“The Greasy Cook (Butter and Cheese and All, The Cook's Choice)”

Description

The singer keeps company with a cook. One day she is about to send him off with cheese and butter when the master comes in. He hides in the chimney; the fire melts cheese and butter and sets them afire. The master douses him; he flees to a chorus of jeers

Notes

This and similar songs are sometimes traced back to a story in Boccaccio (seventh day, second story: Gianella, Peronella, and her husband). But the story is really one of the basic themes of folktale, and doubtless predates Boccaccio as well as these songs. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "The Boatsman and the Chest" [Laws Q8] (plot) and references there

Recordings

• Harry Cox, "The Greasy Cook" (on HCox01)
• Sam Larner, "Butter and Cheese" (on SLarner02)

References

1. Greenleaf/Mansfield 108, "Butter and Cheese and All" (1 text)
2. Peacock, pp. 251-252, "Butter and Cheese" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Copper-SoBreeze, pp. 236-237, "The Cook's Choice" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. Kennedy 129, "The Greasy Cook" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. Roud #510
6. BI, CoSB236