nglish Folk Songs
from the
Southern Appalachians
Olive Dame Campbell
and
Cecil J. Sharp
FROM THE LIBRARY OF
REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON. D. D,
BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO
THE LIBRARY OF
PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Section <f2 2S
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
Princeton Theological Seminary Library
http://archive.org/details/englishfolkOOcamp
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MAP SHOWING THE GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS
The thick line, which marks the boundaries of the mountain district, coincides, approximately, with the iooo-foot contour
English Folk So from the Southern Appalachians
Comprising 122 Songs and Ballads, and 323 Tunes
Collected by
Olive Dame Campbell
and
Cecil J. Sharp
With an Introduction and Notes
G. P. Putnam's Sons
New York and London
Gbe Utnfcketbocftet press
1917
Copyright, 19 17
BY
OLIVE DAME CAMPBELL
AND
CECIL J, SHARP
Ube Iknfcfeerbocfecr press, "Hew JJJorfe
INTRODUCTION
The effort that has been made to collect and preserve in permanent form the folk-songs of England during the last twenty or thirty years has resulted in the salvage of many thousands of beautiful songs. It was pardonable, therefore, if those who, like myself, had assisted in the task had come to believe that the major part of the work had been completed. So far as the collection in England itself was concerned, this belief was no doubt well founded. Nevertheless, in arriving at this very consolatory conclusion, one important, albeit not very obvious consideration had been overlooked, namely, the possibility that one or other of those English communities that lie scattered in various parts of the woild might provide as good a field for the collector as England itself, and yield as bountiful and rich a harvest. The investigation which my colleague Mrs. Campbell began, and in which later on I came to bear a hand, has proved that at least one such community does in fact exist in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of North America. The region is an extensive one, covering some 110,000 square miles, and is considerably larger than England, Wales, and Scotland com- bined. It includes about one third of the total area of the States of North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia.1 The total population exceeds five millions, or, excluding city dwellers, about three millions.
The Country and its Inhabitants. The reader will, I think, be in a better position to appreciate and assess the value of the songs and ballads which form the major part of this volume if, by way of preface, I give some account of the way in which they were collected and record the impression which the inhabitants of this unique country made upon me. But I must bid him remember that I claim to speak with authority only with respect to that part of the mountain district into which I penetrated and that the statements and opinions which are now to follow must be accepted subject to this qualification. 1 See Frontispiece.
iv Introduction
I spent nine weeks only in the mountains, accompanied throughout by Miss Maud Karpeles, who took down, usually in shorthand, the words of the songs we heard, while I noted the tunes. Mr. John C. Campbell, the agent for the Southern Highland Division of the Russell Sage Foun- dation, went with us on our first expedition and afterwards directed our journeyings and, in general, gave us the benefit of his very full knowledge of the country and its people. Our usual procedure was to stay at one or ether of the Presbyterian Missionary Settlements and to make it our centre for a week or ten days while we visited the singers who lived within a walking radius. In this way we successively visited White Rock, Allanstand, Alleghany and Carmen, Big Laurel and Hot Springs, in North Carolina, and thus succeeded in exploring the major portion of what is known as the Laurel Country. Afterwards we spent ten days at Rocky Fork, Tenn., and a similar period at Charlottesville, Va. I should add that had it not been for the generous hospitality extended to us by the heads of the Missionary Settlements at which we sojourned, it would have been quite impossible to prosecute our work.
The present inhabitants of the Laurel Country are the direct de- scendants of the original settlers who were emigrants from England and, I suspect, the lowlands of Scotland. I was able to ascertain with some degree of certainty that the settlement of this particular section began about three or four generations ago, i.e. in the latter part of the eight- eenth century or early years of the nineteenth. How many years prior to this the original emigration from England had taken place, I am unable to say; but it is fairly safe, I think, to conclude that the present-day residents of this section of the mountains are the de- scendants of those who left the shores of Britain some time in the eighteenth century.
The region is from its inaccessibility a very secluded one. There are but few roads — most of them little better than mountain tracks— and practically no railroads. Indeed, so remote and shut ofl from outside influence were, until quite recently, these sequestered mountain valleys that the inhabitants have for a hundred years or more been completely isolated and cut off from all traffic with the rest of the world. Their speech is English, not American, and, from the number of expressions they use which have long been obsolete elsewhere, and the old-fashioned way in which they pronounce many of their words, it is clear that they are talking the language of a past day, though exactly of what period I am not competent to decide. One peculiarity is perhaps worth the
Introduction v
noting, namely the pronunciation of the impersonal pronoun with an aspirate — "hit"- — a practice that seems to be universal.
Economically they are independent. As there are practically no available markets, little or no surplus produce is grown, each family extracting from its holding just what is needed to support life, and no more. They have very little money, barter in kind being the customary form of exchange.
Many set the standard of bodily and material comfort perilously low, in order, presumably, that they may have the more leisure and so extract the maximum enjoyment out of life. The majority live in log-cabins, more or less water-tight, usually, but not always, lighted with windows; but some have built larger and more comfortable homesteads.
They are a leisurely, cheery people in their quiet way, in whom the social instinct is very highly developed. They dispense hospitality with an openhanded generosity and are extremely interested in and friendly toward strangers, communicative and unsuspicious. "But surely you will tarry with us for the night? " was said to us on more than one occasion when, after paying an afternoon's visit, we rose to say good-bye.
