Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Courting the Widows Daughter

Courting the Widow's Daughter

Courting the Widow's Daughter

One Saturday night I went to a house,
And through a dark entry I crept like a mouse
I went for the purpose my true love to see
She opened the door; I entered straightway

And it's hard times.

Such laughing and chatting as we did keep
We waked the old lady right out of her sleep
In a very few moments she thus addressed me:
"What an impudent fellow before me I see!"

And it's hard times.

"Old lady, old lady, pray give me your hand
And cease from your passions till you know who I am
I am Billy the miller and go by that name
For the purpose of courting your daughter I came."

And it's hard times.

"My daughter, my daughter, my daughter!"  said she
"To think that my daughter would go before me!
When I am so old and she is so young,
For her to get and I to get none-

O it's hard times!"

"Old lady, old lady, you speak with alarm;
You are but a widow and have but few charms."
"A widow I am and go by that name,"
So up with the broomstick and at me she came.

O it was hard times!

Such fighting and scuffling! At length I got free.
I mounted my horse and the way I did flee,
The blood running down my cheeks in full bloom,
For there was never a poor fellow so broomsticked before

And it's hard times.

So now, young men, take warning by me
And never a widow's daughter go see;
For if you do you'll meet with your doom,
For they fight like the devil and beat with the broom

And it's hard times.

DT #720
Laws H25
From Belden, Ballads and Songs (Missouri)
Probably from the variety theater, and apparently built on the
tune and refrain of the social satire "Song of Times" [HMB]
SOF
oct96