UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA LIBRARIES
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE COLLEGE LIBRARY
Folk-Songs of the South
LONDON: HUMPHREY MILFORD
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Folk-Songs of the South
COLLECTED UNDER THE
AUSPICES OF THE WEST VIRGINIA
FOLK-LORE SOCIETY
AND EDITED BY
JOHN HARRINGTON COX, Ph.D., Litt.D.
PROFESSOR IN WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
CAMBRIDGE
HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS
1925
511.04 c,3
COPYRIGHT, I925 BY HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Second printing
PRINTED AT THE HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS CAMBRIDGE, MASS., U.S.A.
TO GEORGE LYMAN KITTREDGE
MY MASTER AND FRIEND
833SS
PREFACE
IT is a great satisfaction to be able to discharge a part of the trust confided in me as Archivist and General Editor of the West Vir- ginia Folk-Lore Society by presenting in permanent form that por- tion of our collection of the most intrinsic worth. There still remains a large amount of interesting and valuable material to be arranged and prepared for the press. It is hoped that this work may be prose- cuted without undue delay, so that the industry, enthusiasm, and loyalty of the members of the Society may be fully consummated.
I am profoundly indebted to Professor George Lyman Kittredge of Harvard University, not only for his inspiring tuition in the popu- lar ballad, but for his keen interest in the progress of this work from its inception, and for his wise guidance and direct contributions as it developed, first, into a doctor's dissertation, and later, into a book. My obligations to him appear on almost every page.
For courtesies and helps not recorded elsewhere, I am indebted to Dr. Louise Pound, Dr. C. Alphonso Smith, Dr. H. M. Belden, Mr. Phillips Barry, Honorable George M. Ford, and, finally, to my wife, Annie Bush Cox, whose unwearied and efficient assistance of every sort has made this book possible.
The map at the end of the volume is reproduced by permission of the U. S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior, Wash- ington, D. C.
John Harrington Cox.
West Virginia University. January 16, 1924.
CONTENTS
Introduction xv
List of Abbreviations xxxii
BALLADS AND SONGS
i. Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight (Child, No. 4) ..... . 3
2. Earl Brand (Child, No. 7) 18
3. The Twa Sisters (Child, No. 10) 20
4. Lord Randal (Child, No. 12) 23
5. The Cruel Mother (Child, No. 20) 29
6. The Three Ravens (Child, No. 26) 31
7. The Twa Brothers (Child, No. 49) 33
8. Young Beichan (Child, No. 53) 36
9. Young Hunting (Child, No. 68) 42
10. Lord Thomas and Fair Annet (Child, No. 73) 45
11. Fair Margaret and Sweet William (Child, No. 74) ... . 65
12. Lord Lovel (Child, No. 75) 78
13. The Lass of Roch Royal (Child, No. 76) 83
14. The Wife of Usher's Well (Child, No. 79) 88
15. Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard (Child, No. 81) ... . 94
16. Bonny Barbara Allen (Child, No. 84) 96
17. Lady Alice (Child, No. 85) no
18. The Maid Freed from the Gallows (Child, No. 95) .... 115
19. Sir Hugh, or, The Jew's Daughter (Child, No. 155) 120
20. The Bonnie House o' Airlie (Child, No. 199) 128
«. 21. The Gypsy Laddie (Child, No. 200) 130
22. Bessie Bell and Mary Gray (Child, No. 201) 134
23. Geordie (Child, No. 209) 135
24. The Braes o' Yarrow (Child, No. 214) 137
25. James Harris (The Daemon Lover) (Child, No. 243) .... 139
26. Henry Martin (Child, No. 250) 150
27. The Suffolk Miracle (Child, No. 272) 152
28. Our Good Man (Child, No. 274) 154
29. The Wife Wrapped in Wether's Skin (Child, No. 277) . . . 159
30. The Farmer's Curst Wife (Child, No. 278) 164
31. The Crafty Farmer (Child, No. 283) 166
32. The Sweet Trinity (The Golden Vanity) (Child, No. 286) . 169
33. The Mermaid (Child, No. 289) 172
34. Robin Hood 174
35. John Hardy 175
36. The Ashland Tragedy 189
37. McAfee's Confession 192
38. The Jealous Lover (Pearl Bryan; Florella) 197
39. A Tolliver-Martin Feud Song 203
: CONTENTS
40. A West Virginia Feud Song 205
41. The Vance Song 207
42. Logan County Court House 212
43. Black Phyllis 215
44. Jesse James 216
45. Ye Sons of Columbia (Fuller and Warren) 217
46. Maggie was a Lady (Frankie) 218
47. The Wreck on the C. & 0. 221
48. Mack McDonald 231
49. The Dying Californian 232
50. Joe Bowers 234
51. The Jam at Gerry's Rock 236
52. An Arkansaw Traveller 239
53. The Dying Cowboy 2424
54. The Lone Prairie 247
55. The Ocean Burial 250
56. The Dying Hobo 252
57. A Comical Ditty 253
58. The Tucky Ho Crew 254
59. Immortal Washington 255
60. The Constitution and the Guerriere (Hull's Victory) . . 257
61. The Battle of Bridgewater 256
62. James Bird 193
63. War Song (Texas Rangers) 262
64. The Dying Ranger 226
65. The Battle of Mill Springs 264
66. The Victory Won at Richmond 266
67. The Yankee Retreat 268
68. Bull Run 269
69. War Song 270
70. Jeff Davis (The Southern Wagon) 271
71. Old Glory 272
72. Brother Green 273
73. The Soldier's Poor Little Boy 275
74. Just Before the Battle, Mother 277
75. Mother, Is the Battle Over? 278
76. The Rebel Soldier 279
I'm a Good Old Rebel 281
Corporal Schnapps . . . .""""". 283
Old Joe Camp 285
80. Fair Charlotte 286
81. Springfield Mountain 292
82. The Drummer Boy of Waterloo 293
8s- The Sheffield Apprentice 294
84. The Boston Burglar 296
85. My Parents Reared Me Tenderly 300
86. Jackison and Dickison 3°2
87. The Anford Wright 3°3
88. The Bramble Briar 3°5
89. Come, Pretty Polly (Polly's Love) 3°8
CONTENTS xi
90. The Wexford Girl (The Cruel Miller) 311
91. Rose Connoley 314
92. A Pretty Fair Maiden (The Single Sailor) 316
93. The Broken Ring 319
94. The Banks or Claudie 321
95. George Reilly 323
96. William Hall 326
97. Johnny Germany 328
98. Jackie Fraisure 330
99. The Silk-Merchant's Daughter 334
100. The Orphan Gypsy Girl 335
101. William Reilly 336
102. Mollie Vaughn 339
103. Charming Beauty Bright 342
104. The Rich Merchant 343
105. VlLIKINS AND HIS DlNAH 344
106. Young Edwin in the Lowlands Low 345
107.' A Poor Stranger far from Home 346
108. The Drowsy Sleeper 348
109. The Silver Dagger 350
no. Sweet William (The Sailor Boy) 353
in. Early in the Spring 358
112. Caroline of Edinburgh Town 362
113. The Sailor and his Bride 364
114. Pretty Sally (Sally and her True Love, Billy) 366
115. A Gay Spanish Maid 371
116. The Pretty Mohea 372
117. The Soldier's Wooing 375
118. Lady Leroy 377
119. The Banks of Sweet Dundee 379
120. William Taylor 382
121. Dog and Gun 384
122. Pretty Polly 387
123. The Jack of Tar 389
124. Young Johnny, 390
125. The Milkmaid 392
126. My Pretty Maid (Seventeen Come Sunday) 394
127. Kitty Wells 395
128. The Yellow Rose of Texas 396
129. The Drunkard's Dream 398
130. Forward Boys, Hurrah! 401
131. Temperance Song 403
132. When I was One-and-Twenty 404
133. Jonah 405
134. The Little Family 407
135. The Twelve Joys 409
136. Wicked Polly 411
137. The True Lover's Farewell 413
138. The Green Willow Tree (The Sprig of Thyme) 415
139. The Green Laurels (The Orange and Blue) ........ 417
xii CONTENTS
140. Young Ladies (Little Sparrow) 419
141. Youth and Folly 422
142. Maggie Goddon 424
143. A Forsaken Lover 425
144. Love has brought Me to Despair 427
145. The Butcher Boy 430
146. Farewell, Sweet Mary 433
147. Mary o' the Dee 435
148. Mary of the Wild Moor 437
149. The Gypsy's Warning 439
150. Fair Fanny Moore 441
151. Erin's Green Shore 442
152. Poor Little Joe 445
153. The Orphan Girl 446
154. The Blind Man's Regret 448
155. The Dishonest Miller 450
156. Father Grumble 455
157. An Old Woman's Story 464
158. The Spanish Lady 465
159. Soldier, Soldier, Won't You Marry Me? 467
160. A Bachelor's Lament 468
161. Little Johnny Green 469
162. The Frog and the Mouse 470
163. The Fox 474
164. The Ranger 476
165. The Three Farmers 478
166. The Three Rogues 480
167. The Skin-and-Bone Lady 482
168. Billy Boy 484
169. The Old Man Who came over the Moor 489
170. Old Grimes 490
171. The Cobbler's Boy 491
172. The Young Man Who travelled up and down 492
173. The Young Man Who would n't hoe Corn 494
174. Old Joe Clog 495
175. Old Sam Fanny 496
176. Ground Hog Song 498
177. Davy Crockett 499
178. Creation Song 501
179. The Arkansaw Traveller 503
180. The Nigger Tune 506
181. Old Noah 508
182. A Glorious Wedding 510
183. Hard Times 511
184. Putting on the Style 514
185. Get up and bar the Door (Child, No. 275) 516
X
CONTENTS xiii
FOLK TUNES
Six Kings' Daughters 521
The Miller's Two Daughters . 521
The Greenwood Siding 522
The Three Crows 522
Lady Margaret 522
Sweet William and Lady Margaret 523
Barbara Allen 523
The Gypsy Davy 524
The House Carpenter 524
McAfee's Confession 525
Ye Sons of Columbia 525
The Wreck on the C & 0 525,527
Joe Bowers 527
Young Charlotte 528
Young Beeham 528
William Hall 528
Mollie Vaunders 529
Charming Beauty Bright 529
The Squire 530
Young Ladies 530
The Butcher Boy 530
The Dishonest Miller 531
Frog went a-courtin' 531
The Fox 531
Three Farmers 532
Billy Boy 532
Index of Titles 535
Index of First Lines 539
ILLUSTRATIONS
Mr. George W. Cunningham 6
Mr. Luther Burwell 36
Residence of Mr. Luther Burwell 36
Mrs. Rachel Fogg 112
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Turman 280
Residence of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Turman 280
Mr. John B. Adkins 330
Mrs. Nancy McDonald McAtee 382
Map of West Virginia
INTRODUCTION
IN the early part of 19 13, Mr. E. C. Smith, a student in West Vir- ginia University from Weston, Lewis County, procured for me a copy of the popular song, "John Hardy." It was promptly for- warded to Professor Kittredge, and was printed in The Journal of American Folk-Lore, April- June, 1913, pp. 180-182. That was the beginning of the West Virginia Folk-Lore Collection. Throughout the campaign Mr. Smith continued to be one of our most ardent col- lectors, and at least seventeen songs are placed to his credit.
Little progress was made for a period of two years. In the summer of 191 5, Dr. C. Alphonso Smith gave a series of lectures in the Sum- mer School of West Virginia University. One of these was on the survival of popular English and Scottish ballads in the South. It was received with great enthusiasm by a large audience made up mostly of school teachers from various parts of the state. In answer to queries by Dr. Smith, it was discovered that several persons pres- ent either knew or had heard some of the ballads mentioned. Before he left the platform, he urged that an organized effort be made to collect and preserve whatever of this material might be recovered. Out of this suggestion grew the West Virginia Folk-Lore Society, which w^as organized July 15, 191 5. The following officers were elected: President, Archivist, and General Editor, Professor John Harrington Cox, West Virginia University, Morgan town; Vice- President, Dr. Robert Allen Armstrong, West Virginia University; Secretary-Treasurer, Professor Walter Barnes, Fairmont Normal School, Fairmont.
Our first annual meeting was held at Morgan town in connection with the Summer School. There was a large audience present to hear the programme, which consisted of a reading and discussion, by the President, of the following songs and tale: "Fair Annie and Greg- ory," "Dandoo," "John Hardy," "The Dying Cowboy," "Father Grumble," "De Blue-Tail Fly," "De Hebbenly Road," "A Burial Song," and "The Witch Bridle." Professor Barnes sang several of the old ballads, among them "Barbara Allen." The officers for the first year were reelected for three years. No other election of officers has ever been held.
In his first annual report the President acknowledged the obliga- tion of the Society to the President of West Virginia University, Dr.
xvi INTRODUCTION
Frank Butler Trotter, whose sympathy with the movement had enabled the Editor to make numerous addresses in different parts of the state, and to the managing editor of the West Virginia School Journal and Educator, Dr. Waitman Barbe, who had afforded space for monthly articles. Much valuable material of all sorts had been collected, including twenty-five old ballads, one hundred and sev- enty-seven songs, thirteen ghost stories and witch tales, and a large number of counting-out rhymes, riddles, singing games, negro melo- dies, and so forth.
On the evening of June 28, 191 7, at West Virginia University, the Folk-Lore Society held its second annual meeting. The programme consisted of a brief report of progress, a reading of specimens of West Virginia popular ballads, old songs, witch tales, local legends, negro melodies and spirituals by the President, and a singing of three of the old popular ballads by Professor Barnes. Sixty-five persons sent in material during the year, fifty-four of these being new con- tributors, thus making a total membership of one hundred and eighty. Five more of the popular English and Scottish ballads were found, bringing the number up to thirty. A large mass of other material was also sent in, making the total number of individ- ual communications approximately two hundred and forty.
As it turned out, the second annual meeting was the last. The methods for collecting material were proving so successful that it was not worth while to hold annual meetings. From the beginning, the organization was of a very loose nature, and it soon became little more than a name under which we worked. The interest, though widespread, was chiefly individual, and gradually the activities of the Society centered in its President.
The state of West Virginia holds its County Teachers' Institutes during the months of July, August, and September, and our first ob- jective was to get the movement presented at each of these institutes. Dr. C. Alphonso Smith had left with the Editor a bulletin issued by the United States Bureau of Education, which he had been instru- mental in getting out, in which was printed an article by him en- titled, "A Great Movement in which Every One can Help." This article gave information about the English and Scottish Popular Ballads and suggestions as to how one might help in collecting them. It was followed by a complete list of the three hundred and five titles with their variants. A mimeograph copy was made of them and sent to one of the instructors in each of the County Institutes. The Edi- tor knew many of these instructors personally, and the request to have the plans and purposes of the Society presented at the insti-
INTRODUCTION xvii
tutes received prompt and courteous attention. Almost immediately contributions began to come in. The enthusiasm of Professor Barnes did much to insure the early success of the movement. Including variants, twenty-nine ballads and songs are placed to his credit.
Without doubt the greatest single factor in our success was the West Virginia School Journal and Educator, then owned by Drs. Robert Allen Armstrong and Waitman Barbe of West Virginia Uni- versity, and the Hon. M. P. Shawkey, State Superintendent of Schools. These men were all interested in the success of the Society. Dr. Barbe was the Managing Editor, and his unfailing courtesy in providing space whenever it was wanted deserves our profound gratitude. Since this periodical reached a large proportion of the teachers of the state, the Society was able to get its appeal voiced in practically every community.
The campaign through the state educational paper opened with the September number, 191 5, and the last of the folk-lore articles appeared in the July issue, 19 19, having run through a period of four years and numbering altogether thirty-seven.
From the inception of the movement, the President of the Society by personal letters and interviews sought the assistance of students and others throughout the state. The immediate response in en- thusiasm and help was one of the greatest factors in our success. The diligence and methods of some of these persons were so notable that they deserve special mention.
Mr. Fred M. Smith of the Glenville Normal School by continuous assignments of such topics as folk-songs, superstitions, and local leg- ends to his various composition classes throughout a year, secured a great mass of excellent material. He found also that the eagerness of the students to discover such things and to put them into good form furnished a motive not easily secured for composition work. More- over, these exercises developed a keenness and an originality in get- ting material and organizing it which are seldom obtained. Thirty- eight contributions are accredited to Mr. Smith. Miss Sallie Evans of the Elkins High School pursued the same methods with equally good results. Her contributions number thirty-one. In addition, she en- listed especially the interest of the Sophomore Class, which, in order to secure a lecture on West Virginia folk-lore, dramatized the story of Silas Marner. With the proceeds of their performance, they ob- tained their lecturer, paid the expenses of him and his wife to Elkins, entertained them royally, and had some money left over with which they bought books for the library.
Miss Maud I. Jefferson, the teacher of English in the West Lib-
xviii INTRODUCTION
erty Normal School, by talks on West Virginia folk-lore aroused the interest of thirteen girls. These girls, by searching the community and by writing home to their parents and friends, found a large num- ber of valuable songs. They then prepared an original entertainment, made up in large part of songs, superstitions, and so forth, which they presented before the school and the people of the community. At this entertainment, the President of the Folk-Lore Society gave an address.
In response to a personal request, Mrs. W. M. Parker, Hinton, Summers County, with laborious and painstaking care hunted up people, interviewed railroad men, ferreted out data, wrote letters, and made it possible to secure complete information as to names, dates, and places concerning the wreck that occurred near that place on October 23, 1890, out of which grew the ballad, "The Wreck on the C. & 0." She also secured other valuable material in the way of old songs and negro spirituals.
Mr. E. I. Kyle, a student in West Virginia University from Welch, McDowell County, performed like valuable service in the case of "John Hardy." He not only secured accurate information as to names, dates, places, and incidents, but by searching the court rec- ords he discovered the sentence pronounced upon the man by the Judge. Without his aid, the case would probably never have been entirely cleared up.
Mrs. H lary G. Richardson, Clarksburg, Harrison County, who had long been an ardent folk-lorist, made a unique contribution of some thirty ballads and songs, practically all of which were procured from two genuine old ballad-singers, Mrs. Rachel Fogg and Mrs. Nancy McAtee, of whom full account is given below. She arranged also for a lecture by the President of the Society before the Woman's Club of Clarksburg, and later made it possible for him to become acquainted with the old ballad-singers, to hear them sing, and to secure pictures of them.
One of the most persistent and successful of our co-laborers was Miss Lily Hagans, Morgantown, Monongalia County. She not only inspired others with her enthusiasm but made directly nineteen con- tributions.
The first genuine ballad-singer discovered was Mr. George W. Cunningham, Elkins, Randolph County. He was attending the Summer School in the session of 191 5 when the Society was organ- ized. He not only knew some of the traditional ballads but he sang them to Professor Barnes, who communicated both words and music. These songs were, "The House Carpenter" (Child, 243), "The
INTRODUCTION xix
Greenwood Siding" (Child, 20), "Six Kings' Daughters" (Child, 4), and "Barbara Allen" (Child, 84). Five other songs were reported by Professor Barnes as having come from him. His interest in the movement prompted his appointment as an Official Correspondent. Eight songs secured from other persons were communicated by him, making a total of seventeen contributions. I heard him sing some of the old songs on one occasion only. He sang in a loud, strong voice that had good carrying qualities. His personality and character can best be gathered from his photograph and his autobiography, which is as follows:
[Dated at Elkins, Randolph County, January 8, 1922.] I was born February 8, 1858, close to the Upper Fork of Cheat River, in Randolph County, West Virginia, then Virginia. My father was Jackson Cunningham, a poor man of unsettled, roving disposition. He removed eight or ten times during the nine- teen years of his married life, my mother dying when I was sixteen years of age.
I was about ten years old when I started to school, but I had learned at home so that I could go with about the most advanced classes, and when school closed in about seven weeks, I " stood head " in an advanced spelling class many of whom were nearly twice as tall as I. I soon knew the multiplication table on "Hagerstown Almanac" to 25 times 25, and could do any common problem in fundamental rules or fractions, much more quickly mentally than I can now by figures. The morning I was eight years old I tried to calculate how many sec- onds old I was, but could not well remember the result.
During my narrow life between ten and twenty years, I managed to attend the crude country schools for about fifteen months, mostly under poorly pre- pared teachers; but I attended county Normals in Barbour County for four months in 1878, making a first grade certificate that fall in a text book test fully as exacting as I 've ever seen under the uniform system.
This is my fortieth year as teacher and grade school principal, and my sixty- fifth term of school, three of which were subscription terms; my first three terms were taught in Barbour County, all the rest in Randolph County.
I have lived in Randolph County all my life, practically, except four years I lived in Barbour County. Living upon small farms owned by me in Dry Fork and Leadville districts successively, I made an honest though frugal and re- stricted living by teaching and farming in combination, as circumstances al- lowed.
When nearly twenty-six years old, I married Miss Mollie Hamrick of Barbour County, whose father, Graham Hamrick, emigrated in the late fifties from Rock- ingham County, Virginia, to Barbour County, rearing there a family of eight children by teaching singing schools, and by other strenuous employments. In his old age he discovered a wonderful process of embalming, but was too handi- capped and feeble to handle it successfully.
