The Old Violin - 1896 William Hartnett National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. These poems, stories, songs, quote, and art have been gathered from all over the world, partly via FIDDLE-L, an online list for fiddlers and those who love fiddle music. dhebert@crocker.com

The Fiddle and the Bow by Joel Mabus She moved up here with her boyfriend, but that didn't last as long as she had planned. Now her only ticket out of here is that fiddle case she's holding in her hand. She walked into the music store & gave that broken violin to an old man who'd seen quite a few. He said, "This thing ain't worth much, but I'll give you 20 dollars, you can take it - you can leave it - it's up to you." She said, "I was hoping you could do a little better for me, sir. You see, that fiddle was my grandmother's and her grandpa had given it to her. And I know it's old and busted, and all the strings are rusted, but it sure has played sweet music in it's day. It breaks my heart to sell it, but that greyhound costs money - if I'm going home, there's just no other way." Well the old man looked her over, and he watched her wipe a teardrop from her eye. Then he opened up that fiddle case and held it up a little closer to the light. He looked inside the fiddle, trying to read the label, and when he did he muttered with a sigh, "I guess I was hasty when I told you 20 dollars - would you take a hundred twenty five?" Well, she gratefully accepted and she said, "Whatever changed your mind?" He said "Sometimes when you look a little closer, it's surprising what you find." He said a very famous maker had made that violin and that's what contributes to the price. As he counted out the money, she said, "I'm so happy you took the time to look into it twice." I was there when it happened; when she left, I walked up to the old man. I asked him "Could I see that broken violin you're holding in your hand?" I was curious to find out just who was that famous maker, and when I read the label then I knew. It said, "Made by Sears And Roebuck, Our Beginner Student Model, Chicago 1962." Now I am not an expert, but I know a little bit about the trade. And I knew that broken violin wasn't worth the money that he paid. I said, "These mail order fiddles ain't worth a dime-a-dozen; you'll never turn a profit if you tried!" I said, "What you bought and paid for was that little lady's story, & it appears to me that pretty woman lied." "Well, If you think I'm sentimental," he said, "Son, you've made a big mistake." Then he invited me to look inside that old beat-up leather fiddle case. And there I saw a fiddlestick with fancy silver winding & parts carved out of ivory, white as snow. He said, "I'm no fool, son. I know that fiddle's worthless, but I can get five hundred dollars for the bow." Well, I left there thinking about the deal those two good people made. How the old man and the young girl both got what they wanted in the trade. And if you were to ask me for the moral to the story, I'd be the first to tell you, I don't know. 'Cause she sold him a story, and he bought him a fiddle, but all he ever wanted was the bow. And that's the story of the fiddle and the bow. © 1992, Joel Mabus, song recorded on Short Stories (Fossil 592cd). Used with permission. Joel Mabus is a superb singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Michigan.