is the parson? Come out and pray
Dark is the road where the devils play
Mary, Mary, come home

Daddy told the dresses, “Comb your tresses
Cousin Clayton we’re to see
Bought himself a man and miles of cotton
Wants for Mary’s chastity”
Mary shook her ribbons, none the ready
Kicked the cart and tipped the bale
Tugged the bull dog high up to the hayloft
Father doused her with a pail

Way-hey! Fiddle-aye-ay!
Where is our Mary? Run, run away
Took to the Cumberland road past May
Mary, Mary, come home, come home
Way-hey! Fiddle-aye-ay!
Where is the parson? Come out and pray
Dark is the road where the devils play
Mary, Mary, come home

Twice barked the dog, twice, twice wept the sisters
Father dragged at Mary’s legs
Mary dripped and kicked ’til father slipped
Came crashing down the ladder pegs
Sweet little children, screaming crimson
Flocked to father on the floor
Mary cried, but when he didn't answer
Red feet, red paws to the door

Way-hey! Fiddle-aye-ay!
Where is our Mary? Run, run away
Took to the Cumberland road past May
Mary, Mary, come home, come home
Way-hey! Fiddle-aye-ay!
Where is the parson? Come out and pray
Dark is the road where the devils play
Mary, Mary, come home

Summer went missing, cold winds hissing
Leaking roofs and icy groans
Father shrivelled, sunk into a hay sack
Sisters thinning by his bones
Somewhere where the road forks left and coils
There’s a girl of twelve with dog
Clayton gone and wed himself another
Mary fading in the fog

Way-hey! Fiddle-aye-ay!
Where is our Mary? Run, run away
Took to the Cumberland road past May
Mary, Mary, come home, come home
Way-hey! Fiddle-aye-ay!
Where is the parson? Come out and pray
Dark is the road where the devils play
Mary, Mary, come

Way-hey! Fiddle-aye-ay!
Where is our Mary? Run, run away
Took to the Cumberland road past May
Mary, Mary, come home, come home
Way-hey! Fiddle-aye-ay!
Where is the parson? Come out and pray
Dark is the road where the devils play
Mary, Mary, come home