My wife and I reared eight children, five girls and three boys, to mature age, the girls all being successful and popular teachers for some years. The mother passed to her reward on October 4, 1921.
My grandfather, Stephen Cunningham, was a native of Highland County, Virginia, and was of Irish descent. His father, William Cunningham, came across from either Ireland or Scotland, and had many awful adventures with the
xx INTRODUCTION
Indians. My mother was Eleanor Wimer, a native of Pendleton County, West Virginia. Her father and mother were of Dutch or German descent. Her father, George Wimer, reared a steady, industrious family of twelve children, and her grandfather, Henry Wimer, was one of four brothers who came to Virginia from either Holland or Germany.
I am near sixty-four years old, five feet ten inches tall, weigh now one hundred eighty-five pounds; complexion dark, blue eyes, fair skin, hair fast turning gray. I was really never under the care of a physician, never had a fever, never had a dentist in my mouth except to extract a few teeth, never danced, never drank spiritous liquors of consequence. I pay my debts, try to attend to my own busi- ness, and am vitally concerned in the welfare of my posterity and of our country.
My father was a charming singer, though he knew nothing of the science of music. He sang many thrilling folk-songs and ballads. My mother could carry but few tunes. I was deeply interested in music from early childhood, learning all the songs and hymns that I could find. My people and acquaintances were mostly singers of songs. One of father's sisters, who never married, lived with us and taught me sketches of several rich old English ballads. Laban White, of Dry Fork District, taught me a few, but Ellen Howell, a noted woman who lt worked round " and mingled freely in social pastimes, often lived with us, and freely taught me many folk-songs, ballads, and ghost stories. She, late in life, married an old widower named John Eye.
The social gatherings and entertainments of my early days were rather re- stricted and crude, and rough, yet they were generally real and impressive, and though my chance of mingling in them was narrow until I was about seventeen, yet I got a peep sometimes as most people do, ofttimes to their regret. House- raisings, log-rollings, corn-huskings, apple and pumpkin-cuttings, bean-string- ings, kissing-plays, and last, but not least, drunken frolics were the order of the times among most of the people. Very generally the gatherings ended with a dance or play-party. Of course there was often some rough and lewd conduct, though I doubt whether there was really as much vicious conduct then as now, except in the line of drinking, which was almost universal then.
Mrs. Nancy McAtee, whom I visited December 10, 192 1, is a genuine old ballad-singer living in Clarksburg, Harrison County. Her little house stands on the bank of the West Fork of the Monon- gahela River. A railroad passes in front of it, some ten or a dozen feet away. In several houses of the same style, stretched along a cinder path, live children and grandchildren. The place is known as "McAtee Row."
In answer to my knock, Mrs. McAtee appeared at the door. She had evidently just arisen from her morning meal and was still munch- ing part of it. To my query as to whether I could get some breakfast she replied, "No, I hain't got nothin' in the house to feed a stranger." As she stood in the doorway, I beheld a woman about sixty-five or seventy years old, slightly above the medium height, lean, and with small, grayish-blue eyes. She was poorly clad, her shoulders a little stooped, and her cheek bones a trifle prominent.
INTRODUCTION xxi
She showed some hesitancy in inviting me into the house, volun- teering the information that her husband was sick in bed. When I mentioned the name of Mrs. Richardson, her attitude became imme- diately one of friendliness, and she appeared greatly pleased at my saying I had come a long way to see her and to hear her sing. She be- gan at once to say that she could not remember "them old things," and to talk of her husband and her family, a considerable number of whom had crowded into the room, from a stalwart son-in-law to a tousled baby in arms. Without delay the son-in-law took the lead in the conversation and told me a regular hard-luck story about unem- ployment. It took no little tact and patience to manage it so as to be alone with Mrs. McAtee and to get her to talk of things I wished to know about. Having seen the stranger and found in him nothing of great interest, the relatives gradually retired and gave me the oppor- tunity sought.
Our common acquaintance with Mrs. Richardson was an open sesame, and soon Mrs. McAtee was talking freely and with ease. Of average natural intelligence, she was innocent of all knowledge out- side of her little world. Her father was Morris McDonald, born in Ireland and brought to this country while still a baby. The family eventually made its way to Randolph County, West Virginia, where her father located on a farm. Her mother's name was Emsey Bar- nett. There were nine children in the family, of whom she was the seventh. She had evidently led a hard life, as was indicated by the lines in her face. While I was getting all the information I could, I felt that she was calculating whether she could not get something out of me. This judgment turned out to be correct, for when the subject of pictures was broached she asked, " You 're goin' to give me Christ- mas gift, ain't ye?" A prompt reply in the affirmative removed all barriers of reluctancy. She told me about her own family, six chil- dren, two dead, the others " married and living right here in the Row." She mentioned Lucy, Maude, and Mamie, and their hus- bands, Eli Murphy, Sylvester Ashcraft, and John Hoop. There had been twenty-six grandchildren, now only thirteen. One of them was called in and exhibited by the proud father as a prodigy seven years old that had never had any front teeth. She and her family had been "right here over fifty years" where her "old man" had worked on the streets until he was too old and feeble to get about. She jerked her head toward a mound of bedclothes on one of the beds, saying, "That 's him," who, during all the time I was there, made not the least movement nor manifested the slightest sign of life.
I did not try to secure any songs from her because Mrs. Richard-
xxii INTRODUCTION
son had previously comirlunicated to me what she knew. I was in- terested in seeing her, hearing her sing, and in getting her picture. Upon request she sang for me what she called "McAtee" (" Mc- Afee's Confession") in a low, monotonous tone, with little modula- tion, in a voice not unpleasant, but with an inclination to be a little whiny, an approximation to a chant. The one song was all that she could remember at the moment, but Mrs. Richardson reports that she knows in whole, or in part, twenty-four ballads and songs. The ballads sent to me from her are "Barby Ellen" (Child, 84), "Lord Leven" (Child, 75), "Lady Margaret" (Child, 74), "Fair Ellender" (Child, 73), and "Geordie" (Child, 209). All these old things she said she had learned from the "kids" back in Randolph County.
It is evidently the custom of Mrs. McAtee to comment on the story as she sings or narrates, as is evidenced by the manuscripts sent me by Mrs. Richardson, in which Mrs. McAtee's remarks are enclosed in parentheses. Many like the following are to be found:
McAtee's Confession
All this day for you I 've sought.
(Lettin' on he 's been thinkin' about her.) All on her throat my hands I laid.
(He 'lowed to give her a good chokin'.)
The Sheffield Apprentice
About half way through the ballad: (That's a dog-gone long ballet.) A gold ring on my finger,
Just as I passed by, She slipped into my pocket, And fur this I must die.
(You see they hung 'em then fur that.)
A Pretty Fair Maid in a Garden
And if he stays for seven years longer, No man on earth shall marry me.
(It was him a-talking to her but she did n't know it.) You '11 never see his face again
(He was jus' foolin' her.)
Davy Crockett
I'll tell you where I come from, And where I got my learning. (This is a funny one!)
And he '11 pretty quick show you, How to grin a coon crazy. (This is jus' fun!)
INTRODUCTION xxiii
In a letter dated February 7, 1918, Mrs. Richardson writes: "Poor old Mrs. McAtee! the one whose son was ' not redimpted ' came up yesterday to tell me she had had a telegram saying he was down by the i water front/ and it was ' sure some big water/ and if they did n't send him soon ' he'd swim across an' git that Kaiser.' When he left he did not even know why, but told some one they were 1 goin' to git that feller they 're sendin' us after.' So, you see, maybe in some ways he is being ' redimpted ' after all."
Leaving " McAtee Row," I hastened across the city to South Water Street to see Mrs. Rachel Fogg, the other old ballad-singer whose songs had been sent to me by Mrs. Richardson. Turning off the street and going up a little alley about five feet wide for a short distance, I found her house crowded in among others of its kind. In answer to my knock, the door was opened by a short, very stout, elderly woman, clad in a checked flannel dress of one piece, wearing on her head a sort of wool cap. She looked the picture of woe, and to my inquiry as to whether I could come in and visit with her a little while, she replied in a slow voice that drawled just a trifle that it was a mighty bad time for her to see me. Her son's wife, who lived at Akron, Ohio, had died just a few days before, and she was sorely troubled because none of the family living in and around Clarksburg had gone to the funeral. Her son was a cripple, and she was in great distress as to how he managed without any of his relatives at hand. Two of her daughters came in while I was there, and the matter was discussed in detail, while from time to time tears poured down the cheeks of the old ballad-singer when she thought of her best-beloved son among strangers in his hour of grief. Truly, it was a bad time for one to call on such a mission as mine.
But in the midst of all her perturbations, this old ballad-singer showed a remarkable composure, and again the mention of the name of Mrs. Richardson gained me entrance to a confidence that I fear would otherwise have been closed. Mrs. Richardson was her good angel, and from listening to her praises for a time it was easy to lead off into the story that I wanted.
She was "born and raised," she said, in Upshur County, between Flatwoods and the Little Kanawha, just a little way from Centers- ville, and had attended the public schools. At the age of sixteen, she was married to a whiskey-drinking, card-playing man named Eras- tus Fogg. He spent most of his time when they lived in the country in hunting and got a little money by shipping furs and turtles. Not long after their marriage they moved into Harrison County, where she had been for over forty years. Her husband was a blacksmith by
xxiv INTRODUCTION
trade, but did not work much. Her family had consisted of six sons and three daughters, one son and one daughter now dead. Of grand- children she had seven living and six dead. Her father was Sam Eakles, "born and raised" in Bath County, Virginia, who had been in the war between the North and the South. Her mother was Eliza- beth Ann Poling, born in Barbour County, West Virginia. She told me that her great-great-grandmother, Anna Easter, "came over the ocean in the time of the Indian wars. I think it was from Germany. She was German-Dutch. Her husband had come from Green County, Pennsylvania. He was Dutch-English." An incident of her childhood had left a strong impression on her memory. Once when she had been sent for the cows, she got lost while hunting for flowers. "It was on Sunday, and I got scairt and run on and on and could not get back home. When they found me and got me back, I could n't sleep none that night. I was crazy in my head."
When I visited this old ballad-singer, December 10, 192 1, she was sixty-three years old. Her large dark eyes, still fine, must have been beautiful in her youth, eyes which readily lit up with the trace of a twinkle at the suggestion of humor. She made her living, she told me, by washing, begging, and selling off things that she could get along without. Times were hard, men were out of work, and women were doing their own washing instead of sending it out. She readily sang at my request, two songs, "Jesse James" and "Johnny Col- lins," in a low contralto voice, heavy and mournful. She carried the tunes well. She had had an excellent voice once, she said, but it had been ruined by sickness, "measles, broncheetis, and tonsileetis." Diphtheria had visited her twice also. Formerly she had been an ardent member of the Salvation Army, but latterly she seldom attended.
A small Christmas gift voluntarily bestowed caused her to hasten into another room and bring out some pictures of her family and one of herself, taken when she was "dressed up" and using crutches on account of a serious accident. She impressed me as having a strong personality that in some way would weather all the storms of adver- sity.
Another West Virginia ballad-singer is John B. Adkins, whose post-office is Branchland, Lincoln County, in the far southern part of the state, and so I have never had the good pleasure of seeing him or hearing him sing. Thirteen contributions are placed to his credit, among them three of the traditional ballads, namely, "Little Willie" (Child, 49), "Lady Gay" (Child, 79), and "Lord Batesman" (Child, 53). At my request he wrote the following sketch and sent me his picture and a picture of his house.
INTRODUCTION xxv
I am thirty-three years old, born October 14th, 1888, in Cabell County, West Virginia, on the farm where I now live. My situation is the extreme southeast corner of Cabell County, near the Wayne and Lincoln County lines, about twenty-five miles southeast of Huntington. Have never lived anywhere else. I weigh a hundred seventy-five pounds, six feet tall, medium light complexion, black hair and brown eyes. Education limited, as I was forced to leave school at an early age (at sixteen) and have been an invalid and semi-shut-in ever since. For a livelihood I have a small hand printing plant on which I do very creditable work, such as printing letter-heads, envelopes, cards, tags, etc., and my trade comes mostly by the mail-order route. I also do photograph work on a small scale and have a magazine subscription agency with my shop, and also do repair work on watches, clocks, guns, telephones, phonographs, and other portable ma- chinery that is brought to me, so you see I have quite a variety of things going on at times, and my place is known as "Sundry Service Station," but after all, my earning capacity is small, owing to isolated conditions and ill health.
My parents were both born and raised in Cabell County; Mother is Irish and Father is of English descent. His fore-parents came here from Giles County, Virginia, many years ago. Mother's maiden name was Keenan. She is the granddaughter of Patrick Keenan, an Irish emigrant who came to this country over one hundred years ago and settled at Kanawha Falls, Virginia (now West Virginia) .
The old songs which I sent you I learned when a boy, by hearing them sung by different people, some at log-rollings, others at house-raisings, parties, dances, etc., which was the most popular place for some singer to be called upon to ren- der some one or more selections of these old-time songs. Like all boys the "doings" of these older people naturally interested me and I learned some of the old songs by trying to imitate them.
In addition to the activities already mentioned, the President of the Society performed important duties in various other direc- tions. Scores of lectures were delivered throughout the campaign to colleges, normal schools, high schools, grade schools, colored schools,, teachers' institutes, round table meetings, women's clubs, com- mencements, entertainments, and social functions of different kinds. The large Summer School at the University gave him an admirable opportunity to speak to many students and teachers from every corner of the state. At some time during the first semester of each college year, he delivered a lecture on folk-lore to all the numerous sections of freshmen in the University. This personal touch had much to do with keeping the interest alive.
At the annual meeting of the Ohio Valley Historical Association in Pittsburgh during the Christmas holidays in 191 7, it was decided that at the next meeting to be held at Berea, Kentucky, in the autumn of 1919, there should be a session devoted to folk-lore. Through the suggestions of Dean J. M. Callahan of West Virginia University, and the Hon. Wilson M. Foulk, State Historian and Archivist of West Virginia, the President of the West Virginia Folk-
xxvi INTRODUCTION
Lore Society was invited to read a paper at that meeting. In order that he might secure certain material in the extreme southern part of the state, the Department of History and Archives appropriated seventy-five dollars toward the expenses of such a trip and the State Department of Free Schools arranged for him to help conduct sev- eral institutes in that section. The venture turned out well. The material was secured and the paper read at Berea as planned.
Some of the incidents of this tour are worth recording and some of the personages worth describing as an essential part in the history of this movement. The last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August were devoted to the work. The field, only partially cov- ered, was the counties of Mingo, Welch, Boone, and Clay. In the last two of the counties named the work was all done at the county institutes. In the other two it was more important and needs to be told in detail.
Leaving Huntington, Cabell County, on Sunday morning, I made my first stop at Richards, a small station on the Norfolk and Western Railroad, on the West Virginia side of the Big Sandy River. I had previously been informed by Mr. A. C. Davis, Superintendent of Schools at Williamson, Mingo County, that on the opposite side of the river from Richards lived a Mr. Sam Turman, who knew many old ballads and songs.
I arrived at his house about noon and met with a most cordial re- ception. A good portion of the afternoon was spent in walking about, looking at the place, and in getting acquainted. During the late afternoon and all the evening, I wrote down the words of old songs as he sang or recited them. Country people go to bed early, and we planned to finish the work in the morning. But alas! "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft a-gley," and so did ours. While we were at breakfast the next morning, we heard a crash and loud shrieks. A freight train had struck a gasoline hand-car right in front of his house. We all rushed to the door where a most horrible sight greeted us. Men scattered in all directions, some of them literally masses of flame, burning, alive. It is not necessary to give details. In spite of all our efforts, four of the men were dead in a short time and others terribly mangled. It was almost noon before they were all transported to a hospital at some place several miles up the river. Dinner was a solemn affair. No more ballad-collecting that day, and in the afternoon I continued my journey up the river, crossing back into West Virginia.
In a letter dated December i, 192 1, Buchanan, Kentucky, Mr. Turman furnishes the following data concerning himself :
INTRODUCTION xxvii
I was born and raised here at what has always been known as Turman's Ferry, on the Big Sandy, twelve miles east of Cattletsburg, Ky., and thirteen miles west of Louise, Ky. My father owned the first farm in Boyd County, ad- joining Lawrence County, Ky., which farm I now own. We had a three months school each year when I was a boy, a log school house with hewed logs for seats. I attended those schools until I was sixteen years old. I never got farther than long division in arithmetic. Reading and writing was about all that was taught at that day.
Our country back of the river was almost a virgin forest, so old settlers would have a log-rolling and a quilting and a play or dance at night. So the folks would all gather in and play and sing and dance all night. We just went from one neighbor's house to another's in winter. My grandfather, John Turman, came from old Virginia. My grandmother's maiden name was Jones. My grand- father on my mother's side was German and English. Grandfather Turman was English.
In 1880 1 began to assist the old soldiers in getting their pensions. I gave that a study and I don't guess there ever was or ever will be another man that has done for those old widows and orphans as I have done. I have always taken their claims, furnished the money and time to work up their claims, and few there are that were not placed on the roll. I have been for the last fifteen years connected with two law firms, who call me into some big cases for my advice and opinion. Although I never had a licence to practice law there are but few lawyers who know more than I do. The man that you and I. cut and tore the clothes off that was burning, died before they got him to the hospital. His wife employed me to look after her interest, and two other of the men who were injured employed me, so I furnished, the money and fought it all through the courts; came out with $23,000 damages. The man that was burning down under the railroad in the field died. His wife and the four got only $4000 each.
Mr. A. C. Davis, mentioned above, furnishes additional informa- tion:
Mr. Turman is seventy years old. He is a very shrewd man in his work as Pension attorney. Some people have accused him of overdoing his shrewdness. I do not know whether this is true or not, but even if he has, I think he makes up when he finds some one in trouble or needing help. I have never known any one more willing to help in trouble than Mr. Turman.
He is always jolly and in a good humor, has reared a family of boys who are also jolly and are doing well in their professions.
You remember that the railroad runs near his house and through his farm. Ever since I have known him he has been in some suit with the railroad com- pany for some sort of damage and I have never known him fail in winning a ver- dict. He helped some of the widows and other defendants in their suit against the railroad which came as a result of the wreck while you were at his home, win- ning some pretty big damage suits.
A joke which is told of him I know you will enjoy. He was assisting a certain soldier in getting a pension and the fellow was supposed to be deaf or nearly so. The time for the medical examination came and one of the examiners suspicioned that there might be some fixing up, so some time during the procedure this ex- aminer began talking to this fellow and telling him jokes. At last he said he
xxviii INTRODUCTION
wanted to tell him one concerning Mr. Turman, so he whispered it. When he was through with the joke the applicant gave a very hearty laugh. As a result, the applicant did not get as high a rate of pension as he had planned.
Mr. Turman weighs one hundred and sixty-five pounds, is about frve feet seven inches high, and has very bright, keen blue eyes. He sings the old songs in a loud, stentorious voice, with much gusto, and in a style approaching what is characterized in Mr. McKenzie's "Quest of the Ballad'' as roaring.
On a previous trip to the southern part of the state I had made the acquaintance of Mr. Charles H. Ellis, County Superintendent of Schools of Mingo County. He belongs to the famous Hatfield family of West Virginia, the one that carried on the feud for so many years with the McCoys. His mother was Nancy Hatfield, daughter of Ali, who married Ballard Ellis. She died when her son Charles was three months old, and he was taken and brought up by his uncle, Joseph Hatfield. It was a great privilege to hear from Mr. Ellis the history of the feud as the Hatfields knew it. The notes taken, however, are confidential and at this time of writing may not be made public. Mr. Ellis contributed the Tolliver-Martin Feud Song contained in this volume and gave valuable aid toward furthering the search. He planned to make a trip with me over the mountains to visit " Devil Anse" Hatfield, the famous leader of the Hatfield feudists, but on account of its being war times we found it impossible to secure horses for the trip. Since then "Devil Anse" has died, and I feel that fate has cheated me out of a bit of experience really worth while.
One man only was found in Williamson who could sing any of the old songs. He knew "Logan County Court House," in this volume, and several fragments. Not much was learned about him. He was a store-keeper, a man about sixty years old, strong and vigorous. He had a good voice and sang in a loud tone. His name was J. D. James.
Mr. W. C. Cook, County Superintendent of McDowell County, was also very courteous and helpful. Through him introductions were secured to various county officers, and men previously in office, some of whom had known John Hardy and had been present at his trial and hanging. Some important data were secured from these men about the famous negro criminal. He also introduced me to a prominent negro, Mr. James Knox Smith, of Keystone, from whom I got some of the most valuable information concerning John Hardy and a version of "The Vance Song," all of which is recorded in the proper place in this volume.
