Oh, if you want to go a-sparkin' I’ll tell you where to go.

voiceCollected by Charley B. Davis For Mary C. Parler Transcribed by Frances Majors Sung by Fred High High, Arkansas November 24, 1958 Reel 280, Item 5 To Go A-Sparkin' Oh, if you want to go a-sparkin' I’ll tell you where to go. Down the creek, Down here below. I went down there, And old folks gone, Children all a-crying With the heads not combed. They asked me to dinner, And I thought I'd eat; They put in on me To carve up the meat. They give me an old dull knife Without any fork, And I sawed a half hour, And I couldn't make a mark. I sawed and I sawed, And I got in out of the platej And one of them girls says, You'd better wait. I sawed and I sawed, And I got it on the floor, Give it a little kick and And I sent it to the door. One of the grisl said, You'd better run, For yonder comes Dad With a double-barrel gun. I jumped in the door Just as brave as a bear, Got my fingers tangled In the old gent's hair. I finally married one of the girls after that. First step he give me Was an old gray horse, Already saddled For to throw my leg across. I jumped in the saddle And spurred him with my heel; And the crooked-legged devil Throwed me half across the field.To Go A-Sparkin' (Cont'd) Reel 280, Item 5 (Cont'd) The next thing he give me Was a long barrel gun, Notches on the hammer Where you always put your thumb. First give a fire, And then give a smoke, And next I seed Was a devil on a poke.Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation