The Miller's Will (Traditional Folk Song) Mountain Banjo & Vocals

"The Miller's Will" or "The Miller's Three Sons" is a traditional English folk song with numerous variations, such as "The Miller and His Sons" and "The Miller's Daughter," which is distinct but related. The song is about a miller who is dying and gives his mill to his youngest son, who has the most clever answer about how much he will charge to grind the grain. The other sons give foolish answers and are deemed unworthy of the mill.

Song summary

The Miller's Will / The Miller's Three Sons: A common variant focuses on a dying miller testing his three sons to see which one is the most cunning.
The Challenge: The miller asks each son what toll they would take for grinding grain.
The Sons' Answers: The eldest and middle sons propose taking too much toll, and the miller rejects them, calling them foolish.
The Youngest Son's Answer: The youngest son proposes taking the whole lot, and the miller, recognizing his son's cunning, declares him his heir and then dies.
The Miller's Daughter: This is a separate, often tragic, song about a miller's daughter who drowns herself because her lover, William, has joined the army.

I sing and play it on a homemade mountain banjo with a Remo Fiberskyn head. The banjo is tuned like standard G only much lower. Index Lead Upstroke Right Hand style. Jerry Garcia and David Grisham have recorded this song and many others. Also ClawhammerBrainjo who`s versions I am particularly fond of. This song provokes an array of emotions. On one hand it`s funny and silly but on the other hand the poor old miller is dying. It`s one of my favorites.

Link to one of Clawhammerbrainjo`s performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hEaZvn4a7A

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For more of my free banjo songs like this and original songs, here is the link to my Bandcamp channel:

https://danddirges.bandcamp.com/

The Miller's Will - Traditional folk song - Lyrics
Mountain Banjo and vocal performance
Banjo-Index Lead Upstroke
Banjo Tuning - bFsharpBDsharpFsharp

There was an old miller and he lived all alone
and he had three sons all fully grown
When it came time to make out a will
All he had left was a little grist mill
Sing a fol-dig-a-di-oh, fol dig-a-day

He went up to his eldest son
Said, "son, oh son my race is run
If a miller of you make
Pray tell me what toll you'd take?"
Sing a fol-dig-a-di-oh, fol dig-a-day

Father, oh father my name is Bill
Out of each bushel I'd take a schill
Not enough, not enough the old man said
On such a little you'll never make a rise
Sing a fol-dig-a-di-oh, fol dig-a-day

He went up to his second son
Said, "son oh son my race is run
If a miller of you make
Pray tell me what toll you'd take?"
Sing a fol-dig-a-di-oh, fol dig-a-day

Father, oh father my name is, Ralph
Out of each bushel I'd take half
On such a little you'd never get ahead
You fool you fool the old man cried
Sing a fol-dig-a-di-oh, fol dig-a-day

He went up to his youngest son
Said, "son oh son my race is run
If a miller of you make
Pray tell me what toll you'd take?"
Sing a fol-dig-a-di-oh, fol dig-a-day

Father, oh father my name is Paul
Out of each bushel I'd take all
Hallelujah, the old man cried
Then he turned up his toes, and he died
Sing a fol-dig-a-di-oh, fol dig-a-day

They buried him in a little box grave
Some do not think his soul was saved
Where he went I cannot say
But I`d like to believe that he went the other way
Sing a fol-dig-a-di-oh, fol dig-a-day

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