Mr. Smith was a practising lawyer. He was born in Tazewell County, Virginia, near the courthouse. His parents were slaves. His
:
INTRODUCTION xxlx
early legal knowledge was acquired by studying in the law office of Judge Christian. When he applied to the circuit judges for an ex- amination for admission to the bar, he was refused on the ground that he was a negro. He then read law some further under Major Cecil, who advised him to apply to the supreme court of West Virginia for admission to practice. He did so in 1894 and was admitted. The judges who admitted him were Brandon, Holt, and English. Ever since, he has practised in the circuit and federal courts of West Vir- ginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky. These statements are given on the authority of Mr. Smith himself.
Mr. Smith is a good-looking negro, about sixty years old, of aver- age height, stockily built, and very black. He has an easy manner, plenty of self-confidence, and is a fluent speaker. I called on him one afternoon in his office in Keystone and found hanging on one of his walls a photograph of John Hardy on the gallows. It had formerly hung for many years in the City Hall in Keystone, but when that building burned Mr. Smith rescued it. It seemed to give him much pleasure to present it to the Folk-Lore Society.
On a Sunday morning Mr. Cook drove me over from Welch to English, where I took the train for Barclay, at which place I was to see a Mr. A. C. Payne. He was sixty-seven years old when I saw him, a big, raw-boned man, over six feet tall. In his younger days he had been handsome, with strong, fine features, and raven-black hair, now streaked with gray. He had been born near English and had always lived in McDowell County. He was one of the jurymen that con- victed John Hardy.
Mr. Payne was an old-time fiddler, whose fame is ever green in that part of our state and no doubt will be so for a long while to come. Although he bore traces of his sixty-seven years and the ravages of rheumatism, he had about him something of the air of everlasting youth. I spent the whole Sunday with him, listening to him play the fiddle, sing snatches of old songs, and get off some of the "lingo" that he used to give at dances, song or fiddle tune interspersed with comments. His voice was still fairly good and he sang with apprecia- tion and in a manner not out of the ordinary. He was living with his daughter, who kept a sort of boarding-place.
The last place at which a genuine singer was found on this trip was Matewan, Mingo County, a place since made notorious on account of the battle between Sid Hatfield and his followers on one side and the Baldwin-Felts detectives on the other. This man was W. E. Boggs, a short, somewhat fleshy man with a round, smooth face, jolly and good-natured as the day is long. I discovered him as I
xxx INTRODUCTION
walked along the railroad. He was driving a mule- team hitched to a wagon-load of coal. He sang because he could not help it, I judge, in a high tenor voice, very penetrating and far-reaching. He was just a hired man of the old-time sort, never expected to be anything dif- ferent, nor cared for anything different. He was happy at his work, enjoyed a song and a jest, or a glass of " moonshine," which might be readily had from Kentucky just across the river. He told me that he learned the songs he sang from his brother, thirty-five years ago, who was afterward killed in Ashland, Kansas, by cowboys. His memory was not very good and he knew nothing perfectly. When he lost the exact words he gave the thought in prose and did not seem to be able to extemporize in the least.
Mr. Burwell Luther, another of the genuine ballad-singers whose contributions appear in this volume, lived at Shoals, Wayne County, West Virginia. His niece, Anna Copley, writes of him under date of March 4, 1922, as follows:
Mr. Burwell Luther was born in i860 and died.in 1920, just before his sixtieth birthday. Height, five feet, ten inches; weight, close to two hundred pounds when in health; complexion, dark; brown eyes, brown hair. Born in Wayne County, West Virginia. Lived here most of his life. Has been in the West but not for long periods. Was attendant and Supervisor at Spencer Hospital several years and at West Virginia Asylum at Huntington. Farming was the main oc- cupation of his life. He was interested in politics and kept well up on current events. He was very fond of children. Was never married. His father was Eng- lish. His mother was a Stephenson before marriage, and this family was sup- posed to have come from the Carolinas, and was Scotch, or half Scotch. His parents were both born in Wayne County. He was a great reader, mostly the Bible, religious books, history and fiction. He was interested in religion and always attended church and Sunday School. He seemed inclined to the Chris- tian faith but late in life joined the M. E. Church. He was fond of social life, was a good dancer, and often "called" for the old-time square dances. These dances were often preceded by log-rollings, corn-huskings, house-raisings, etc. He often talked of these things but I do not remember anything of particular interest. He was fond of dogs and horses, but was what you might call an in- different sportsman.
He learned the old songs when a child from his mother. He had a tenor voice, sang loud, and carried the tune well. This may have been only his way of sing- ing, as he sang rather loudly any song.
Another old-time fiddler, whom I discovered at Fairmont, Monon- galia County, was a blind man by the name of J. T. Doolittle. I think he must have been in the neighborhood of sixty years of age when I saw him in June, 19 18 — a man of large frame, well built, and having a fine head. He had a genius for making musical instruments, and had made in his day, so he told me, ninety riddles, fifty-four
INTRODUCTION xxxi
guitars, thirty mandolins, seven bass viols, five dulcimers, and one ukelele. He had no fiddle at the place where I met him, nor did he sing for me.
Official correspondents of the Society are as follows:
John B. Adkins, Branchland, Lincoln Go.
I. O. Ash, Middlebourne, Tyler Co.
Miss Sarah A. Barnes, Bruceton Mills, Preston Co.
Wallie Barnett, Leon, Mason Co.
Anna Copley, Shoals, Wayne Co.
G. W. Cunningham, Elkins, Randolph Co.
Miss Fannie Eagan, Hinton, Summers Co.
Miss Maude Groves, Deepwell, Nicholas Co.
Miss Lily Hagans, Morgantown, Monongalia Co.
Rex Hoke, Second Creek, Monroe Co.
Mrs. E. A. Hunt, Belington, Barbour Co.
Miss Sallie D. Jones, Hillsboro, Pocahontas Co.
Miss Lalah Lovett, Bulltown, Braxton Co.
J. Harrison Miller, Wardens ville, Hardy Co.
Mrs. W. M. Parker, Hinton, Summers Co.
George Paugh, Thomas, Tucker Co.
Miss Mabel Richards, Fairmont, Marion Co.
Mrs. Hilary G. Richardson, Clarksburg, Harrison Co.
Miss Elizabeth Sarver, West Liberty, Ohio Co.
E. C. Smith, Weston, Lewis Co.
Fred M. Smith, Glen ville, Gilmer Co.
W. H. S. White, Piedmont, Mineral Co.
J. H. C.
ABBREVIATIONS
Barry: Phillips Barry, Ancient British Ballads [etc.]. [A privately printed list.]
Belden: H. M. Belden, A Partial List of Song- Ballads and Other Popular Poetry known in Missouri. Second Edition. [1910.]
Brown: F. C. Brown, Ballad- Literature in North Carolina. Reprinted from Pro- ceedings and Addresses of the Fifteenth Annual Session of the Literary and Historical Association of North Carolina, December 1-2, 1914.
Bulletin: The Virginia Folk-lore Society, Bulletin.
Campbell and Sharp: Olive Dame Campbell and Cecil J. Sharp, English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians. New York, 1914.
Child : Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads. Boston, [1883 ff J.
Cox: John Harrington Cox, contributions to The West Virginia School Journal and Educator. Morgan town.
Gray: Roland Palmer Gray, Songs and Ballads of the Maine Lumberjacks with Other Songs from Maine. Cambridge, 1924.
Jones : Bertrand L. Jones, Folk-Lore in Michigan . Reprint from Kalamazoo Nor- mal Record, May, 1914, Western State Normal School, Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Journal: The Journal of American Folk-Lore.
Lomax: John A. Lomax, Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads. New York, 1910, 1922.
McGill: Josephine McGill, Folk-Songs of the Kentucky Mountains. New York, copyright 191 7.
Mackenzie: W. Roy Mackenzie, The Quest of the Ballad, Princeton, 1919.
Pound (with page reference only) : Louise Pound, Folk-Song of Nebraska and the Central West, A Syllabus. Nebraska Academy of Sciences, Publications, Vol. IX, No. 3.
Pound (with number reference), or Pound, Ballads: Louise Pound, American Ballads and Songs. New York [1922].
Shearin and Combs: Hubert G. Shearin and Josiah H. Combs, A Syllabus of Kentucky Folk-Songs. (Transylvania Studies in English, II.) Lexington, Kentucky, 191 1.
Shoemaker: Henry W. Shoemaker, North Pennsylvania Minstrelsy. Altoona, Pennsylvania, 191 9.
Smith: C. Alphonso Smith, Ballads Surviving in the United States. Reprinted from the January, iqi6, Musical Quarterly.
Wyman and Brockway: lonesome Tunes, Folk-Songs from the Kentucky Moun- tains. The Words collected and edited by Loraine Wyman ; the Pianoforte Accompaniment by Howard Brockway. New York [1916].
V
Folk-Songs of the South
LADY ISABEL AND THE ELF KNIGHT
(Child, No. 4)
This ballad is known in West Virginia as "Pretty Polly," "Six Kings' Daugh- ters," "The King's Daughter," "The False Lover," and "The Salt-Water Sea." Nine variants have been recovered.
For American variants see Child, m, 496 (Virginia; from Babcock, FjulhrLore Journal, vn, 28) ; Journal, xvni, 132 (Barry; Massachusetts) ; xrx, 232 (Belden; Missouri); xxn, 65 (Beatty; Wisconsin), 76 (Barry; New Jersey, tune only), 374 (Barry; Massachusetts; from Ireland; also readings from other texts); xxhi, 374 (Mackenzie; Nova Scotia; cf. Quest of the Ballad, pp. 93, 174, 183); xxrv, 2)33, 344 (Barry; Massachusetts and Illinois; from Irish sources); xxvn, 90 (Gardner; Michigan); xxviii, 148 (Perrow; North Carolina); xxxv, ^ (Tolman and Eddy; Ohio); Wyman and Brockway, p. 82 (Kentucky); Camp- bell and Sharp, No. 2 (Massachusetts, North Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia); Focus, rv, 161, 212 (Virginia); Child MSS., xxi, 4 (4, 6); Minish MS. (North Carolina). In Charley Fox's MinstreVs Companion (Philadelphia, Turner & Fisher), p. 52, may be found "Tell-Tale Polly. Comic Ballad. (As sung by Charley Fox.) "
For references to American versions, see Journal, xxrx, 156, note, 157; xxx, 286. Add Shearin and Combs, p. 7; Bulletin, Nos. 6-10. For recent British references see Journal, xxxv, 338; Campbell and Sharp, p. 323.
"Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mr. George Paugh, Thomas, Tucker County, August 28, 1915; dictated by Mrs. S. R. Paugh.
1 He followed me up, he followed me down,
He followed me into my room ; I had n't the heart to speak one word,
Nor the tongue to say him nay, nay, nay, Nor the tongue to say him nay.
2 "Go gather up your father's gold,
Likewise your mother's fee, Two of your father's best horses,
That ride for thirty and three, three, three, That ride for thirty and three."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
3 She mounted on the pony 1 brown,
And him on the bible 2 bay; They rode along the salt-water sea
This lonesome, long summer's day, day, day, This lonesome long summer's day.
4 At last he said, " Get you down,
Get you down, my Pretty Polly; 3 For here I have drowned six kings' daughters, And you the seventh shall be, be, be, And you the seventh shall be."
5 "Take off, take off those costly robes
And hang them on yonders tree, For they are too fine and costly
To swim in the salt-water sea, sea, sea, To swim in the salt-water sea."
6 "O turn your body round and about,
And your face to the leaves on the tree, For a naked woman is the awfullest sight For all sorts of men for to see, see, see, For all sorts of men for to see."
7 He turned his body around and about,
His face to the leaves in the tree; She picked him up so manfully
And dashed him to the bottom of the sea, sea, sea, And dashed him to the bottom of the sea.
8 " O help, O help, my Pretty Polly !
O help!" said he; "For if ever I again recover. To you I '11 faithful be, be, be, To you I'll faithful be."
9 "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me ! Here you have drowned six kings' daughters, But I the seventh won't be, be, be, But I the seventh won't be."
i. Probably for bonny. 2. Probably for dapple.
3. Variant line: " Get you down, get you down," said he.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
10 She mounted upon the pony brown And led the bible bay, And arrived at home at her father's house
Just three hours before 't was day, day, day, Just three hours before 't was day.
n She placed back her father's gold, Likewise her mother's fee, And two of her father's best horses,
That ride to thirty and three, three, three, That ride to thirty and three.
12 Up rose the pretty little parrot,
Which in its cage did stay, Saying, "What are you doing, my Pretty Polly, So long before it is day, day, day, So long before it is day?"
13 "Get you down, get you down, my pretty parrot,
And tell no tales on me, And your cage shall be made of the hard witten * gold, And your door of ivory-ry-ry, And your door of ivory."
14 Up rose this good old man,
Who in his chamber lay, Saying, "What are you doing, my pretty parrot, So long before it is day, day, day, So long before it is day?"
15 "There were three cats at my cage door,
A- trying their vengeance on me; I was just a-calling Pretty Polly,
To drive those cats away, 'way, 'way, To drive those cats away."
1. Probably for beaten.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
"Six Kings' Daughters." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fair- mont, Marion County, July, 191 5; obtained from Mr. G. W. Cunningham, Elkins, Randolph County, who learned it shortly after the Civil War from Laban White, Dry Fork. Printed by Cox, xliv, 269.
1 He followed me up, he followed me down,
And he followed me into the room; I had not the power to speak one word, Nor a tongue to answer nay.
2 "Go bring me some of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee, And I will take you to Scotland, And there I'll marry thee."
3 She brought him some of her father's gold
And some of her mother's fee; She took him to her father's barnyard, Where the horses stood thirty and three.
4 "Mount on, mount on that pretty, pretty brown,
And I on the dapple gray; And we will ride through some long, lonesome woods, Three long hours before it is day."
5 She mounted on the pretty, pretty brown,
And he on the dapple gray; They rode on through some long, lonesome woods, Till they came to the salt-water sea.
6 " Mount off, mount off your pretty, pretty brown,
And I off the dapple gray; For six kings' daughters have I drowned here, And you the seventh shall be."
7 "O hush your tongue, you rag- villain!
0 hush your tongue!" said she; "You promised to take me to Scotland And there to marry me."
8 "Haul off, haul those fine clothing,
Haul off, haul off," said he; "For they are too costly and too fine, To be rotted all in the sea."
MR. GEORGE W. CUNNINGHAM
Elkins, Randolph County
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
9 "Well, turn your face toward the sea, Your back likewise to me, For it does not become a rag- villain A naked woman for to see."
10 He turned his face toward the sea, His back likewise to me; I picked him up all in my arms And plunged him into the sea.
ii "O help, come help, my little Aggie! Come help, I crave of thee, And all the vows I 've made unto you, I will double them twice and three."
12 "Lie there, lie there, thou rag- villain,
Lie there instead of me; For six kings' daughters have you drowned here, And yourself the seventh shall be."
13 I mounted on the pretty brown
And led the dapple gray; I rode home to my own father's barn, Two long hours before it was day.
14 "O what is the matter, my little Aggie,
That you call so long before day?" "I've been to drown the false-hearted man That strove to drown poor me."
15 "O hold your tongue, my little parrot,
And tell no tales on me, And your cage shall be made of the brightest bit of gold, And your wings of pure ivory."
16 "0 what is the matter, my little parrot,
That you call so long before day?" "A cat came to my cage door,
And strove to weary off * me, And I called upon my little Aggie
To come and drive it away."
1. For worry of: cf. Child, C, 17.
8 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
"Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mrs. Anna Copley, Shoals, Wayne County, December 19, 1915; dictated by her cousin Mr. Burwell Luther, who learned it from his mother about fifty years ago. Mrs. Luther's name was Julia Stephenson. She learned it from her mother, whose maiden name was Peyton. The Peytons were English and the Stephensons were Highland Scotch. The Luthers and Stephensons have lived in Wayne County for over a century, the latter having come from Georgia.
1 He followed me up and he followed me down.
He followed me all the day; I had not the power to speak one word, Or a tongue to answer nay.
2 " Go bring me some of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee, And I will take you to fair Scotland, And there I'll marry thee."
3 She brought him some of her father's gold
And some of her mother's fee; She took him to her father's barn,
Where the horses stood thirty and three.
4 " Mount on, mount on that brownie, brownie bay,
And I on the dapple gray, And we '11 ride away through the lonesome woods Three long hours before it is day."
5 She mounted on the brownie, brownie bay,
And he on the dapple gray, And they rode away through the lonesome woods Till they came to the deep blue sea.
6 "Dismount, dismount from your brownie, brownie bay,
And I off the dapple gray; Six pretty fair maids I have drowned here And the seventh one you shall be."
7 "0 hold your tongue, you villain!" she said,
"O hold your tongue!" said she; "You promised to take me to bonny Scotland And there to marry me."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
8 "Take off, take off those fine clothing,
Take off, take off," said he; "For they are too costly and too fine To be rotted in the sea."
9 "O turn your body round and about
To view the leaves on the tree; 'T is a pity such a villain as you A naked woman should see."
10 He turned his body round and about To view the leaves on the tree; She clasped him tight in her arms so white And plunged him into the sea.
n "Lie there, lie there, you villain," she said, "Lie there instead of me! Six pretty fair maids you have drowned here, And the seventh one has drowned thee."
12 She jumped upon her brownie, brownie bay
And led the dappled gray, And she returned home to her father's house, Two long hours before it was day.
13 "0 where have you been, my pretty Collin,
So long before it is day?" "I have been to drown that false-hearted man, That strove to drown poor me."
14 "0 hold your tongue, my pretty Polly,
Don't tell no tales on me, And your cage shall be made of glittering gold, Instead of the greenwood tree."
15 "The old cat came to my cage door,
Intending to weary * me, And I had to call on pretty Collin, To drive the old cat away."
16 "Well turned, well turned, my pretty little bird,
Well turned, well turned!" said she; "And your nest shall be made of leaves of gold, Instead of the green willow tree."
1. For worry.
io FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
T>
"Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mrs. Elizabeth Tapp Peck, Morgan- town, Monongalia County, March 31, 1916; obtained from her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Wade Mack, who learned it in her youth while living near Bethel Church.
1 He followed her up, he followed her down,
In the bedchamber where she lay, And she had not the wings of a dove for to fly, Nor the tongue for to say nay, nay.
2 Said he, "Take all your father's beaten gold,
And put on your mother's shoes, And take two of the best horses in your father's stable, Wherein lie thirty and three."
3 She mounted on the bonny brown,
And he on the dapple gray, And they rode till they came to the green river's side, Three long hours before it was day.
4 "Take off, take off that silken gown
And hand it unto me, For it is too rich and costly
To rotten in the salt, salt sea."
"For six king's daughters have I drowned here, And the seventh one you shall be."
6 Then she mounted on the bonny brown
And led the dapple gray, And she rode till she came to her own father's door, One long hour before it was day.
7 Then up spoke the pretty parrot
From the cage wherein she lay, Saying, "What is the matter with my pretty Polly, That she's traveling so long before day?"
8 "Lie still, lie still, my pretty parrot,
And tell no tales on me, And your cage shall be lined with my father's beaten gold, And be hung in the green willow tree."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 1 1
9 Then up spoke the old man himself
From the bedchamber where he lay, Saying, "What is the matter with my pretty parrot, That she's chattering so long before day?"
10 "The old cat came to my cage door And said she would murder me, And I had to call to the Pretty Polly To drive the old cat away."
" Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mr. Rex Hoke. Second Creek, Monroe County, November 8, 1915; obtained from Mrs. L. F. Hoke, who learned it about forty years ago from Mr. Wise W. Lively. Printed by Cox, XLV, 240.
1 He followed her up and he followed her down,,
And he followed her into the room; He never give her time for her to turn herself around, Nor time for to say nay. nay, nay, Nor time for to say nay.
2 "'Go take a part of your father's gold
And a part of your mother's fee; Go take two of your father's best horses,
In where there's thirty and three, three, three, In where there's thirty and three."
3 She took a part of her father's gold
And a part of her mother's fee; She took two of her father's best horses,
In where there's thirty and three, three, three, In where there's thirty and three.
4 She mounted herself on the barney 1 bright,
And he on the iron gray; They rode till they came to the salt-water sea, At the end of the long summer day, day, day, At the end of the long summer day.
5 "Mount off, mount off, my Pretty Polly,
Mount off, mount off, I tell thee; I 've drowned six of the king's daughters here, 0 you the seventh shall be, be, be, 0 you the seventh shall be.
1. Probably for bonny black: cf. I, 1.
1 2 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
6 "Take off, take off that silk so fine
And lay it down to me, For it was never intended silk so fine To rot in the salt-water sea, sea, sea, To rot in the salt-water sea."
7 "You turn your eyes all around and about
And onto the leaves of the tree; For you are not a fitten man
An undressed woman for to see, see, see, An undressed woman for to see."
8 He turned his eyes around and about
And onto the leaves of the tree; She caught him around the waist so slim,
And she tripped him in the salt-water sea, sea, sea, And she tripped him in the salt-water sea.
