English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians

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	No. 115
	The Foolish Boy

	jack straw strad-dle, Turn a John paw fad - die, turn a long way home. 2 The rats and the mice they gave me such a life, I had to go to London to get me a wife. 3 The roads were so long and the streets were so narrow, I had to bring her home on an old wheelbarrow. 4 My foot slipped and I got a fall, Down went wheelbarrow, wife and all. 5 I swapped my wheelbarrow and got me a horse, And then I rode from cross to cross. 6 I swapped me a horse and got me a mare, And then I rode from fair to fair. 7 I swapped my mare and got me a cow, And in that trade I just learned how. 8 I swapped my cow and got me a calf, And in that trade I just lost half. 9 I swapped my calf and got me a mule, And then I rode like a dog-gone fool. 10 I swapped my mule and got me a sheep, And then I rode myself to sleep. 11I swapped my sheep and got me a hen, O what a pretty thing I had then. 12 I swapped my hen and got me a rat, Looks like two little cats upon a hay-stack. 13 I swapped my rat and got me a mole, And the dog-gone thing went straight to its hole. 313