Thrashing Machine (I), The

DESCRIPTION: Farmer show his servant Nell the works of his thrashing machine. He straps her into the harness, she takes the handle and turns on the steam. Nine months later, when her apron won't pin, she says she'll have him transported for his thrashing machine
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1855 (broadside, Bodleian Firth b.25(339))
LONG DESCRIPTION: Farmer show his servant Nell the works of his thrashing machine; she tells him to come into the barn where they won't be seen. He straps her into the harness, she takes the handle and turns on the steam, and they begin working the thrashing machine. Nine months later, when her apron won't pin and her drawers won't go on, she says she'll have him transported for his thrashing machine
KEYWORDS: sex punishment transportation pregnancy farming technology bawdy servant
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South)) Ireland Canada(Mar)
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Gardham-EarliestVersions, "THRASHING MACHINE, THE"
Ives-FolksongsOfNewBrunswick, pp. 92-94, "The Thrashing Machine" (1 text, 1 tune)
Reeves/Sharp-TheIdiomOfThePeople 100, "The Thrashing Machine" (1 text)
Palmer-EnglishCountrySongbook, #73, "The Thrashing Machine" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #1491
RECORDINGS:
Anne [Annie] O'Neill, "The Thrashing Machine" (on FSB02, FSB2CD)
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Firth b.25(339), "Thrashing Machine," E.M.A. Hodges (London), 1846-1854; also Harding B 15(330a), Firth b.27(87), Harding B 11(3808), Firth b.34(290), "Thrashing Machine"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Threshing Machine (I)" (subject, sort of)
NOTES [32 words]: This doesn't seem to be a parody of "The Threshing Machine" -- the tune and meter are different, and there's no overlap in the words. You should probably check that one out anyway, though. - PJS
Last updated in version 6.8
File: RcThraM

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