9 " Come help, come help, my Pretty Polly,
Come help, come help, I beg thee! And I will take you to old Scotland,
And there I will marry thee, thee, thee."
io "Lie there, lie there, my false-hearted man, Lie there instead of me ! You drowned six of the king's daughters there, O you the seventh shall be, be, be, O you the seventh shall be."
1 1 She mounted herself on the barney bright
And led the iron gray; She rode till she came to her father's hall,
Two long hours before it was day, day, day, Two long hours before it was day.
12 Up spoke, up spoke her little parrot bird:
"Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly," said she, "Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, what are you doing So long before it is day, day, day, So long before it is day?"
13 "Lie still, lie still, my pretty parrot bird,
And keep this secret on me ! I '11 build you a cage and I '11 line it with gold,
And I '11 hang it on a sweet willow tree, tree, tree, And I'll hang it on a sweet willow tree."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 13
F
-"The King's Daughter," or, "The False Lover." Communicated by Miss Mildred Joy Barker, Morgantown, Monongalia County, October 2, 1916; ob- tained from her mother, whose family came to Monongalia County before the Revolution. Its members have known the ballad for many years.
1 "O come with me, my fair, fair lad,
And we'll sail over the sea; We'll sail to bonny Scotland,
And there you will marry me, me, me, And there you will marry me.
2 "If you will steal your father's gold,
Likewise your mother's fee, I '11 take you over to old Scotland,
And there '11 1 marry thee, thee, thee, And there I'll marry thee."
3 "0 1 have stole my father's gold,
Likewise my mother's fee, And two of the best horses in my father's stable, Wherein stand thirty and three, three, three, Wherein stand thirty and three."
4 She mounted on the milk-white steed,
And he upon the bay; And they rode till they came to the salt, salt sea, Three long hours before it was day, day, day, Three long hours before it was day.
5 "Light off, light off, my pretty fair maid,
Light off, light off! " said he; "For six king's daughters have I drowned here, And you the seventh shall be, be, be, And you the seventh shall be."
6 " O, turn yourself three times around,
And look to yonder tree." . . .
7 She gathered him up in her lily-white arms, And cast him into the sea, sea, sea, And cast him into the sea.
14 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
8 "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted knight,
Lie there, lie there instead of me ! . For you promised to take me to old Scotland, And there you 'd marry me, me. me, And there you'd marry me."
9 She mounted on her milk-white steed
And home she led the bay; She rode till she came to her own father's stable, One long hour before it was day, day, day. One long hour before it was day.
io The king cried out from his silken couch, In the bower where he lay, "O what has disturbed my pretty parrot So long before it is day, day, day, So long before it is day?"
ii "Hush up, hush up, my pretty parrot, And tell no lies on me, And your cage shall be made of yellow beaten gold, And hung on yon willow tree, tree, tree, And hung on yon willow tree."
"The Salt-Water Sea." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fair- mont, Marion County, December, 1916; obtained from Mr. George Gregg, Durbin, Pocahontas County. He got it from his mother, who learned it when a child.
12 She rode upon her bonny, bonny brown, And he on the dapple gray; They rode till they came to the salt-water sea.
13 "It is here, it is here," said he,
"It is here I have drowned six kings' daughters, And the seventh one you shall be, be, be, And the seventh one you shall be.
14 "Pull off that costly robe of yours,
And hang it on yonder tree, For such a costly robe," said he,
"Cannot be rot in the salt-water sea, sea, sea, Cannot be rot in the salt-water sea."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 1 5
15 "Turn, turn your back to the salt-water sea,
For to gaze on yonder throne; For such a villain as you never can see, A handsome lady for to see, see, see."
16 He turned his back to the salt-water sea,
For to gaze on yonder throne; She picked him up in her arms so strong, And she threw him into the sea, sea, sea.
17 "Some help, some help, my pretty Polly,
Some help, some help!" said he, "And if I get on shore again, I sure will marry thee."
18 "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted lover,
Lie there, lie there!" said she; "For it is here you have drowned six kings' daughters, And the seventh one you shall be, be, be, And the seventh one you shall be."
19 She mounted upon her bonny, bonny brown,
And she led the dapple gray; She rode all along the most lonesome road, Three hours before it was day, day, day.
20 She rode till she came to her father's house,
Which was in sight of town, And down she jumped and in she slipped
And shut the gates all round, round, round, And shut the gates all round.
H
"Pretty Polly." Communicated by Miss Lucile V. Hays, Glenville, Gilmer County, November, 19 16; obtained from her mother, who could recall it in part only.
(The lover comes and the elopement is planned.)
(They go to the stable where there are thirty-and-three horses and take two.)
1 She mounted on the bonnie, bonnie brown, And he on the dappled gray, And away they rode from her father's house, Before the break of day.
(They rode until they came to the sea.)
<
1 6 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
2 "Take off, take off those diamonds fair
And give them unto me, For is n't it a shame such jewels as those, Should lie with you in the sea?"
3 "Take off, take off that pretty silk dress
And hang it upon yon tree, For is n't it a shame such . . . Should lie with you in the sea?"
4 "Turn your face to the tree of the wood
And your back to the bank of the sea, For it does not become any young man A naked woman's body for to see."
5 He turned his face to the tree of the wood
And his back to the bank of the sea, And manfully she took him in her arms And tripped him into the sea,
6 Saying, "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me! For you promised to take me to St. Mary's, And there you would marry me."
7 Then she mounted on the bonnie, bonnie brown
And led the dappled gray, And away she rode to her father's house, Before the break of day.
8 "Hold your tongue, my pretty parrot bird,
Don't tell any tales on me, And your cage shall be made of yellow beaten gold, And the doors of ivory."
/
"Six Kings' Daughters." Communicated by Miss Mabel Richards, Fair- mont, Marion County, October, 1915; obtained from Mrs. P. J. Long, who learned it from Mrs. Katherine Zinn, Monongalia County.
1 He helped her on the bonny, bonny black And himself on the dappled gray, And away they went through the green fields and trees, Till they came to the brink of the sea, O sea, Till they came to the brink of the sea.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 17
2 " Light off, light off, you fair lady,
Pull off this shining gown, For 't is too fine and costly
To rot in the waves of the sea, O sea."
3 " You've drowned six king's daughters here,
Yourself the seventh shall be ; You 've drowned six king's daughters here, And your body shall lie in the sea, O sea, And your body shall lie in the sea."
4 She turned herself around and about
To gaze on the leaves of the tree; She picked him up as many x as she could And plunged him into the sea, O sea, And plunged him into the sea.
5 "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted knight;
This ain't what you promised me: You promised me to fair Scotland we 'd go, And married we would be, O be, And married we would be."
6 She helped herself on the bonny, bonny black
And led the dappled gray, And away she went from the green fields and trees, And she rode three hours before day, O day, And she rode three hours before day.
1. For manly or manfully: Cf. H, 5, A, 7.
1 8 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
2 EARL BRAND
(Child, No. 7)
One version only of this ballad has been recovered in West Virginia, under the title of "The Seven Sleepers." A comparison with the Child versions shows that it follows most nearly B.
For American texts see Barry, Modern Language Notes, xxv, 104 (New Hamp- shire); Perrow, Journal, xxvin, 152 (North Carolina); Campbell and Sharp, No. 3 (North Carolina, Georgia) ; Mackenzie, p. 60 (Nova Scotia) ; Minish MS. (North Carolina). Cf. F. C. Brown, p. 9; Shearin and Combs, p. 7; Reed Smith, Journal, xxvin, 200; Bulletin, Nos. 2, 4-6, 10.
"The Seven Sleepers." Communicated by Mr. J. Harrison Miller, Wardens- ville, Hardy County, January 29, 1916; obtained from his mother, who learned it when a girl from Scotch Roach. Reported by Cox, xlv, 160 (Journal, xxrx, 400); printed, xlvi, 83.
1 Wake up, wake up, my seven sleepers,
And do beware of me; O do take care of your oldest daughter, For the youngest is going with me.
2 Wake up, wake up, my seven bold sons,
Put your armor on so bright; O it shall never be said that a daughter of mine Shall be with Sweet William all night.
3 He mounted a roan,1 she a milk-white steed,
Whilst himself upon a dapple gray; He drew his buckles down by his side, And away he went riding away.
4 He rode, he rode, he better had ' a ' rode,
Along with his lady so gay, Until he saw her seven brothers bold, And her father a-walking so nice.
5 "Get you down, get you down, Lady Margaret,"
he said, "And hold my steed for a while; While I fight your seven brothers bold, And your father a-walking so nice."
6 She held, she held, she better had ' a ' held,
And never shed a tear,
1. A corruption for "He mounted her on."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 1 9
Until she saw her seven brothers fall, And her father she loved so well.
7 "Hold your hand, hold your hand, Sweet William/' she said,
"Hold your hand, hold your hand for a while; O it 's a many, a many a sweetheart I could have had, But a father I'll never have no more."
8 "You can choose for to go," Sweet William he said,
"You can choose for to go or stay." "I'll go, I'll go, Sweet William, you know, For you've left me without any guard."
9 He mounted a roan, she a milk-white steed,
Whilst himself upon a dapple gray; He drew his buckles down by his side, And away he went bleeding away.
10 He rode, he rode, he better had 'a' rode,
Along with his lady so gay, Until he came to his own mother's house, And a mother she was to him.
11 " O mother, O mother, O make my bed,
Make it both long and wide,
And lay my lady down at my side."
12 Sweet William he died before midnight, Lady Margaret before it was day; And the old lady died for the loss of her son, And there were eleven lives lost.
20 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
THE TWA SISTERS
(Child, No. io)
Three variants of this ballad have been found in West Virginia, two with the title, "The Miller's Two Daughters," and one with no title (cf. Cox, xlv, 159). A tells a complete story in which Johnny Ray loves the younger sister and buys her a gay gold ring and a beaver hat. The elder is jealous and pushes her sister into the stream, in which she floats down to her father's dam and is drowned. He drags her out and robs her. The father is hanged on the gallows and the sister is burned at the stake. B is fragmentary and the story is somewhat con- fused. There are three or four daughters of an "old lady," in which detail it agrees with C. The gift of the beaver hat is omitted. All three belong to the group represented by Child R, S, U, and Y, as is shown in particular by the refrain, the beaver hat, and the wicked miller. A freak of tradition in A makes him the father of the two sisters, and this relationship is involved in the title of B.
For American texts see Child, 1, 137 (Long Island, New York); Journal, xvm, 130 (Barry; Rhode Island and Maine); xix, 233 (Belden; Missouri and Kentucky) ; xxx, 287 (Missouri, Nebraska) ; Campbell and Sharp, No. 4 (North Carolina, Virginia) ; Sharp, Folk-Songs of English Origin Collected in the Appala- chian Mountains, 2d Series, p. 18 (same as Campbell and Sharp, No. 4 C, but with stanzas from other variants). For references see Campbell and Sharp, p. 323; Kittredge, Journal, xxx, 286. Add Bulletin, Nos. 6-8.
"The Miller's Two Daughters." Communicated by Miss Mabel Richards, Fairmont, Marion County, October, 1915; obtained from Mrs. John Hood, who learned it about forty-seven years ago. Printed by Cox, xliv, 428, 441.
1 The miller's two daughters brisk and gay,
Sing lie down, sing lie down; The miller's two daughters brisk and gay, The young one belonged to Johnny Ray,
And I '11 be kind to my true love,
Because he 's kind to me.
2 Johnny bought the young one a gay gold ring, The old one swore she had n't a thing.
3 Johnny bought the young one a beaver hat, The old one swore she did n't like that.
4 The miller's two daughters walking along the stream, The old one pushed the young one in.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 21
5 "O dear sister, give me your hand, And you shall have my house and land.
' 6 "O dear sister, give me your glove,
And you shall have my own true love."
7 Sometimes she sank and sometimes she swam, And she was drowned in her father's dam.
8 The father drew her near the shore And robbed her of her golden ore.
9 The father was hanged on the gallows so high, And the sister was burned at the stake near by.
®
"The Miller's Two Daughters." Contributed by Mr. Wallie Barnett, Leon, Mason County, 191 5. He learned it from his mother, who does not remember where she got it.
1 There was an old woman who lived near the seashore,
Bow down; There was an old lady who lived near the seashore,
Bow and bend to me; There was an old lady who lived near the seashore, She had some daughters three or four,
I '11 be true to my love,
My love will be true to me.
2 "O sister, O sister, let us walk the seashore, And watch the boats as they sail o'er."
3 The elder one pushed the younger one o'er, As they were watching the boats sail o'er.
4 "O sister, O sister, please lend me your hand, And I will bring you safe to dry land."
5 "I'll neither lend you my hand nor my glove, For all that you want is my own true love."
6
She drifted down to the miller's dam.
The miller threw out his drifting hook And brought this lady from the brook.
22 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
No local title. Communicated by Mr. S. M. Kelley, Suter, Pennsylvania, 1919; collected in West Virginia.
1 There lived an old lady in the North Country,
The bough has been to me; There lived an old lady, in the North Country, She had daughters one, two, three,
True to my love,
My love be true to me.
2 There came a young man a-courting there, And he made choice of the youngest there.
3 He made her a present of a beaver hat, The oldest thought a heap of that.
4 "O sister, O sister, give my hand,
And I will give you my house and land."
5 "I will not give you my hand, But I will marry that young man."
6 The miller picked up his drop hook, And then he fished her out of the brook.
7 The miller got her ring,
The miller pushed her back again.
8 The miller was hung at his mill gate For drowning my sister Kate.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 23
4 LORD RANDAL
(Child, No. 12)
Twelve variants have been recovered in West Virginia, under the titles "Lord Randal," "Johnny Randolph," "Johnny Randal," "Johnny Ramsey," and "Johnny Reeler." A, B, C, D, and E, are all fine vigorous ballads, telling prac- tically the same story, except in E, where the hero has been to visit his sister. In A the lover has been to the greenwood, spent the night with his true-love, and had for supper fried eels and fresh butter. In form and content, it is most like Child A, but verbal similarities and the refrain connect it with Child B, D, E, and F. B resembles most closely Child B, but shows other relations. The refrain is similar to that of Child H. The title is no doubt due to the fame of John Randolph of Virginia. C is so similar in arrangement and diction to B that further comment is unnecessary. D, while not so complete as B and C, belongs to the same group. E shows many variations from the preceding ballads. The name "Henry" suggests the "King Henry" of Child C. The red, black, and yellow poison may be an echo from Child B. "Ropes to hang her" suggests Child B and I. The statement that he had been to his sister's may be a corrup- tion for grandmother's or stepmother's. Cf . Child I, J, K, L, M, N, and O. The remaining variants are more or less incomplete and need no special comment. C was printed by Cox, xlv, 266.
Scores of variants have been collected in this country, and new copies keep coming in from various states: see references in Journal, xxix, 157; xxx, 289; xxxv, 339- Add Shoemaker, p. 123; Pound, No. 1; Bulletin, Nos. 7-10.
"Lord Randal." Contributed by Miss Polly McKinney, Sophia, Randolph County, February 2, 1916, who writes: "I am sending it to you as I learned it from my aunt. My grandmother says Lord Randal's name was William V and that the song is sometimes sung ' 0 William, my son/ instead of 'Lord Randal.' "
1 "O where have you been, Lord Randal, my son?
O where have you been, my handsome young man?" "I ha' been to the greenwood; mother, make my bed soon, For I'm wearied wi' hunting, and would freely lie down."
2 " Where did you stay last night, Lord Randal, my son?
Where did you stay last night, my handsome young man?" "I stayed wi' my true-love; mother, make my bed soon, For I'm wearied wi' hunting, and would freely lie down."
3 " What did you eat for your supper, Lord Randal, my son?
What did you eat for your supper, my handsome young man? ' ' "Fried eels and fresh butter; mother, make my bed soon, For I'm sick to my heart, and would freely lie down."
24 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
4 "What do you will to your father?" "A dead son to bury."
5 "What do you will to your mother?" "My trunk full of money."
6 "What do you will to your brother?" "My land and my houses."
7 "What do you will to your sister?" "My town in yon island."
8 "What do you will to your uncle?" "My horses and saddle."
9 "What do you will to your sweetheart?" "A rope for to hang her." %£$£{£„
2
"Johnny Randolph." Communicated from Mr. Harrison Miller, Wardens- ville, Hardy County, January 24, 19 16; obtained from his mother; learned from Susan Stewart; she, from her stepfather, John Jennings, who came from Eng- land.
'O where have you been, Johnny Randolph, my son?
O where have you been, my dear little one?" ' I 've been courting my sweetheart; mother, make my bed soon,
I've a pain at my heart, and I want to lie down."
'Have you had your supper?" 'Yes, I've had my supper."
'What did you have for your supper?" 'Fried eels in fresh butter."
'What color was the eel?" )uA - 'Yellow and black spotted."
'What do you will to your father?" 'My farm and utensils."
'What do you will to your mother?" 'My house and my household."
'What do you will to your brother?" 'Horse, saddle, and bridle."
8 "What do you will to your sister?" 'The fairest in heaven."
'What do you will to your sweetheart?" 'Brimstone and hell-fire."
-
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 25
c
"Lord Randal." Contributed by Miss Ada Keith, Harrisville, Ritchie County, December 14, 191 5; learned from Mrs. Olive Rexwood, who learned it from her brother, George W. Hardman; all of Ritchie County.
1 aO where ha' you been, Lord Randal, my son?
O where ha' you been, my handsome young man?" "I ha' been out courting pretty Polly; mother, make my bed soon, For I ha' a pain in my heart, and I want to lie down."
2 "Ha' you had your supper?" "Yes, I've had my supper."
3 "What did you ha' for your supper?". "I had fresh eels fried in butter."
'Do you think you will die?" 'Yes, I think I will die."
5 "What do you will to your father?" "I will him house and dwelling."
"What do you will to your brother?" "I will him horse, saddle, and bridle."
:
"What do you will to your sister?" "I will her sweet heaven."
8 "What do you will to your true-love, Lord Randal, my son? What do you will to your true-love, my handsome young man?" "I will her hell's fire and brimstone to scorch her so brown; She 's the cause of this pain in my heart, and I want to lie down."
<D
"Johnnie Randal." Communicated by Mr. George Paugh, Thomas, Tucker County, January 10, 1916; obtained from Mrs. S. R. Paugh, who learned it about forty years previous from Mike Hedrick, while living near Spruce Moun- tain in Pendleton County.
1 "Where have you been, Johnnie Randal, my son? . . . my dear little one? " "To see my sweetheart; mother, make my bed soon, I've a pain at my heart, and I want to lie down."
26 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
2 "What did you have for your supper?" ' Fried eels and butter."
'What do you will to your mother?" 'A home in bright heaven."
'What do you will to your father?" 'My farm and my cattle."
5 "What do you will to your brothers?" 'My horse and my saddle."
6 "What do you will to your sisters?" 'My cottage."
7 "What do you will to your sweetheart, Johnnie Randal, my son? . . . my dear little one?"
'Hell's fire and brimstone, dear mother, to scorch her bones brown; She 's the cause of this pain at my heart, and I want to lie down."
No local title. Communicated by Mr, W. H. S. White, Piedmont, Mineral County, January 28, 1916; obtained from Miss Gertrude Shapiro, who got it from her mother.
1 "Where have you been all day, Henry, my son?
Where have you been all day, my loving one?" "Up sister's, up sister's; make my bed soon,
For there's a pain in my side, and I must lie down and die."
2 "What did she give you there? " "Poison, poison."
3 "What color was the poison? "
"Red, black, yellow, red, black, yellow."
4 "What will you leave for father?" "Watch and chain, watch and chain."
5 "What will you leave for mother?" "Silk and satin, silk and satin."
6 "What will you leave for brother? " "Toys, toys."
1 « • , «
< 4
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 27
7 "What will you leave for baby? "
"A kiss from Henry, a kiss from Henry."
8 "What will you leave for sister?" "Ropes to hang her, ropes to hang her."
No local title. Contributed by Mrs. Anna Copley, Shoals, Wayne County, January 28, 1916, who has known it ever since she was a child.
1 "Where have you been, Willie, O Willie, my son?
Where have you been, my fair and pretty one?" "I have been to see my true-love; mother, make my bed soon, For I'm sick at my heart, and I want to lie down."
2 "Where have you been, Willie, O Willie, my son?
Where have you been, my fair and pretty one?" "I have been to see my true-love; mother, make my bed soon, For I believe I am dying, and I want to lie down." i> t
3 "What '11 you will to your father, O Willie, my son?
What '11 you will to your father, my fair and pretty one? " "My land and money; mother, make my bed soon, For I'm sick at my heart, and I want to lie down."
4 "What '11 you will to your mother?" "My bed and my clothing."
5 "What '11 you will to your brother? " "My horse and my buggy."
9
"Johnny Randolph." Communicated by Miss Lily Hagans, Morgantown, Monongalia County, January 20, 1916; obtained from Mrs. Beulah Bay Richey, who learned it from her mother, a member of the Caldwell family of Wheeling, a family of Irish descent who came to Wheeling before the Revolution. A frag- ment of four stanzas.
