John Grumlie jig

I learned this from a compilation cd from Prism Leisure entitled ‘Forty Fiddle Favourites’, track 7, the second of a set of six jigs.

This is the tune used for a song about John Grumlie,
who swore by the light of the moon
and the green leaves on the tree
that he could do more work in a day
than his wife could do in three.

His wife takes up the challenge and goes to drive the plough, leaving him with all her many chores around the house.
As you might expect, it ends badly for John Grumlie.
I’ve only heard this sung in a Scottish accent on a long-ago tape. So it might be a Scottish tune and song or just the Scottish version of this well-known theme.

Pete Seeger sang a song with almost identical lyrics but different tune(the folk process)
Equinoxial
Equinoxial swore by the green leaves on the tree
That he could do more work in a day than Pheobe could in three
Three, he could do more work in a day than Pheobe could in three

If that be true little Pheobe said then this you must allow
You come do the work in the house and I’ll go follow the plow, plow
You come do the work in the house and I’ll go follow the plow

Its you must feed the little pig that stands in yonder sty
You must milk the brindle cow for fear she could go dry, dry
You must milk the brindle cow for fear she could go dry

And you must churn the crock of cream that I left in the frame
And you must watch the fat in the pot or it’ll all go into flame, flame
And you must watch the fat in the pot or it’ll all go into flame

And you must wind the hank of yarn that I spun yesterday
And you must watch the little hen or so she’d run away
And you must watch the speckled hen for fear she’d run astray

Little Pheobe took the whip and went to follow the plow
And Equinoxial took the pale and went to milk the cow, cow
Equinoxial took the pale and went to milk the cow

Well the brindle cow she turned around and wrinkled up her nose
She give him a dip upon the lip and the blood run to his toes, toes
She give him a dip upon the lip and the blood run to his toes

He went to churn the crock of cream that she left in the frame
And he forgot the fat in the pot and it all went into flame
He forgot the fat in the pot and it all went into flame

He went to wind the hank of yarn that she spun yesterday
He forgot the speckled hen so she run astray, stray
He forgot the speckled hen so she run astray

He looked to the East he looked to the West, he saw the setting sun
He swore to himself it had been a long day and Pheobe hadn’t come, come
He swore to himself it had been a long day, Pheobe hadn’t come

Presently little, Pheobe came and saw him lookin’ sad
She clapped her hands upon her side and swore that she was glad, glad
She clapped her hands upon her side and swore that she was glad

So Equinoxial swore by all the stars in heaven
That she could do more work in a day than he could do in seven, seven
She could do more work in a day than he could do in seven