Parson With the Wooden Leg, The

DESCRIPTION: A wooden-legged parson promises to try to resolve differences between a couple he has married. The husband finds the parson and his wife together and kicks him out but his wife delivers a baby with a wooden leg.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1856 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 11(4307))
LONG DESCRIPTION: A wooden-legged parson marries Barber Briggs to Becky Bell. When Becky reveals herself to be a shrew Briggs asks the parson to undo the wedding. The parson says he can't undo the wedding but he'll do the best he can to convince Becky to change her ways. One day Briggs comes home and finds Becky on the parson's knee. He kicks the parson out. He and Becky get on better afterwards until, after nine months, Becky has a baby with a wooden leg.
KEYWORDS: shrewishness infidelity marriage wedding humorous clergy injury
FOUND IN: Britain(England(Lond,South))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
OShaughnessy-YellowbellyBalladsPart2 36, "The Parson With the Wooden Leg" (1 text, 1 tune)
Palmer-EnglishCountrySongbook, #101, "The Parson With the Wooden Leg" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #1508
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 11(4307), "Wooden Leg'd Parson" ("A baaber [sic] there was named Timothy Briggs"), W. Jackson and Son (Birmingham), 1842-1855; also Harding B 16(313a), Firth b.34(318), Firth c.19(63), "Wooden Leg'd Parson"; Harding B 11(4306), "Wooden Leg'd Parson"
File: OSY236

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