H
"Johnny Ramsey." Communicated by Miss Margaret Richards, Fairmont, Marion County, April 26, 1916; obtained from Mrs. Lawrence Roby, Lowes- ville. A fragment in five stanzas in which Johnny Ramsey has been out with his dogs and had cold cakes and warm coffee for dinner.
28 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
"Lord Randal." Communicated by Mr. Harold Staats, Ripley, Jackson County, July, 192 1, who writes: "This song is given in the diary of my great- great-grandfather, Abraham Staats, as sung by the early pioneers in Jackson County. I have heard it sung by different people, especially in the country. A fragment in five stanzas, in which the hero has had a cup of poison and wills to his sweetheart "Ten thousand weights of brimstone to burn her bones brown."
y
"Lord Randal." Communicated by Mr. S. M. Kelley, Suter, Pennsylvania, July, 192 1, but collected in West Virginia. A fragment in five stanzas, almost exactly like variant I.
"Johnny Reeler." Communicated by Mr. C. R. Bishop, Green Bank, Poca- hontas County, 1921; obtained from Miss Blanche Patterson, from Mrs. Dora Moomau, who learned it at school in Timberville, Virginia. A fragment in six stanzas, in which Johnny has for supper " Fresh seals fried in butter."
No local title. Contributed by Mrs. Hilary G. Richardson, Clarksburg, Har- rison County, December 7, 191 7, as sung by a colored servant forty years pre- vious. One stanza, in which the hero is called "my little rambling son."
1
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 29
5
THE CRUEL MOTHER <&<$taak^ ^
(Child, No. 20)
Three variants have been recovered in West Virginia under the titles, "Down by the Greenwood Side," and "The Greenwood Siding" (see Cox, xlv, 159). A is an excellent version, following Child E in most details. B is confused at the beginning and one verse of stanza 4 is missing. In the main it agrees clearly with Child C. The only thing in variant C that may be of help in determining its relationship is the last line: "You shall be keeper of hell's gates." Cf. Child, I, 15: "Seven years a porter in hell," and Child, K, 7: "And seven years a porter in hell."
For American texts see Mackenzie, Journal, xxv, 183 (Nova Scotia; also Quest, p. 104) ; McGill, p. 83 (Kentucky) ; Campbell and Sharp, No. 9 (North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia) ; Sharp, Folk-Songs of English Origin Collected in the Appalachian Mountains, 2d Series, p. 2 (Kentucky) ; Jones, p. 5 (South Carolina by way of Kentucky) ; Journal of the Folk-Song Society, 11, 109 (Kentucky). For other references see Journal, xxx, 293.
"Down by the Greenwood Side." Communicated by Mrs. Hilary G. Rich- ardson, Clarksburg, Harrison County, March 15, 19 16; obtained from Mrs. Rachel Fogg, originally from Doddridge County, who learned it from her mother, and she from her mother. Printed by Mrs. Richardson, Journal, xxxii, 503, and by Cox, xlvi, 65.
1 There was a lady lived in York,
Ha liley and loney; She fell in love with her father's clerk, Down by the greenwood side.
2 She loved him up and she loved him down, She loved him till she filled her arms.
3 She placed her foot against an oak, First it bent and then it broke.
4 Then she placed her foot against a thorn, There those two little babes were born.
5 She pulled a knife both keen and sharp
And thrust those two little babes to the heart.
6 She buried those two little babes under a marble stone, Thinking this would never be known.
7 One day, sitting in her father's hall,
She spied those two little babes playing ball.
30 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
8 "O babes, O babes, if you are mine, I'll dress you up in silks so fine."
9 "O mother, when we were thine,
You never dressed us up in coarse nor fine.
10 "Now we are up in heaven to dwell, And you are doomed to hell."
93
"Down by the Greenwood Side." Communicated by Mr. George Paugh, Thomas, Tucker County, January io, 1916; obtained from Mrs. S. R. Paugh, who learned it about forty years previous from Mr. John Cox in Pendleton County.
i She placed her foot against a rock, And there twin babes were born, Down by the greenwood side.
2 She drew her garter from her leg And tied them up both hand and foot.
3 She dug a grave both wide and deep, She placed them in, both hand and feet.
She thought this murder would never be known.
5 One day she was sitting in her father's hall, She saw those twin babes play ball.
6 "0 sweet little babes if you were mine, I'd dress you in the silks so fine."
7 "You false-hearted mother, when we were thine, You neither dressed us rough nor fine."
c
"The Greenwood Siding." Communicated by Prof essor Walter Barnes, Fair- mont, Marion County, July, 1915; obtained from Mr. G. W. Cunningham, Elkins, Randolph County, who learned it from Ellen Howell of Dry Fork.
1 "O baby, O baby, if you were mine,
All along and alone-y; I would dress you up in scarlet so fine, All along by the greenwood siding."
2 "0 mother, O mother, when I was yours, You pierced me through my poor tender heart.
3 "0 mother, 0 mother, thou hast cut stakes, You shall be keeper of hell's gates."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 31
6
THE THREE RAVENS
(Child, No. 26)
Two variants have been found in West Virginia under the title of "The Three Crows" (cf. Cox, xlv, 160). Each is in four stanzas with a refrain. The close similarity of the stanzas and the refrain indicate that they have a common source. Stanzas 1 and 2 closely resemble 1 and 2 of Child; from this point on there is a wide variance. In the "Twa Corbies " of Child it is the knight that is slain and one corbie is to sit on his " hause-bane " and the other is to pick out his eyes. In the West Virginia variants it is the horse that is slain, whose eyes the crows are going to pluck out. These variations may be due to adaptation to environment. The references to the hawk, the hound, and the doe would nat- urally be the first to drop out.
"The Three Crows" is a more or less comic variety of "The Three Ravens" (Child, No. 26) . It was once popular on the stage and has become a college song : see Christy's New Songster and Black Joker (cop. 1863), p. 58; Singer's Journal, 1, 239; Waite, Carmina Collegensia (Boston, cop. 1868), p. 26; The McGill Uni- versity Song Book (Montreal [192 1]), p. 94; The Scottish Students' Song Book, p. 268; Songs that Never Grow Old (cop. 1909), p. 74. A further variation, "The Four Vultures. A Burlesque Quartette," may be found in Frank Brower's Black Diamond Songster (cop. 1863), p. 30, and Frank Converse's uOld Cremona" Songster (cop. 1863), p. 56 (included in The Encyclopaedia of Popular Songs, N. Y., cop. 1864).
For American texts from oral sources see Tatlock, Journal, xxxi, 273 (Ohio) ; Focus, v, 281 (Virginia) ; Campbell and Sharp, No. 10 (Virginia) ; Sharp, Folk- Songs of English Origin, 2d Series, p. 22 (Virginia) ; Belden's Missouri collection. Cf. Barry, No. 27; Jones, p. 4 (Michigan); F. C. Brown, p. 9 (North Carolina); Reed Smith, Journal,xx.vn, 63, and xxvin, 201 (South Carolina and Tennessee) ; Bulletin, Nos. 4, 5, 7-10. The Scottish text printed by Beatty (Journal, xx, 154) is an interesting adaptation of the tragic English ballad to the pious uses of children.
"The Three Crows." Contributed by the General Editor, Morgantown, Monongalia County, 191 5; learned from his father in Illinois.
1 There were three crows sat on a tree, And they were black as black could be.
PhillyMcGeeMcGaw!
2 One of them said unto his mate, "What shall we do for meat to ate? "
PhillyMcGeeMcGaw!
3 " There lies a steed on yonder plain That by his master has been slain/ '
Philly McGee McGaw!
32 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
4 "We'll perch ourselves on his backbone And pluck his eyes out one by one." PhillyMcGeeMcGaw!
m
"The Three Crows." Contributed by Messrs. Guy Dowdy and Floyd M. Sayre, students in West Virginia University; learned from fellow students at Marshall College, Huntington, Cabell County.
i There were three crows sat on a limb, O Billy McGeeMcGar! There were three crows sat on a limb,
0 Billy McGeeMcGar! There were three crows sat on a limb, And they were black as crows could be,
And they all napped their wings and cried,
"Caw! Caw! Caw!" And they all napped their wings and cried, "O Billy McGeeMcGar!"
2 Said one old crow unto his mate, "What shall we do for grub to ate?"
3 "There lies a horse on yonder plain, 'T was by some cruel butcher slain.
4 "We'll perch ourselves on his backbone, And pick his eyes out one by one."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 33
7
THE TWA BROTHERS
(Child, No. 49)
Two variants have been found in West Virginia under the titles: "The Two Brothers" and "Little Willie" (reported by Cox, xlv, 160). A, although more or less fragmentary and confused, is pretty clearly related to Child B. No proper names are given. In B there are the names John and Willie, days of the week mentioned, the references to stone-throwing and ball-playing, and the deliberate use of the knife. In all these there is a strong similarity to Child G. Some striking likenesses in language are also to be noticed.
For American texts see Child, 1, 443 (Massachusetts, New York) ; Journal, xxvi, 361 (Pound; Nebraska by way of Missouri); xxix, 158 (Tolman; In- diana); xxx, 294 (Kittredge from Belden; Missouri); McGill, p. 54 (Ken- tucky); Campbell and Sharp, No. n (North Carolina, Virginia); Sharp, American English Folk-Songs, 1st Series, p. 8 (Kentucky); Pound, No. 18 (Missouri by way of Washington) ; Journal of the Folk-Song Society, vi, 87 ; Belden's Missouri collection. For references see Journal, xxx, 293. Add Bulletin, Nos. 7, 9, 10.
"The Two Brothers." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fair- mont, Marion County, April, 191 5; obtained from Mrs. Charles Snider, Spencer, Roane County.
1 There were two brothers in a foreign land, Their lessons for to learn; Said the elder brother to the younger brother, "Dear brother, let us play ball."
"I am too little, I am too young,
Dear brother, please leave me alone."
He had a knife all by his side,
Which was both keen and sharp;
He ran it through his brother's breast, Which bled him to the heart.
"Now take my shirt all off my back, And rip it from gore to gore,
And bind it round my bleeding side." But still it bled the more.
34 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
5 "Now take me all upon your back
And carry me to yon churchyard, And there dig me a fine big grave, Which is both deep and wide.
6 "And if my father should ask for me,
Dear brother, when you go home, Tell him I 'm at school with my playmates, And early I'll be home.
7 "And if my mother should ask for me,
Dear brother, when you go home, Tell her I 'm at school in a foreign land, And early I'll come home.
8 "And if my schoolmates should ask for me,
Dear brother, when you go home, Tell them I 'm dead and in my grave, As cold as any stone."
"Little Willie." Contributed by Mr. John B. Adkin, Branchland, Lincoln County, April i, 191 6.
1 Two little boys a-going to school,
Two little boys were they; I've often wished myself with them, Their playmates for to be, Their playmates for to be.
2 On Monday morning they started to school,
On Saturday they returned, A-combing back their olivewood locks, To see their parents at home, To see their parents at home.
3 "O Willie, can you toss the ball,
Or can you throw a stone?" "I am too little, I am too young, Pray, brother, O leave me alone."
4 John pulled out his long, keen knife,
It being both keen and sharp ; Between the long ribs and the short He pierced it to his heart, He pierced it to his heart.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 35
He then pulled off his olivewood shirt
And tore it from gore to gore; Although to wrap the bleeding wound,
But still it bled the more,
But still it bled the more.
"Pick me up, dear brother/' said he,
"And lay me out so straight; O pick me up, dear brother," said he,
"And lay me at the gate,
And lay me at the gate.
"If you meet mother on the way
And she seems uncearned,1 Just tell her I 'm going to the old campground,
My prayer book there to learn,
My prayer book there to learn."
1 For concerned.
36 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
8 YOUNG BEICHAN
(Child, No. 53)
Three variants have been found in West Virginia under the titles: "Lord Bate- man" and "Lord Batesman" (cf. Cox, xlv, 160). These three are so similar in language and story that they must needs have a common source. Lord Bate- man, an Englishman of high degree, grows discontented and takes a sea journey. He is captured by the Turks, put into prison, has a hole bored through his left shoulder, and is set at hard labor. The King's daughter steals the keys to the prison, takes him to her father's hall, and regales him with the finest wine. He promises to bestow upon her house and lands if she will set him free. Thereupon they mutually vow that for seven years he is to marry no other lady and she is to marry no other man. After seven years and almost three, she crosses the ocean to find him and comes to his hall upon his wedding day. When the porter an- nounces her arrival, Lord Bateman leaps from his chair, vows he will have the Turkish lady, and peremptorily sends the bride home.
The similarities of this version to Child L are so striking that there must be some connection between them. There is also a notable differentiation. Stanza A 3, substantially the same in B and C, does not appear in Child L, while Child L 3, a striking stanza telling of the tree which grew in the prison, to which Lord Bateman was chained, is not found in the West Virginia version. It would seem that Child L and the West Virginia version have a common source, in which occurred the boring of the hole in his shoulder and the growing of the tree in the prison.
For a list of American texts, with English and American references and dis- cussion, see Kittredge, Journal, xxx, 294. Add Campbell and Sharp, No. 12 (North Carolina, Kentucky); Mackenzie, p. 115 (Nova Scotia); Pound, No. 14 (Indiana); cf. Journal, xxxv, 340; Bulletin, Nos. 6-9.
"Lord Bateman." Communicated by Anna Copley, Shoals, Wayne County, December 26, 1915; learned by her brothers and Mr. Luther Burwell about thirty-five years previously from Mr. James Forbes.
1 Lord Bateman was in England born,
And he was of a high degree; He grew uneasy and discontented
And made a vow he would go to sea.
2 He sailed east and he sailed west,
Until he came to the Turkish shore, And there was taken and put in prison,
MR. LUTHER BURWELL
Shoals, Wayne County
RESIDENCE OF MR. LUTHER BURWELL
Shoals, Wayne County
\_
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 37
3 Through his left shoulder a hole they bore,
And through the same a rope was tied, And he was made to drag cold iron, Till he was sick and like to died.
4 The Turkish king had a daughter fair,
And she was of a high degree; She stole the keys of her father's prison
And vowed Lord Bateman she would set free.
5 She took him into her father's hall,
And drew for him the best of wine; And every health she drank unto him,
She said, "Lord Bateman, I wish you were mine.
6 "O have you lands and have you living,
And have you houses of high degree? And would you give to a Turkish lady, Who out of prison set you free?"
7 "0 1 have lands and I have living,
And I have houses of high degree; And I would give to a fair lady, Who out of prison set me free.',
8 "Let's make a vow, let's make a strong one,
Let's make a vow seven years to stand: If you never will marry no other woman, I never will wed no other man."
9
Seven years had gone and almost three, She gathered up her gay clothing,
And vowed Lord Bateman she would go see.
10 She rode till she came to Lord Bateman's hall
And there did knock and loud did call. "Who's there? Who's there?" cried the proud porter, "Who knocks so loud and don't come in?"
11 "Is this Lord Bateman's hall?" she said,
"Or is he here himself within?" "O yes, O yes," cried the proud porter, "He has this day his bride brought in."
38 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
12 "Go bid him mind of the wine so strong;
Go bid him mind of the roaring sea; Go bid him mind of the Turkish lady Who out of prison set him free."
13 "There is a lady at yonders hall,
And she is of a high degree; She wears a gold ring on her fourth finger And round her waist has diamonds three.
14 "She bids you mind the wine so strong;
She bids you mind the roaring sea; She bids you mind of a Turkish lady Who out of prison set you free."
15 He rose from the chair wherein he sat
And bursted the table in pieces three, Saying, "I'll lose my life for the Turkish lady Who out of prison set me free.
16 "Take away, take away this bride of mine,
For she is none the worse for me; She came to me on a horse and saddle, I'll send her away in coaches three."
"Lord Batesman." Communicated by Mr. John B. Adkins, Branchland, Lincoln County, April i, 1916; dictated by Mr. Marvel Adkins, who learned it several years before from Mandy Conley. Printed by Cox, xlvi, 20.
i In England lived an English lord,
And he was of some high degree; He grew, he grew so discontented,
He vowed some girl he 'd go and see.
2 So he sailed east and he sailed west,
He sailed till he came to the Turkish shore, And there he was caught and put in prison, His freedom never to enjoy no more.
3 They bored a hole through his left shoulder,
And through the same a rope did tie; They made him load cold calks x of iron, Till he took sick and like to 'a' died.
1 Cf. the word cards of C 3; mistakes, possibly for the word carts.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 39
4 The Turkish king had a fair young lady,
And she was of some high degree; She stoled the keys from her father's dwelling And out of prison set him free.
5 She taken him through her father's hall,
And there was drinking of strong wine, And every health she drank unto him,
She devowed, "Lord Bateman, if you was mine!
6 "Let's make a vow and make it strong,
Let's make it seven years to stand: If you won't marry no other woman, I won't marry no other man."
7 Seven years had passed and almost three,
Then she vowed her mate she would go and see; She sailed till she came to Lord Bateman's hall, She first did knock and then did call.
8 She says, "Is this Lord Bateman's hall,
And is he in there all alone?" "O no, O no," cried the proud porter,
"To-day a bride he's just brought home."
9 "Go remind him of the wine so strong,
And remind him of the roaring sea; Go remind him of the Turkish lady, Who out of prison set him free."
10 "Here is a lady at your gate,
And she is of some high degree; She wears a ring on her left forefinger And on the rest of them wears three."
11 He arose from where he sat
And burst his table in pieces three, Saying," I '11 bet my land and all my living That Susie Pines has crossed the sea."
40 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
c
"Lord Bateman." Contributed by Mr. F. E. Smith, Dothan, Fayette County, January, 191 7; learned from an older brother several years before in Roane County.
1 Lord Bateman was of England born,
And he was of some high degree; He grew uneasy and discontented, Until one voyage he took to sea.
2 He sailed east, he sailed west,
He sailed to the Turkish shore, And there they caught him and put him in prison, And he lived in hopes of freedom no more.
3 Through his left shoulder they bored a hole,
And through that hole they tied a string; They made him pull cold cards of iron, Till he was tired, sick, and sore.
4 The Turkish king had a lady fair,
And she was of some high degree; She stoled the keys of her father's prison, Saying, "Lord Bateman I'll set free."
5 She took him down into the cellar
And drew unto him the strong wine, And every health she drank unto him,
Saying, "Lord Bateman, if you will be mine,
6 "I'll make a vow, I'll make it strong,
For seven long years or more to stand, If you won't marry no other woman, I won't marry no other man."
7 Seven long years had passed and gone,
Seven long years and almost three; She gathered up her rich clothing,
Saying, "Lord Bateman I'll go to see."
8 She sailed east, she sailed west,
She sailed to Lord Bateman's home
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 41
9
She knocked and jingled at the rings, When none was so ready as the proud porter To rise and let this lady in.
10 "There is a lady at your gate,
The finest lady you ever did see; She has enough gold around her neck, sir, To buy your bride and company."
11 Young Bateman rose up from his table
And split it into splinters three, Saying, "Since I've met this Irish lady, You are none the worst by me."
"Lord Thomas." Contributed by Mr. Sam Turman, Buchanan, Boyd County, Kentucky, July, 1918. Nineteen stanzas.
42 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
9 YOUNG HUNTING
(Child, No. 68)
Two copies of this ballad have come to hand under the titles: "Lord Henry" and "Love Henry," the latter an abbreviated variant of no special significance. The former is an excellent ballad most like F of the Child versions, as indicated by the throwing of the body into the deep well (stanza 9) and the wishing for a bow and arrow (stanza 14). Cf. Child F 8 and 12.
For American texts see Journal, xx, 252 (Pettit; Kentucky); xxx, 297 (Kittredge; Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana), where references will be found; Campbell and Sharp, No. 15 (North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia); The William and Mary Literary Magazine, May, 1922, xxix, 664 (Virginia). Cf. Bulletin, Nos. 6, 7, 10.
"Lord Henry." Contributed by Mr. John Hill, Hughey, Logan County, January 7, 1916; learned many years ago from his mother. Reported by Cox, xlv, 160.
1 It happened on one evening late,
As the maid was going to bed,
She heard a sound, a beautiful sound,
That made her heart feel glad.
2 She thought it was her brother John,
Returning from the cane; But who should it be but Lord Henry, Just from his wild hunting?
3 " Get down, get down, Lord Henry,
And stay all night with me; For the very best lodging in Mulvering Town, The best I'll give to thee."
4 "I won't get down, I shan't get down,
To stay all night with you ; For there 's a prettier girl in the merry green lands, That I love much better than you."
5 As he leaned o'er his milk-white steed
And kisses gave her three, She held up a knife in her right hand And pierced him heartily.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 43
6 "O live, O live, Lord Henry,
Half an hour or more; For the very best doctors in Mulveren Town, You'll soon be in their care."
7 "0 live, O live! how can I live,
How can I live you see, When I can feel my own heart's blood, Come trinkling o'er my knee?"
8 She called her waiting maids unto her
To view his body so fair, Saying, "Of all this finery you see around here, The finest you shall wear."
9 Some took him by his curly locks,
Some by his hands and feet, And threw him in the cold, dark well, Which was both cold and deep.
10 "Lie there, lie there, Lord Henry,
Till the flesh rots off your bones ! That prettier girl in the merry green lands, Shall mourn for your return."
1 1 There was a pretty parrot bird,
Sitting high upon a limb, Saying, "You murdered Lord Henry, And in the well threw him."
12 "Come down, come down, my pretty parrot bird,
And sit on my right knee; Your cage shall be the finest gold, And the door of ivory."
13 "I won't come down, I shan't come down,
To sit on your right knee; For you have murdered Lord Henry, And soon you'd murder me."
14 "I wish I had my bended bow,
My arrow and my string; I 'd pierce a dart so close your heart, Those notes no more you 'd sing.
yy
44 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
15 "O if you had your bended bow, Your arrow and your string, I 'd take my flight to the merry green lands And tell what I'd seen."
"Love Henry." Contributed by Miss Polly McKinney, Sophia, Raleigh County, 191Q.
1 "Come in, come in, Love Henry," she said,
"And sit on my right knee; 1 11 give you a chair of yellow green gold, And all the best is for thee."
2 "I can't come in, nor I shall not come in,
To sit on your right knee; For the girl I left in the India land
Will think long of my coming home."
3 She leant herself all over the fence,
The kisses she gave were three; ^ A little penknife all in her hand, She would it in fully.1
4 "O live, O live, Love Henry," she said,
"A half an hour or more, And all the doctors in the town Shall be here at your cure."
5 "O how can I live, O how can I live,
O how can I live?" said he; "For don't you see my own heart's blood, Come trinkling to my knee?'"
6 "Come down, come down, Polly Parrot," she said,
"And sit on my right knee; I '11 give you a cage of yellow green gold, And all the best is for thee."
7 "I can't come down, nor I shall not come down,
To sit on your right knee; For it have n't been long since you killed Love Henry — How soon you might kill me!"
1 She wished to thrust it completely into his bosom.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 45
IO
LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET
(Child, No. 73)
Eleven variants have been recovered under the following titles: "The Brown Girl," "Fair Ellender and the Brown Girl/' "Fair Ellender," "Fair Ellenger," "Lord Thomas," "Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor," and "Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender" (cf. Cox, xlv, 120). All of these variants belong to the same version, and nine of them tell a complete story. D and H begin with a descrip- tion of Lord Thomas. In the other variants the story begins by the hero's ask- ing his mother to solve the riddle as to whether he shall marry Fair Eleanor or bring the brown girl home. Since the brown girl has house and lot (land) and Fair Eleanor has none, she advises him to marry the brown girl. Thereupon he dresses himself up in state, takes his merry men with him, rides to Fair Elea- nor's hall, and invites her to his wedding on the morrow. She says that is very bad news to her for she expected to be his bride. Later she asks her mother to solve the riddle as to whether she shall go to Lord Thomas's wedding or stay at home. Her mother advises her to stay at home since she will have few friends at the wedding and many enemies, but she is determined to go. Thereupon she arrays herself in her finery, takes her merry maids with her, and rides to Lord Thomas's hall. In answer to her knocking, Lord Thomas himself lets her in, leads her into the hall, and chooses for her the highest seat. Fair Eleanor twits him with having married such a brown wife, whereupon the brown girl stabs her with a penknife between the short ribs and the long. Lord Thomas asks why she looks so pale and she suggests that he must be blind not to observe her heart's blood trickling down to her knee. With a little hand-sword Lord Thomas cuts off the head of the brown girl, kicks it against the wall, and then slays him- self with the same sword. Before he dies, he requests that Fair Eleanor be buried in his arms and the brown girl at his feet.
The West Virginia variants are closely related to group D of Child, as is shown by many striking incidents in common, such as the meeting and quick parting of the lovers; Lord Henry loves the little finger of Fair Eleanor better than he does the whole body of the brown girl; Lord Thomas dressed in green and taken for a king; Lord Thomas dressed in black (the rhyme requires the word white) and taken for a knight ; Fair Eleanor taken for a queen ; Fair Eleanor seated in the noblest chair, or chair of gold, or given the highest seat ; the well in the yard of Fair Ellen's father.
For American texts see Child, in, 509 (Virginia; from Babcock, Folk-Lore Journal, vn, $$)\ Journal, ^in^Tigj^Barrv: Vermont, Massachusetts by way of New Jersey) j.xix^^^Belden; Missouri, Arkansas); xx, 254 (Pettit; Ken- tucky); xxvii, 71 (Barry; tune only); xxvniT i$2 (Perrow; North Carolina); xxix, 159 (Tolman; Pennsylvania by way of Kansas; texts reported from Virginia and Indiana); McGill, p. 26 (Kentucky); Focus, 111, 204, and iv, 162 (Virginia); Shoemaker, p. 138 (Pennsylvania); Campbell and Sharp, No. 16 (North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Massachusetts); Pound, No. 12 (Maryland by way of Nebraska); Mackenzie, p. 97 (Nova Scotia); Means, Outlook, September 9, 1899, lxiii, 120; Berea Quarterly, April, 1905, ix, No. 3,
46 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
p. 10; October, 1910, xrv, No. 3, p. 27; October, 1915, xvin, No. 4, p. 14; Child MSS., xxih, article 73; Wyman MS., No. 9 (Kentucky); Minish MS. (North Carolina); The Forget-Me-Not Songster (New York, Nails & Cornish), p. 236. See also Belden, No. 4; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Pound, p. n; F. C. Brown, p. 9; Bulletin, Nos. 2, 3, 5-10; Campbell, The Survey, New York, January 2, 1915, xxxin, 374; Reed Smith, Journal, xxvn, 62; xxvm, 200.
"The Brown Girl." Communicated by Mrs. W. M. Parker, Keyser, Mineral County, July 17, 191 6; obtained from Mrs. Bertha Urice, who got it from her father, Joseph Rogers, who learned it from Zimri Rush more than fifty years ago. Printed by Cox, xlv, 186.
1 " Come riddle, come riddle to me, dear mother,
Come riddle to me this one: Whether I shall marry Fair Eleanor, Or bring the brown girl home."
2 "The brown girl she has house and lot,
Fair Eleanor she has none; Therefore I bid you, 'out ado,
To bring me the brown girl home."
3 He dressed himself in his silk so fine,
And his married men in green; And every town that he passed through, He was taken to be some king.
4 He rode up to Fair Eleanor's hall,
And he knuckled at the ring; There was none so ready as Fair Eleanor herself To arise and let him in.
5 "O what's the matter, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"O what's the news for me?" "I came to bid you to my wedding to-morrow." "That's very bad news to me."
6 "Come riddle, come riddle to me, dear mother,
Come riddle to me this one: Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas's wedding, Or shall I stay at home? "
7 "There are hundreds there that will be your friends,
And thousands that are your foes." "Therefore to Lord Thomas's wedding At the risk of my life I'll go."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 47
8 She dressed herself in her silk so fine,
And her married maids in green; And every town that she passed through, She was taken to be some queen.
9 She rode up to Lord Thomas's hall
And knuckled at the ring; There was none so ready as Lord Thomas To arise and let her in.
10 He took her by her lily-white hand,
And he led her through the hall; And out of four and twenty gay ladies She was the fairest of them all.
11 "Is this your wife, Lord Thomas?" she said,
" I think she's tremendous brown; When you could have had as fair a lady As ever the sun shone on."
12 The brown girl had a little penknife,
The blades were keen and sharp;
Between the long ribs and the short
She pierced Fair Eleanor's heart.
13 "O what's the matter, Fair Eleanor?" he said,
"What makes you look so pale? You used to have such red rose cheeks, But now you have turned quite pale."
14 "O are you blind, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"Or cannot you well see? Don't you see my very heart's blood A- trickling down my knee? "
15 Lord Thomas had a little hand-sword,
As he passed through the hall, And as he cut off the brown girl's head, He cast it against the wall.
16 "Go dig my grave in yonder churchyard,
Go dig it wide and deep, And bury Fair Eleanor in my arms, And the brown girl at my feet."
48 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
17 He placed the sword hilt in the ground, And the point ran at his heart, Crying, " There were never three lovers met, As quick as we did part."
2
"Fair Ellender and the Brown Girl." Communicated by Miss Mabel Myers, Summersville, Nicholas County, August 2, 191 6; obtained from Miss Pearl Bronley, White's Creek, Wayne County, who received it from her uncle, William Bronley, Huntington, Cabell County.
1 "O mother, O mother, come riddle us all,
Come riddle us all in one : And say shall I marry Fair Ellender, Or bring the brown girl home."
2 "The brown girl has a house and lot,
Fair Ellender has none; I think it would be the wisest choice To bring the brown girl home."
3 He called together his merry men all
And dressed himself in black; And every town that he rode through, They took him to be some knight.
4 He rode till he came to Fair Ellender's house,
He knocked so loud on the door; And none was so ready as Fair Ellender herself To rise and let him in.
5 "What news, what news, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"What news have you brought unto me?" "I have come to invite you to my wedding, And that is sad news to thee."
6 "Sad news, sad news, Lord Thomas," she said,
"Sad news have you brought unto me; For I was expecting to be the bride, And you the bridegroom to be."
7 "O mother, O mother, come riddle us all,
Come riddle us all as one: And say shall I go to Lord Thomas's wedding, Or whether I tarry at home."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 49
8 "O tarry at home, my daughter," cried she,
"Yes tarry at home with me." "I'll go to Lord Thomas's wedding," said she, "If death waits me at the door."
9 She called together her merry maids all
And dressed herself in green; And every town that she rode through, They took her to be some queen.
10 She rode till she came to Lord Thomas's home,
She knocked so loud on the door; And none was so ready as Lord Thomas himself To arise and let her in.
1 1 He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her across the hall;
And chose for her the highest seat
Among the merry maids all.
12 "Is that your bride, Lord Thomas?" she cried,
"I think she is mighty brown; When you could have married the fairest girl That e'er the sun shone on."
13 The brown girl having a pocket knife,
It being both long and sharp, Between the long rib and the short She pierced Fair Ellender's heart.
14 Lord Thomas having a sword by his side,
It being both keen and tall, He cut the brown girl's head off And kicked it against the wall.
15 He placed the handle against the wall,
The point against his heart: Sing, "Ever when was it three lovers did meet,1 And ever so soon did part?"
1 Line should read, Saying, "Ever when" etc.
50 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
c
"Fair Elendar and the Brown Girl." Contributed by Miss Snoah McCourt, OrndofT, Webster County, May 16, 1916; learned from her mother.
1 "Come riddle, come riddle us both, dear mother,
Come riddle us both as one: Shall I marry Fair Elendar,
Or bringeth the brown girl home?',
2 "The brown girl she has house and land,
Fair Elendar she has none; I charge you once with my blessing, Go bringeth the brown girl home."
3 He rode up to Fair Elendar's bower,
So clearly he knocked at the ring; There's none so ready as Fair Elendar To rise and let him in.
4 "What news, what news, Lord Thomas? " she said,
"What news have you brought unto me?" "I've come to invite you to my wedding, So sorrowful news unto me."
5
"So sorrowful news unto me, For I was in hopes to have been the bride, And you the bridegroom to be."
6 "Come riddle, come riddle us both, dear mother,
Come riddle us both as one: Shall I attend Lord Thomas's wedding, Or tarry with thee at home? "
7 "O some may be your friends, dear daughter,
Whilst thousands may be your foes; I charge you once with my blessing To tarry with me at home."
8 "O some may be our friends, dear mother,
Whilst others may be our foes; If it be the cause of my death,
To Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 51
9 She dressed herself in silks so fine, All trimmed off in green; And every bower that she passed through, They took her to be a queen.
10 She rode up to Lord Thomas's bower,
So clearly she knocked at the ring; There was none so ready as Lord Thomas himself To arise and let her in.
11 He took her little white hand
And led her through the hall; He led her through the brown girl's chamber And sat her above them all.
12 "Is this your wife, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"I'm sure she's very brown; When once you could have married as fair a lady, As ever the sun shone on."
13 "Despise her not," Lord Thomas said,
"Despise her not unto me; For I do love your little finger, More than her whole body."
14 The brown girl had a knife in her hand,
The point being keen and sharp; Between the long rib and the short She pierced Fair Elendar's heart.
15 "O are you sick?" Lord Thomas said,
"What makes you look so pale? When once you had as cherry-red cheeks, As ever my eyes beheld?"
16 "O are you blind, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"Or can you very well see; Or can you see my own heart's blood Come trickling down to my feet? "
17 Lord Thomas had a sword in his hand,
He walked up through the hall, And cut the brown girl's head off And dashed it against the wall.
52 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
1 8 Lord Thomas had a knife in his hand,
The point being keen and sharp; Between the long rib and the short
He pierced it through his heart, Saying, " Here's three lovers so merry did meet,
So sorrowful they must part!
19 " Go bury Fair Elendar at my right side,
The brown girl at my feet; Go place a new Bible under my head: So solemnly we may sleep!"
"Fair Ellender." Communicated by Mr. I. B. Boggs, Wallback, Roane County, February, 191 7; obtained from his wife, who learned it when a little girl from her associates.
1 Lord Thomas he was a gay gentleman,
He was lord of many a town; He fell in love with pretty Fair Ellen, The fairest of all around.
2 "Come father, come mother, come tell me now,
I '11 ask you both at one : Whether I must marry pretty Fair Ellen, Or bring the brown girl home."
3 "The brown girl she has house and lands,
Fair Ellen she has none; So I '11 advise you as a great blessing To bring the brown girl home."
4 He rode up to Fair Ellender's gate,
So loudly he tingled and called; Who more ready to bid him walk in Than pretty Fair Ellen herself!
5 "What's your news, Lord Thomas? " she said,
"The news you bring to me?" "I've come to ask you to my wedding." "It's very sad news to me."
6 "Lord Thomas, it's very sad news," she said,
"And it's very sad news to me; For I intended your bride to be, And you bridegroom to me."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 53
7 " Come father, come mother, come tell me now,
I'll ask you both as one: Whether I must go to Lord Thomas's wedding, Or tarry with thee at home."
8 "There may be many and many your friends,
While there may be many your foes; And I '11 advise you as a grand blessing To tarry with me at home."
9 "Little do I care for friends who'll be there,
Still less do I care for foes; For I must go to Lord Thomas's wedding, To Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go."
10 She dressed herself in scarlet red,
All trimmed in an immense of green; And every city that she rode through, She was taken to be some queen.
1 1 She rode up to Lord Thomas's gate,
So loudly she tingled and called; Who more ready to bid her walk in
Than Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas of all!
12 He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her through the hall, And sat her down at the head of the table Among the ladies all.
13 "Throw none of your slurs, Fair Ellen," he said,
"Throw none of your slurs at me; For I love the end of your little finger, More than her whole body."
14 The brown girl she had a little penknife,
Both blades were keen and sharp; And between the long rib and the short one She pierced Fair Ellen's heart.
15 "O what's the matter, Fair Ellen?" he said,
"I think you are wonderful pale; For once you were as fair a young color As any one in the dale."
54 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
16 "O what's the matter, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"Why can't you plainly see? I can feel my own heart's blood Go trickling down my knee."
17 He took the brown girl by the hand,
He led her through the hall, And with a sword cut off her head, And threw it against the wall.
18 He put the sword against the wall,
The blade against his breast, Saying, "Here goes the life of three young lovers; God send their souls to rest!"
"Loyd Thomas." Contributed by Mrs. E. A. Hunt, Belington, Barbour County, February 21, 1916; learned when a child from her mother, Mrs. C. E. Bennett.
1 "O mother, O mother, come riddle us two,
Come riddle us two in one: Must I go marry Fair Ellen, my dear, Or bring the brown girl home?"
2 "The brown girl she has house and money,
Fair Ellen she has none; Be tired of your life, beware of your death; Go bring the brown girl home."
3 He dressed himself in a suit of red,
His fair men all in green; And every town that he passed through, They took him to be a king.
4 He rode up to Fair Ellen's door,
All jingling in the rings, And none was so willing to let him in As Fair Ellen, his own dear.
5 "Sad news, sad news to you I bring,
Sad news to you I declare: I come to invite you to my wedding, Sad news, sad news I declare."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 55
6 "I God forbid that ever such news,
That ever such news I should hear; For I the bride had took it to be, And you the groom would be."
7 "O mother, dear mother, come riddle us two,
Come riddle us two in one: Must I stay here and tarry all night, Or to Loyd Thomas' wedding go?"
8 "Be tired of your life, beware of your death:
To Loyd Thomas' wedding don't go." "I'll be tired of my life, beware of my death: To Loyd Thomas' wedding I'll go."
9 She dressed herself in a suit of red,
Her fair maids all in green; And every town that they passed through, They took her to be a queen.
10 They rode up to the brown girl's door,
All jingling in the rings; And none was so willing to let her in As Loyd Thomas, her own dear.
11 He took her by the lily- white hand,
He led her through the hall; He placed her at the head of the table Among the merry maids all.
12 The brown girl spoke up and said,
Spoke up as if for spite, Saying, "Where did you get the water, my pretty fair lady, That washes your hands so white? "
13 "In father's garden there is a well,
Which flows both wide and deep; And you may search there till you go blind, That well you never could find."
14 The brown girl she had a penknife
That was both keen and sharp; She pierced it through the long ribs short, She pierced fair Ellen's heart.
56 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
15 "O what is the matter, Fair Ellen, my dear?
What makes you look so pale? You used to be as fair a lady That ever the sun shone on."
16 "O don't you see, Loyd Thomas," said she,
"What is the matter with me? My own heart's blood came trinkling down, Came trinkling down, you see."
17 Loyd Thomas he had a sword in his hand
Which was both keen and sharp ; He cut off the head of his own brown girl And kicked it against the wall.
18 He bent his sword all to the floor,
He pierced it through his heart; Well met, well met, three lovers well met , But sadly they did part.
19 "Go dig my grave both wide and deep,
Through thunders may I sleep; Go bury Fair Ellen at my side, The brown girl at my feet."
"Lord Thomas." Communicated by Mr. J. Harrison Miller, Wardensville, Hardy County, June 24, 1916; obtained from his mother, who learned it from her mother, Mrs. Lucinda Ellis, who learned it from her grandmother, Mrs. Strawnsnider. Mr. Miller thinks the ballad has been known in the family for about two hundred years.
1 "O mother, O mother, come tell unto me, And tell the story true: Whether I shall bring Fair Ellen dear home, Or bring the brown girl home, home, home, Or bring the brown girl home."
"I charge you with all my heart, my dear, To bring the brown girl home, home, home, To bring the brown girl home.
ki
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 57
3 "The brown girl she has houses and land,
Fair Ellen dear has none; I '11 charge you with all my heart, my dear, To bring the brown girl home, home, home, To bring the brown girl home."
4 Lord Thomas he mounted his milk-white steed
And went to invite Fair Ellen dear home, Home on his wedding day, day, day, Home on his wedding day.
5 He rode till he came to Fair Ellen's hall,
And then he rang the bell; There were none so ready to let him in As Fair Ellen dear was, was, was, As Fair Ellen dear was.
6 "O what is the matter, my dear?"
"I've come to invite you home this day, Home on my wedding day, day, day, Home on my wedding day."
7 "O mother, O mother, come tell unto me,
And tell me the story true : Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas's wedding, Or stay at home with you, you, you, Or stay at home with you."
8
"I'll charge you with all my heart, my dear,
To Lord Thomas's wedding don't go, don't go, To Lord Thomas's wedding don't go."
9 She dressed herself in scarlet red, Her maidens all in green; And every city that she passed through,
They took her to be some queen, queen, queen, They took her to be some queen.
10 She rode till she came to Lord Thomas's hall, And then she rang the bell, There was none so ready to let her in As Lord Thomas dear was, was, was, As Lord Thomas dear was.
58 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
1 1 He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her through the hall. And set her down at the head of the table Among his nobles all, all, all, Among his nobles all.
12 "Is this your bride, Lord Thomas?" she replied,
"I am sure she is wondrous brown; You could once have married as fair a young lady As ever the sun shone on, on, on, As ever the sun shone on."
13 "O don't despise her for me,
For I think more of your little finger Than I do of her whole bodie-ie-ie, Than I do of her whole bodie."
14 The brown girl had a little penknife in her pocket,
It was both keen and sharp; Between the short ribs and the lungs
She wounded Fair Ellen's dear heart, heart, heart, She wounded Fair Ellen's dear heart.
15 "O what is the matter, my dear?"
"O don't you see my very heart's blood Come trickling over my knee, knee, knee, Come trickling over my knee? "
16 Lord Thomas he drew his two-edged sword
And cut off the brown girl's head, And kicked it against the wall, wall, wall, And kicked it against the wall,
17 Saying, "0 bury Fair Ellen at my side,
And the brown girl at my feet, feet, feet, And the brown girl at my feet."
"Fair Ellenger." Communicated by Mrs. Hilary G. Richardson, Clarksburg, Harrison County, 191 7; obtained from Mrs. Nancy McDonald McAtee (cf. Journal, xxxn, 499, 504).
1 "O mother, dear mother, come tell to me, Come tell to me in one: Whether I shall marry Fair Ellenger, Or the brown girl go bring home."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 59
2 "The brown girl she has house and land,
Fair Ellenger she has none; And before I charge you with my bless-on The brown girl go bring home."
3 He put his foot in his right stir-rup,
So merrily rode away; He rode till he come to Fair Ellenger's hall, And tingered low down at the ring.
4 There was none so ready as Fair Ellenger
To git up and let him in. "What news have you brought to me, Lord Thomas?" she said.
5 "I've come to ask you to my wed-ding;
May the Lord have mercy on me."
6 "Now mother, now mother," she says to me,
"Come tell to me in one: Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas' wedding, Or shall I tarry at home?"
7 "Perhaps a great many of your friends will be there,
And perhaps a great many of your foes; Before I charge you with my bless-on, To Lord Thomas' wedding don't go."
8 She turned herself around about
And gazed up agin the wall : "Now mother," she says,
"To Lord Thomas' wedding I'll go."
9 Lord Thomas dressed himself in white,
Fair Ellenger dressed in green, And every town that they rid through, They took her to be some queen.
10 They rid till they came to the brown girl's hall,
He took Fair Ellenger by the hand, And led her through where the beds were made,
And the tables were spread and the ladies were dancing thereby.
1 1 He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her through the hall, And set her down in a golden cheer Before the quality all.
60 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
12 "Is this your bride, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"I'm sure she's wonderful brown; You mought 'a' had me, as fair a ladee As ere the sun shone on."
13 The brown girl had a little penknife,
The blade was keen and sharp; She pierced it through Fair Ellenger's breast And pierced it to her heart.
14 Lord Thomas rode up in the hall
Before the quality all, And cut the brown girl's head off And kicked it agin the wall.
15 Lord Thomas he had a sword,
The blade was keen and sharp; He placed the handle agin the wall, The point toward his heart.
16 "Go dig my grave both wide and long,
Go dig it wide and deep; Place Fair Ellenger in my arms, The brown girl at my feet."
H
"The Brown Girl." Communicated by Miss Lalah Lovett, Bulltown, Brax- ton County, May, 191 7; obtained from Caroline Flemming of Napier, West Virginia, who learned it from Lulu Bosely of Bulltown.
1 Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas was a fine young man,
He was lord of three great towns; He courted Fair Ellen to make her his bride, And to make a bridegroom for her.
2 "Come, father, come, mother, I'd ask your advice,
I'd ask you both at once: Whether to marry Fair Ellen, my dear, Or bring the brown girl home."
3 "The brown girl has both house and land,
Fair Ellen she has none; As my advice, 't would be a God's blessing, To bring the brown girl home."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 6 1
4 He saddled up his milk-white horse,
Rode down to Fair Ellen's home; And none was so ready as Fair Ellen herself To arise and bid him walk in.
5 "What news, what news, Lord Thomas," she said,
"What news have you brought to me now?" "I've come to ask you to my wedding." "That's very sad news," said she.
6 She dressed herself in scarlet red,
Her seven maids in green; And every town that they rode through, They took her to be some queen.
7 They rode till they came to Lord Thomas' gate,
They rang their bells and dingled their rings; And none was so ready as Lord Thomas himself To arise and bid her walk in.
8 He took her by the lily-white hand,
And led her in at the hall, And set her down at the head of the table Among the ladies all.
9 "Is that your wife, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"Indeed she looks quite brown; You once could have married as fair a young lady As ever came into this town."
io "Don't throw on slurs, Fair Ellen," he said, "Don't throw on slurs at me; For I 'd much better love the brown girl's home Than to love your hope by day."
ii The brown girl having a knife in her bosom, It being both sharp and keen, She plunged it through Fair Ellen's ribs Between the short and the long.
12 "O what is the matter, Fair Ellen?" he said, "What makes you look so pale? You once had two as red rosy cheeks As ever two eyes did see."
62 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
13 "O what is the matter, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"O can't you plainly see? O can't you see my own heart's blood A-flowing away from me?"
14 He took the brown girl by the hand
And led her out into the hall, And with the sword cut off her head, And kicked it against the wall.
15 Then placing the sword against the wall,
The spear next to his heart, Saying, "Here lies three persons all bound to die Lord send their souls to rest!
16 "Go dig our grave in the roses red,
Go dig it wide and deep, And bury Fair Ellen all in my arms, And the brown girl at my feet."
"Lord Thomas." Communicated by Miss Maude Groves, Deepwell, Nicholas County, July, 191 7; obtained from Minnie Taylor, Fenwick, West Virginia, who learned it from Mrs. Rhode Ramenes, Yadkin, Arkansas, 1914.
1 "O mother, come and riddle to me,
The things I dreamed last night: Which to bring the brown girl home, Or make Fair Elender my bride."
2 "The brown girl having house and land,
Fair Elender she has none; O go and please your dear mother, And bring the brown girl home."
3 Lord Thomas he rode and he rode,
Till he came to Fair Elender's hall, And none was half so willing as Fair Elender herself To rise and let him in.
4 "Lord Thomas . . .
What news have you brought to me?" "I have come to ask you to my wedding, To-morrow it shall be."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 63
"Bad news, bad news, Lord Thomas," she said, "Bad news to me," . . .
6 Next day she dressed in her scarlet bright,
Her maids all dressed in green; Every city they 'd pass through,
They were taken to be some queen.
7 She rode, she rode till she came to Lord Thomas' hall,
She jingled at the ring; None was half so willing as Lord Thomas himself To rise and let her in.
8 He took her by the lily-white hand,
And led her through the marble hall; He took her in the parlor,
And set her among those ladies all.
9 "Lord Thomas, is this your bride?
Why, she is scornfully brown; When you could have chosen a fairer lady As ever the sun shone on."
10 The brown girl having a little penknife,
Though very keen and sharp, Between the long ribs and the short She pierced Fair Elender's heart.
1 1 Lord Thomas having a little sword,
Very keen and sharp, He cut off the brown girl's head And kicked it against the wall.
12 Placing the handle to the floor,
The point toward the heart : "Did you ever see three lovers meet, As soon as these three part?
13 " So take us to the graveyard,
So wonderfully complete; Bury Fair Elender in my arms, The brown girl at my feet."
64 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
y
"Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor." Communicated by Mrs. Elizabeth Tapp Peck, Morgantown, Monongalia County, March 31, 191 6; obtained from her mother, Mrs. Thomas H. Tapp, who learned it from her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Wade Mack, who lived near Bethel church. An abbreviated variant in nine stanzas.
*L
"Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender." Communicated by Miss Mabel Richards, Fairmont, Marion County, October, 1915; obtained from Mrs. J. P. Lang, who learned it from Mrs. Katherine Zinn of Monongalia County. A fragment of two stanzas.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 65
1 1
FAIR MARGARET AND SWEET WILLIAM
(Child, No. 74)
Seven variants have been recovered in West Virginia under the titles: "Sweet William," "Lady Margaret," and "Lady Margaret's Ghost." A glance at these ballads shows that they are largely identical; a comparison with the Child ver- sions indicates that they are to be classed with group A, B, as witnessed by the blue suit, the dream of white swine, and the seven brethren.
For American texts see Child, v, 293 (Massachusetts); Journal, xix, 281 (Belden; Missouri); xxin, 381 (Combs; Kentucky); xxvni, 154 (Perrow; North Carolina) ; xxx, 303 (Kittredge; Missouri); xxxi, 74 (Waugh; Ontario); xxxv, 340 (Tolman and Eddy; Ohio); Wyman and Brockway, p. 94 (Ken- tucky); McGill, p. 69 (Kentucky; reprinted by Pound, No. 16); Campbell and Sharp, No. 17 (Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia); Focus, iv, 426 (Virginia); Ralph, Harper's Monthly Magazine, July, 1903, cvn, 272 (Ken- tucky); Mackenzie, p. 124 (Nova Scotia); Smith, p. 18 (two tunes); Minish MS. (North Carolina). Cf. Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Belden, No. 5; F. C. Brown, p. 9; Bulletin, Nos. 2-6, 8-10; Cox, xlv, 159; Reed Smith, Journal, xxvni, 200.
"Sweet William." Communicated by Mr. G. T. Federer, Morgantown, Monongalia County, January, 191 7; taken from a manuscript song book be-, longing to Lizzie Kelley, Independence, Preston County, who obtained it from Mintie Herskille.
1 Sweet William arose one merry May morning
And dressed himself in blue: "Come and tell of the long, long love Between Lady Margaret and you."
2 "I know nothing of Lady Margaret,
Lady Margaret knows nothing of me; And before eight o'clock on to-morrow, morrow morn Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
3 As Lady Margaret was sitting in her bedroom door,
A-combing her long yellow hair; And who should she spy but Sweet William and his bride, As the churchyard they passed by?
4 'T was down she threw her ivory comb
And back she threw her hair; There was a fair maid went out of the room That was nevermore seen there.
66 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
5 When the day was gone and the night come on,
When most of the men were asleep, Sweet William he dreamed he saw Lady Margaret, Standing at his bed's feet.
6 When the night was gone and the day come on,
And most of the men were awake, Sweet William he told of a dream That made his heart to ache.
7 Sweet William he called the merry maids all,
They came by one, two, three; He asked liberty of his newly-married bride Lady Margaret to go and see.
8 He rode until he came to Margaret's gate,
He rattled on the ring; Then was none so ready as Lady Margaret's brother To arise and let him in.
9 "Is Lady Margaret in the dining room?
Or is she in the hall? Or is she in her high chamber, Among the merry maids all?"
io "She is not in the dining room, Nor is she in the hall; She is in her lead coffee,1
With her pale face turned to the wall."
ii "Roll down, roll down those snow-white sheets That are of Holland so fine; Let me kiss those pale cold lips
That so ofttimes have kissed mine."
12 'T was once he kissed her snow-white brow,
And twice he kissed her chin; Three times he kissed her pale cold lips: That pierced his heart within,
13 Lady Margaret was buried on Wismer day,2
Sweet William was buried to-morrow; Lady Margaret was buried under a weeping willow, Sweet William was buried under another.
1. For coffin. 2. A mistake for as it were to-day.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 67
14 And out of her grave there sprang a red rose,
And out of his a brier; They grew and they tied in a true lover's knot,
The red rose around the brier. f./u
15 They grew and they tied in a true lover's knot,
And they lived and died together; Lady Margaret she died of pure, pure love, Sweet William died of sorrow.
2
"Lady Margaret." Communicated by Mr. J. R. Waters, Morgantown, Monongalia County; obtained from Mrs. W. F. Brown, Belington, Barbour County, who learned it more than fifty years ago in Delaware County, Ohio. Printed by Cox, xlv, 378, $%%.
Sweet William rose one morning bright,
And dressed himself in blue : " Come tell to me the long lost love,
Between Lady Margaret and you."
"I know no harm of Lady Margaret," said he, "And I hope she knows none of me;
But to-morrow morning before eight o'clock, Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
As Lady Margaret was in her chamber high,
A-combing up her hair, She spied Sweet William and his bride,
As they to the church drew near.
She threw down her ivory comb
And tossed back her hair; And from the room a fair lady came
That was seen in there no more.
The day being gone and the night being come,
When most men were asleep, Sweet William spied Lady Margaret's ghost,
A-standing at his bed feet.
"How do you like your bed?" said she, "And how do you like your sheet?
And how do you like the fair lady, That lies in your arms asleep?"
â–
68 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
7 "Very well do I like my bed," said he,
"Very well do I like my sheet; But better do I like the fair lady, That is standing at my bed feet."
8 The night being gone and the day being come,
When most men were awake, Sweet William said he was troubled, in his head From a dream he had last night.
9 He called his weary waiting maids,
By one, by two, by three; And last of all, with his bride's consent, Lady Margaret he went to see.
io He went unto the parlor door,
He knocked until he made things ring; But none was so ready as her own dear brother To arise and let him in.
ii "Is Lady Margaret in the parlor?" said he, "Or is she in the hall? Or is she in her chamber high Among the gay ladies all?"
12 "Lady Margaret is not in the parlor," said he,
"She is neither in the hall; But she is in her coffin
And a-lying by the wall."
13 "Tear down, tear down those milk-white sheets,
They are made of silk so fine; That I may kiss Lady Margaret's cheek, For ofttimes she has kissed mine."
14 The first that he kissed was her rosy cheek,
The next was her dimpled chin; The last of all was her clay-cold lips: That pierced his heart within.
15 "Tear down, tear down those milk-white sheets,
They are made of silk so fine; To-day they hang around Lady Margaret's corpse, And to-morrow they will hang around mine."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 69
16 Lady Margaret died of pure, pure love,
Sweet William died of sorrow; They are buried in one burying ground, Both side and side together.
17 Out of her grave grew a red rose,
And out of his a briar; They grew in a twining true-lover's knot, The rose and the green briar.
C
"Sweet William." Contributed by Miss Sallie D. Jones, Hillsboro, Poca- hontas County, January, 191 7; learned about forty-six years ago from Miss M. E. Harper, Pendleton County; assisted in remembering by Mrs. Dickenson and Mrs. Forest Hammer, Franklin, Pendleton County.
1 Sweet William arose one May misty morning,
And dressed himself in blue: "Come tell unto me the long, long love Between Lady Margaret and you."
2 "I know nothing about Lady Margaret," he said,
"Lady Margaret knows nothing about me; But to-morrow morning about eight o'clock, Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
3 Lady Margaret was sitting in her high dawning window,
Combing her long, yellow hair; When whom should she spy but Sweet William and his bride, As they drew nigh to the church.
4 She dashed down her ivory comb
And tossed back her long, yellow hair, And departed from the high dawning window, And was never more seen there.
5 The day being past and night coming on,
When most of the men were asleep, Lady Margaret's ghost it did appear At Sweet William's own bed feet.
6 "How do you like your bed?" said she,
And how do you like your sheet? And how do you like your newly-wedded^bride, Who lies in your arms asleep?"
70 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
7 "Very well do I like my bed," said he,
"Very well do I like my sheet; But the dearest of all is the dear little girl, Who stands at my bed feet."
8 The night being past and the day coming on,
When most of the men were awake, Sweet William he said, "I am troubled in my mind, By the dream that I dreamed last night."
ii
"I dreamed that my hall was haunted by white swine, And my bed was floating away."
10 He called up his merry maids all
And dressed six of them in green, Saying, "Take up my newly wedded bride, For Lady Margaret I'll go see."
He rode all day and he rode all night, He rode till he came to her hall.
1 2 Sweet William tingled at the bell,
As there was no other; Who was so ready as to rise and let him in As Lady Margaret's own brother?
13 "O is she in her chamber high?
Or is she in the hall? Or is she in her kitchen room, Among her maidens all?"
14 " She is neither in her chamber high,
She is neither in her hall; But yonder she lies on her cold cofiin lid, With her pale face turned to the wall."
15 "Fall down, fall down, ye milk-white sheets,
White hollands ye are so fine, That I may kiss the clay-cold lips That ofttimes have kissed mine."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 71
16 Three times he kissed her on the cheek, Three times he kissed her chin; Three times he kissed her clay-cold lips, And it pierced his heart within.
"Lady Margaret's Ghost." Communicated by Mr. George Paugh, Thomas, Tucker County, April 15, 1916; obtained from Mrs. Martha Johnson, Hen- dricks, Tucker County, who learned it when a girl.
1 Sweet William arose one May morning,
And dressed himself in blue: "Come tell unto me this long, long love
That's between Lady Margaret and you."
2 "I know nothing of Lady Margaret,
And Lady Margaret knows nothing of me; But to-morrow morning at eight o'clock Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
3 Lady Margaret was sitting in her bow l door
Combing her yellow hair, And who should she spy but Sweet William and his bride, In the church yard they passed by.
4 Down she threw her ivory comb,
Back she flung her hair, Down she fell from her bowing l door, And never again seen there.
5 As the day being done and the night drawing on,
And most of the men were asleep ; Who should appear at Sweet William's bed, But gay Lady Margaret's ghost?
6 "How do you like your bed?" said she,
"And how do you like your sheet? And how do you like this new wedded wife That lies in your arms asleep?"
7 "Very well, very well do I like my bed,
Better do I like my sheet; And best of all is that gay lady That stands at my bed feet."
1. Mistake for bower.
72 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
8 As the night being gone and the day drawing on,
And most of the men were awake, Sweet William said he was troubled in his head Of the dream he had last night.
9 "O is she in her dining room?
Or is she in the hall? Or is she in her bed chamber Among her maidens all?"
io " She is not in her dining room, Or is she in her hall; But she is laying in her lead coffin,
With her pale face turned to the wall."
ii "Turn down, turn down those lily- white sheets, Lay back those laces fine; And let me kiss those cold, cold lips That oft times have kissed mine."
1 2 Up spoke her brothers, all but one,
"Go home, go home, go home! Go home to your wedded wife, And let our dead sister alone."
13 Sweet William he died of pure love,
Lady Margaret died of sorrow; Lady Margaret was buried in the church yard, And Sweet William buried by her.
14 Out of her grave grew a red, red rose,
And out of his grew a brier; They grew up to the church steeple top,
Till they could grow no higher; And there they tied in a true lover's knot,
The red rose and the brier.
"Lady Margaret." Communicated by Mrs. Hilary G. Richardson, Clarks- burg, Harrison County, 191 7; obtained from Mrs. Nancy McDonald McAtee.
1 Her father says to Sweet William :
" Come tell to me this long, long love Betwixt Lady Margaret and thee."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 73
" I know nothing of Lady Margaret,
Nor Lady Margaret knows nothing of me;
But to-morrow, agin eight o'clock, Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
Lady Margaret up in her high story,
A-combin' her long yellow hair; And who should she see but Love William with his bride,
As they went ridin' by?
Down she throwed her ivory comb,
And tore down her long yellow hair, And throwed herself from the top of the high hall,
Where she never was no more seen.
The very next morning Love William arose, And he dressed in the best of his clothes,
And he said, "I am troubled in my mind With a dream I dremp last night.
"For I dremp that my household
Was all covered with a white shroud, And my merry maids all in tears."
And he never rested till he got relief, From his nuby 1 wedded wife,
Lady Margaret he might see.
8 He put his foot in his right stirrup
And merrily rode away; He rode till he came to Lady Molly's hall, And tingered low at the ring.2
9 There was none so ready as the seventh brother
To git up and let him in: "Where is Lady Molly? Is she in her chamber hall, Or is she in her chamber so high?"
10 "Lady Molly she's not in her chamber hall, Lady Molly's in her lead coffin, And her face cold against the wall."
1. Mistake for newly.
2. With this stanza compare G3 of "Lord Thomas and Fair Annet," p. 59.
74 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
ii "Tear down those milk-white sheets,
And let me git a kiss from her cold dyin' lips, For ofttimes she's kissed mine."
12 Three times he kissed her cold dyin' lips,
Three times he kissed her chin;
And when he kissed her cold dyin' lips,
He pierced his heart with tears.
13 Lady Molly died this one glad day,
Sweet William died to-morrow; Lady Molly died for the loss of her dear, Sweet William died for sorrow.
14 Lady Molly was buried in the green churchyard,
Sweet William was buried close by her; And out of her breast grew a red rose bush,
And from his'n there grew a brier; And there they tied in a true-lover's knot,
The red rose and the brier.
"Lady Margaret." Contributed by Miss Polly McKinney, Sophia, Raleigh County, 1919.
1 Sweet William arose one May, May morning,
He dressed himself in blue: "Pray tell to me a long, long life
Between Lady Margaret and you."
2 "I know no harm of sweet Lady Margaret,
And she knows none of me; By eight o'clock to-morrow morning Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
3 Lady Margaret was sitting in her own dining room,
Combing back her yellow hair, When who should she see but Sweet William and his bride, Both down to the church did go?
4 "Is Lady Margaret in her dining room?
Or among those ladies all? Or is she dead and in her coffin, A-leaning against the wall?"
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 75
5 "Lady Margaret is neither in her own dining room,
Nor among those ladies all; But she is dead and in her coffin, A-leaning against the wall."
6 "Raise up, raise up those winding sheets
That look so neat and fine, And let me kiss Lady Margaret's lips, As often as she's kissed mine."
7 The first he kissed was on her cheek,
The next was on her chin; The next he kissed was her cold clay lips, And he wished that life was in.
8 Lady Margaret was buried in the old churchyard,
Sweet William by her side; Out of her grave there sprang a red rose, And out of his grave a green brier.
9 They grew to the top of the old church wall,
They could not grow any higher; They twittered and they twined in a true lover's knot, The red rose and the green brier.
9
"Sweet William." Communicated by Mr. C. Woofter, Glenville, Gilmer County, December 1923; obtained from Mr. Charles L. Ayers, Revere, who was killed in France, 1918. He got it on Standing Stone, Wirt County.
1 Sweet William rode one morning bright,
And dressed himself in blue : "Come tell me the long lost love
Between Lady Margaret and you."
2 "I know no harm of Lady Margaret," said he,
"And I hope she knows none of me, But to-morrow morning before eight o'clock Lady Margaret my bride shall be."
3 As Lady Margaret was in her chamber high,
A-combing up her hair, She spied Sweet William and his bride, As they to the church drew near.
76 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
4 She threw down her ivory comb
And tossed back her hair; And from the room a fair lady came, That was seen in there no more.
5 The day being gone and the night being come,
When most men are asleep, Sweet William spied Lady Margaret's ghost, A-standing at his bed feet.
6 "How do you like your bed?" said she,
"And how do you like your sheet? And how do you like the fair lady That lies in your arms asleep?"
7 "Very well I like my bed," said he,
"Very well I like my sheet, But better do I like the fair lady That is standing at my bed feet."
8 The night being gone and the day being come,
When most men are awake, Sweet William said he was troubled in his head From a dream he had last night.
9 He called his weary waiting maids,
By one, by two, by three; And the last of all, with his bride's consent, Lady Margaret he went to see.
io He went unto the parlor door,
He knocked till he made things ring: But none was so ready as his own dear brother To rise and let him in.
ii "Is Lady Margaret in the parlor?" said he, "Or is she in the hall? Or is she in her chamber high Among the gay ladies all?"
12 "Lady Margaret is not in the parlor," said he, "She is neither in the hall; But she is in her coffin, A-lying by the wall."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 77
13 "Tear down, tear down those milk-white sheets,
They are made of silk so fine, That I may kiss Lady Margaret's cheek, For ofttimes she has kissed mine."
14 The first that he kissed was her rosy cheek,
The next was her dimpled chin; The last of all was her clay-cold lips: That pierced his heart within.
15 "Tear down, tear down those milk-white sheets,
They are made of silk so fine; To-day they hang around Lady Margaret's corpse, And to-morrow they will hang around mine."
16 Lady Margaret died of pure, pure love,
Sweet William died of sorrow; They are buried in one burying ground, Both side and side together.
17 Out of her grave grew a red, red rose,
And out of his a green briar; They grew and they grew to the church-steeple top, And they could not grow any higher.
18 They grew into a twining true-lover's knot,
The rose and the green briar; They grew into a twining true-lover's knot, For all true lovers to admire.
78 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
12
LORD LOVEL
(Child, No. 75)
Five variants have been recovered, under the titles: "Lord Lovel," "Lord Lover," and "Lord Leven." They are all to be classed with Child H. A is practically identical with Child H to the end of the seventh stanza. Stanza 8 is made up of verses 1 and 2 of Child 8, and 3 and 4 of Child H 9. Stanza 9 is the same as Child H 10. In additions and corrections to "Lord Lovel" Mr. Child has the following: "211 H. I have received a copy recited by a lady in Cam- bridge, Massachusetts, which was evidently derived from print, and differs but slightly from a, omitting 83'4, 91'2." It would seem that the Massachusetts version and West Virginia A are identical.
B is the same as Child H stanza for stanza, but the phraseology is not quite so close as is that of West Virginia A. C, more or less fragmentary, does not differ materially from A and B. Stanza D 4 is not found in Child H. Cf. Child C 4. E shows some likenesses to Child D. The name "Lady Ouncebell" is found in this form in Child A 1.
For American texts see Journal, xvni, 291 (Barry; Massachusetts, Connec- ticut, Rhode Island); xrx, 283 (Belden; Kentucky, Missouri); Shoemaker, p. 124 (Pennsylvania); McGill, p. 9 (Kentucky); Focus, iv, 215 (Virginia); Campbell and Sharp, No. 18 (North Carolina) ; Clifton Johnson, What They Say in New England, p. 225; Pound, No. 2 (Illinois, Wyoming); Ralph, Harper's Monthly Magazine, July, 1903, cvn, 272; Minish MS. (North Carolina). Cf. Barry, No. 14; Belden, No. 6; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Pound, p. 9; Bulletin, Nos. 2-10; Reed Smith, Journal, xxvin, 199,.
No old ballad has oftener been printed in American song-books and broad- sides. See references, which could be indefinitely extended, in Journal, xxix, 160, note 1. It has sometimes been sung as a comic ditty: see, for example, Bob Smith's Clown Song Book, p. 51 ("as sung by Bob Smith"). A satirical parody beginning "Lord Lovell he sat in St. Charles's Hotel," was popular in the sixties and has often been printed (for example, in Tony Pastor's New Union Song Book, cop. 1862, p. 66, " The New Ballad of Lord Lovell " in Frank Moore's Songs of the Soldiers [New York, 1864], p. 174; and in R. G. White's Poetry, Lyrical, Narrative, and Satirical of the Civil War [New York, 1866], p. 115); Bel- den has found it in Missouri (No. 128). Another, called "Ye Ballade of Mans. Lovell," is in Frank Moore's Personal and Political Ballads (New York, 1864), p. 321. A Confederate parody, " Where are you going, Abe Lincoln? " is printed in Allan's Lone Star Ballads (Galveston, 1874), p. 31. For a recent parody see Carolyn Wells, A Parody Anthology, p. 326.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 79
"Lord Lovel." Contributed by Miss Blanche Satterfield, Fairmont, Marion Coiinty, 1915; learned from her mother, who learned it from her mother, a lady of English descent, who came from Washington County, Pennsylvania, Printed by Cox, xliv, 350.
1 Lord Lovel he stood at his castle gate,
A-combing his milk-white steed; When along came Lady Nancy Bell, A-wishing her lover good speed, A-wishing her lover good speed.
2 "0 where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"O where are you going?" said she; "I'm going, my dear Nancy Bell, Strange countries for to see."
3 "O when will you be back, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"O when will you be back?" said she. "In a year or two or three at the least I'll return to my Lady Nancy."
4 He had n't been gone but a year and a day,
Strange countries for to see, When a languishing thought came into his mind, Lady Nancy Bell he must see.
5 He rode and he rode upon his white steed,
Till he came to London Town; And there he heard St. Varner's bell, And the people all mourning round.
6 "Is anybody dead?" Lord Lovel he said,
"Is anybody dead?" said he. "A lord's daughter 's dead," a lady replied, "And some call her Lady Nancy."
7 He ordered the grave to be opened forthwith
And the shroud to be folded down;
And there he kissed the clay-cold lips,
Till the tears came trinkling down.
8 Lady Nancy she died as it might be to-day,
Lord Lovel he died to-morrow; And out of her bosom there grew a red rose, And out of Lord Lovel's a briar.
80 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
9 They grew and they grew till they reached the church top, And there they could n't grow any higher; And there they entwined in a true lover's knot, Which true lovers always admire.
"Lord Leven." Communicated by Mrs. Hilary G. Richardson, Clarksburg, Harrison County, who obtained it from Mrs. Nancy McDonald McAtee.
i Lady Nancy Belle was standing in her door, And who should she spy But Lord Leven,
A-dressing up his milk-white steed.
2 " Where are you going, Lord Leven?" she said,
"O where are you going from me?" "I am a-going, Lady Nancy Belle, Strange countries for to see."
3 "How long will you be gone, Lord Leven?" she said,
"How long will you be gone from me?" "Twelve months and a day, Lady Nancy Belle, And then I'll return to thee."
4 "That's too long, Lord Leven," she said,
"Too long to be gone from me; You '11 soon forget Lady Nancy Belle And take up with some other ladie."
He put his foot in his right stirrup, And merrily rode away.
He had not rode not many miles,
Not over two or three, Till a ring busted off his little finger,
And his nose began to bleed.
"I'll turn myself back home again, Lady Nancy Belle I'll see."
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 8 1
8 He had not rode not half way home again,
Till he heard the noise of the church-bell ring, And the ladies come mourning thereby.
9 "O who is sick, or who is dead, I pray you will me tell." "It 's a fine young lady," some answered and said, "And her name it is Nancy Belle."
io Nancy Belle died this one glad day, Lord Leven died to-morrow; Nancy Belle died for the loss of her dear, Lord Leven died for sorrow.
1 1 Lady Nancy was buried in the green church yard,
Lord Leven was buried close by; From her breast grew a red, red rose,
From his 'n grew a brier. They grew till they come to the top of the church,
And they could not grow no higher.
C
"Lord Lovel." Contributed by Miss Maud Groves, Deepwell, Nicholas County, 191 5, who learned it about twenty years ago from Mrs. Margaret McClung. Reported by Cox, xlv, 159.
1 Lord Lovel was standing at his own castle gate,
Saddling his own white steed; When who should come along but Lady Ouncebell, A-wishing her lover God speed?
2 "O where are you going, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"O where are you going to-day?" "I am going away to some far, far land, I am going away to sea."
3 "When will you return, Lord Lovel?" she said,
"When will you return to me?" "In the space of three years I'll return, my love, To the face of a fair lady."
4 He had not been gone not more than two weeks,
I 'm sure it was not three, Till something came over his mind, Lady Ouncebell he must see.
-
V
82 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
5 He rode, he rode along the way,
Till he came to London Town; And there he heard St. Mary's church bell; The ladies were weeping around.
6 "O who is dead?" Lord Lovel he said,
"O who's to be buried to-day?" "Lady Ouncebell died for a false young man; Lord Lovel she called his name."
7 He ordered the coffin be opened,
The snow white sheets let down; And as he kissed the clay-cold lips, The tears came trinkling down.
8 "These are your clay-cold lips I kiss,
But you will never kiss mine; I vow, I vow, and I '11 vow to thee, I'll never kiss lips but thine."
9 Lady Ouncebell died as it were to-day,
Lord Lovel he died to-morrow, Lady Ouncebell died of a pure, pure love, Lord Lovel he died of sorrow.
io Lady Ouncebell was buried in St. Mary's churchyard, Lord Lovel was buried close by her; And out of her grave, a rose grows, And out of Lord Lovel's, a brier.
n They grew, they grew up the church wall, Till they could grow no higher; And there they entwined in a true-lover's knot And remain there forever.
<D
"Lord Lovel." Communicated by Miss Lucille V. Hays, Glenville, Gilmer County, November 22, 1916; obtained from her mother, who learned it from her mother, and she from her mother, Mrs. Zackwell Morgan, a lady of Welsh descent. Very similar to A.
"Lord Lover." Communicated by Mrs. Mabel Richards, Fairmont, Marion County, December 14, 1915; obtained from Mrs. P. J. Lang, Lowesville, who learned it about thirty years ago from Mrs. Katherine Zinn, Monongalia County. Reported by Cox, xlv, 159. Very similar to A.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 83
13
THE LASS OF ROCH ROYAL
(Child, No. 76)
One complete version (A) and a fragment (B) have been recovered in West Virginia.
"Fair Annie and Gregory." Contributed by Mrs. J. J. Haines, Parkersburg, Wood County, January 15, 1916, who writes: "I have heard these old ballads sung from my earliest recollection by my grandparents and others. Grand- father's name was Benjamin Franklin Roberts; grandmother's name was Mary Leatherman Roberts. Grandfather's mother was a descendant of the Franklins, but I do not know whether of Benjamin Franklin's father's family, or a brother. My ancestors on both sides came to America in the time of the colonization." Printed by Cox, xlv, 347.
This excellent version of "The Lass of Roch Royal," though derived by the contributor from an oral source, probably goes back to print. It seems to be formed from Jamieson's text {Popular Ballads, 1806, I, 37) and from Scott's {Minstrelsy, 1802, n, 49), chiefly from the former. Thus one may account for its close resemblance to Child's D and for the points which it has in common with Child's E, as well as for the name "Loch Royan " (Child's B). Cf . Journal, xxx, 304.
1 "O who will shoe my bonny feet,
Or who will glove my hand, Or who will lace my middle waist With a new-made London band?
2 "And who will comb my yellow hair
With a new-made silver comb? And who will be my bairn's father, Till love Gregory comes home?"
3 "Your father will shoe your bonny feet,
Your mother will glove your hand, Your sister will lace your middle waist With a new-made London band.
4 " Myself will comb your yellow hair
With a new-made silver comb, And the Lord will be the bairn's father, Till Gregory comes home."
5 "O if I had a bonny ship,
And men to sail with me, I would go to my true love,
Since he will not come to me."
84 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
6 Her father gave her a fair ship
And sent her to the strand; She has taken her young son in her arms And turned her back to land.
7 She had been sailing on the sea
About a month or more, When she landed her bonny ship Near to her true love's door.
8 The night was dark and the wind was cold,
And her love was fast asleep ; And the bairn that was in her arms, Full sore began to weep.
9 Long stood she at her lover's door
And long twirled at the pin; At length up got his false mother,
Saying, " Who's that, that would be in?"
io "0 it is Annie of Loch Royan,
Your love, come over the sea; Also your young son in her arms, So open the door to me."
ii "Away, away, you ill woman,
You're not come here for good; You 're but a witch or a vile warlock, Or a mermaid of the flood."
12 "I'm not a witch or a vile warlock,
Nor a mermaiden," said she; "But I am Annie of Loch Royan; Please open the door to me."
13 "O if you be Annie of Loch Royan,
As I believe you not to be, Now tell me some of the love tokens
That have passed between thee and me."
14 "O do you mind, love Gregory,
When we sat at the wine, How we changed the napkins from our necks? It's not so long a time.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 85
15 "And yours was good, and good enough,
But not so good as mine; For yours was of the cambric clear, But mine of the silk so fine.
16 "And do you not mind, love Gregory,
As we two sat to dine, How we changed the rings from our fingers? And I can show thee thine.
17 "So open the door, love Gregory,
And open it with speedy Or our young son in my arms From cold will soon be dead."
18 "Away, away, you false woman,
Go from your door for shame; For I have gotten another fair love, So you may hie you home."
19 "O have you gotten another fair love,
For all the oaths you sware? Then farewell, false Gregory, You will never see me more."
20 O early, early went she back,
As the day began to peep ; She set her foot on her good ship, And sorely she did weep.
21 Love Gregory started from his sleep
And to his mother did say : "I dreamed a dream this night, mother, That fills my heart with woe.
22 "I dreamed that Annie of Loch Roy an,
The flower of all her kind, Was standing mourning at my door, And none would let her in."
23 "If it be Annie of Loch Royan,
That you make all this din, She stood all last night at your door, But I'm sure she was not in."
86 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
24 "O woe betide you, false woman,
An ill death may you die, That would not open the door to her, Nor yet would waken me!"
25 O quickly, quickly raised he up
And fast run to the strand; And then he saw his fair Annie, Was sailing far from land.
26 "O Annie, and it's O Annie,
O Annie, where do you abide?" But all the more he cried " Annie," The faster ran the tide.
27 The wind grew loud and the sea grew rough,
And the ship was rent in twain; And soon he saw his fair Annie Come floating through the foam.
28 He saw his young son in her arms,
Both tossed about the tide; He wrung his hands and fast he ran, And plunged into the sea so wide.
29 He caught her by the yellow hair,
He drew her to the strand;
But cold and stiff was every limb,
Before he reached the land.
30 O first he kissed her pale cheeks,
And then he kissed her chin; And then he kissed her bonny lips, But there was no breath within.
31 And he mourned over his fair Annie, Till the sun was going down;
Then with a sigh his heart did break, And his soul to heaven has flown.
â–
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 87
"My Lady's Slipper." Communicated by Mr. R. S. Ridenour, Farmington, Marion County, January 1916; obtained from the Rev. W. J. Sharpes, who learned it about seventy years ago.
These two stanzas sometimes occur by themselves; so Child, in, 512 (from "the Carolina mountains"); Cox, C; Focus, iv, 49. But they easily become associated with any song on the theme of lovers' parting. They turn up, ac- cordingly, (1) in "The New-Slain Knight" (Child, No. 263); (2) in some forms of "The True Lover's Farewell" (as Cox, No. 137, and Campbell and Sharp, No. 61 A; Belden's collection); (3) in one version of "The Rejected Lover" (Camp- bell and Sharp, No. 56 A); (4) in "Cold Winter's Night" (Shearin, Modern Language Review, vi, 514; cf. Shearin and Combs, p. 8), which is a cross between (2) and (3); (5) in some forms of "Careless Love" (Perrow, Journal, xxvm, 147, mixed with "The True Lover's Farewell"; Focus, in, 275); (6) in some versions of "The False Young Man" (Campbell and Sharp, No. 94 C; Babcock, Folk-Lore Journal, vn, 31, reprinted by Child, 111, 511); (7) in "Kitty Kline" (Bascom, Journal, xxn, 240; cf. F. C. Brown, p. 9); (8) in "Blue-eyed Boy" (Belden's Missouri collection) ; in (9) in a comic ditty (Lomax, The North Caro- lina Booklet, July, 191 1, xi, 29). The same stanzas, alone or in combination, are recorded in Bulletin, Nos. 2-10. They occur also in a West Virginia text of "The House Carpenter" (No. 25 C), in "John Hardy" (No. 35 E), and appar- ently in a North Carolina version of "Lord Randal," Child, No. 12 (F. C.Brown, p. 9). Cf. Reed Smith, Journal, xxvni, 201, 202.
1 "Who will shoe your pretty little feet?
Who will glove your hand? Who will kiss your sweet rosy lips, When I'm in a foreign land?"
2 "My father will shoe my pretty little feet,
My mother will glove my hand, And you may kiss my sweet rosy lips,
When you come from the foreign land."
88 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
THE WIFE OF USHER'S WELL
(Child, No. 79)
Seven variants have been recovered in West Virginia, under the titles: "A Moravian Song," "Lady Gay," "The Three Little Babes," and "A Lady Gay" (cf. Cox, xlv, 160). They all belong to the same version, and of the three ver- sions printed by Child, they resemble most A. The best of the West Virginia copies are practically identical with the American text printed in Child V, 294. The main lines of the story are these: A lady who had three fair children sent them away to the North country to school, where, in short time, they died. She prays to the King in heaven to send them down to her, and about Christmas time they appear. She spreads a bountiful table for them, but they refuse to eat because they have food divine. She makes up a downy bed for them, with clean sheets and a golden spread, but they command her to take it off because it is vanity and sin. At the break of day they depart.
The prayer of the mother to have the children come back is not found in Child A. Cf. Child C 1. West Virginia texts A 9 and D 8 indicate the children come back to forbid obstinate grief, as the dead often do. This motive is not found in the Child versions. An ancient law compelled ghosts to return to their graves at the crowing of the cock. This law is observed in the Child versions, but in the West Virginia variants they act in obedience to the will of their Savior. A curious combination of the two compelling forces is found in West Virginia B 8.
For references to English and American versions see Journal, xxx, 305. Add Campbell and Sharp, No. 19; Pound, No. 7; Wyman MS., No. 16 (Kentucky); Minish MS. (North Carolina); Bulletin, No. 3, p. 5; No. 9, p. 6.
«A
" A Moravian Song." Contributed by Miss Bettie R. Loy, Glebe, Hampshire County, February 17, 19 16. She writes: "I am sending you a song that my mother learned of her mother, who was of Dutch descent, but either she or her parents learned it of a Moravian preacher and she called it a Moravian song."
1 There was a lady, a fair lady,
And she had fair children three; She sent them away to the North country, To be taught their grammaree.
2 They 'd been gone but a short time,
About three weeks and a day, When death, swift death, came hastening along, And took those pretty ones away.
FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 89
3 " There's a king in heaven, I know,
A king that wears a crown; Pray send me down my children dear, To-night or in the morning soon."
4 It was about the New Year's time,
The nights being long and cold, When lo ! she saw her three little ones, Coming down to their mother's home.
5 She spread a table bounteously,
And on it spread bread and wine, Saying, " Come eat and drink, children dear, Come eat and drink of mine."
6 "We want none of your bread, mother, S^\
And we want none of your wine; y^
For we are children of the King, We have food and drink divine."
7 She spread a downy bed for them,
And on it spread clean sheets; And on it she spread a golden spread, That they might for the better sleep.
8 "Take it off, take it off," the oldest said,
" 'T is vanity and sin; And woe, woe be to this wicked world, Since pride has so entered in!
9 "Place marble at our heads, mother,
And cold clay at our feet; For all those tears that have been shed Shall but wet our winding sheet."
"Lady Gay." Communicated by Anna Copley, Shoals, Wayne County, January 28, 1916; written from the dictation of Mr. Burwell Luther.
1 Once there was a lady gay,
And children she had three; She sent them away to the North country, To learn their grammaree.
2 They had n't been gone but a mighty little while,
It was six weeks and a day, Till death came hastening all around, And killed those babes all three.
90 FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH
3 The Christmas times were coming on,
And the nights were long and cold, When those three babes came running along, Down to their mother's hall.
4 She set a table before them,
All covered with bread and wine; Saying, "Come my babes, my three little babes, Come and eat and drink of mine."
5 "We can't eat of your bread, mamma,
Nor drink none of your wine;
For woe be unto this wicked world,
Since pride has first begun!"
6 She made a bed in the best room,
All covered with white sheets;