They know their Bible intimately and subscribe to an austere creed, charged with Calvinism and the unrelenting doctrines of determinism or fatalism. The majority we met were Baptists, but we met Methodists also, a few Presbyterians, and some who are attached to what is known as the "Holiness" sect, with whom, however, we had but little truck, as their creed forbids the singing of secular songs.
They have an easy unaffected bearing and the unselfconscious manners of the well-bred. I have received salutations upon introduction or on bidding farewell, dignified and restrained, such as a courtier might make to his Sovereign. Our work naturally led to the making of many acquaintances, and, in not a few cases, to the formation of friendships of a more intimate nature, but on no single occasion did we receive anything but courteous and friendly treatment. Strangers that we met in the course of our long walks would usually bow, doff the hat, and extend the
hand, saying, "My name is ; what is yours?" an introduction which
often led to a pleasant talk and sometimes to singing and the noting of interesting ballads. In their general characteristics they reminded me of the English peasant, with whom my work in England for the past fifteen years or more has brought me into close ' contact. There are differences, however. The mountaineer is freer in his manner, more alert, and less inarticulate than his British prototype, and bears no trace
vi Introduction
of the obsequiousness of manner which, since the Enclosure Acts robbed him of his economic independence and made of him a hired labourer, has unhappily characterized the English villager. The difference is seen in the way the mountaineer, as I have already said, upon meeting a stranger, removes his hat, offers his hand and enters into conversation, where the English labourer would touch his cap, or pull his forelock, and pass on.
A few of those we met were able to read and write, but the majority were illiterate. They are, however, good talkers, using an abundant vocabulary racily and often picturesquely. Although uneducated, in the sense in which that term is usually understood, they possess that elemental wisdom, abundant knowledge and intuitive understanding which those only who live in constant touch with Nature and face to face with reality seem to be able to acquire. It is to be hoped that the schools which are beginning to be established in some districts, chiefly in the vicinity of the Missionary Settlements, will succeed in giving them what they lack without infecting their ideals, or depriving them of the charm of manner and the many engaging qualities which so happily distinguish them.
Physically, they are strong and of good stature, though usually spare in figure. Their features are clean-cut and often handsome; while their complexions testify to wholesome, out-of-door habits. They carry themselves superbly, and it was a never-failing delight to note their swinging, easy gait and the sureness with which they would negotiate the foot-logs over the creeks, the crossing of which caused us many anxious moments. The children usually go about barefooted, and, on occasion their elders too, at any rate in the summer time. Like all primitive peoples, or those who live under primitive conditions, they attain to physical maturity at a very early age, especially the women, with whom marriage at thirteen, or even younger, is not unknown.
I have been told that in past days there were blood-feuds — a species of vendetta — which were pursued for generations between members of certain families or clans; but, whenever circumstances connected with these were related to me, I was always given to understand that this barbarous custom had long since been discontinued. I have heard, too, that there is a good deal of illicit distilling of corn spirit by "moonshiners", as they are called, in defiance of the State excise laws ; but of this, again, I personally saw nothing and heard but little. Nor did I see any con- sumption of alcohol' in the houses I visited. On the other hand, the chewing or snuffing of tobacco is a common habit amongst young and old; but, curiously enough, no one smokes. Indeed, many looked
Introduction vii
askance at my pipe and I rarely succeeded in extracting more than a half- hearted assent to my request for permission to light it.
That the illiterate may nevertheless reach a high level of culture will surprise those only who imagine that education and cultivation are convertible terms. The reason, I take it, why these mountain people, albeit unlettered, have acquired so many of the essentials of culture is partly to be attributed to the large amount of leisure they enjoy, with- out which, of course, no cultural development is possible, but chiefly to the fact that they have one and all entered at birth into the full enjoyment of their racial heritage. Their language, wisdom, man- ners, and the many graces of life that are theirs, are merely racial attributes which have been gradually acquired and accumulated in past centuries and handed down generation by generation, each genera- tion adding its quotum to that which it received. It must be re- membered, also, that in their everyday lives they are immune from that continuous, grinding, mental pressure, due to the attempt to "make a living, " from which nearly all of us in the modern world suffer. Here no one is "on the make"; commercial competition and social rivalries are unknown. In this respect, at any rate, they have the advantage over those who habitually spend the greater part of every day in preparing to live, in acquiring the technique of life, rather than in its enjoyment.
I have dwelt at considerable length upon this aspect of the mountain life because it was the first which struck me and further, because, without a realization of this background, it will be difficult for the reader to follow intelligently what I have to say. But before I leave this part of my subject I must, in self -justification, add that I am aware that the outsider does not always see the whole of the game, and that I am fully conscious that there is another and less lovely side of the picture which in my appreciation I have ignored. I have deliberately done so because that side has, I believe, already been emphasized, perhaps with unnecessary insistence, by other observers.
The Singers and their Songs. My sole purpose in visiting this country was to collect the traditional songs and ballads which I had heard from Mrs. Campbell, and knew from other sources, were still being sung there. I naturally expected to find conditions very similar to those which I had encountered in England when engaged on the same quest. But of this I was soon to be agreeably disillusioned. Instead, for instance, of having to confine my attention to the aged, as in England where no
viii Introduction
one under the age of seventy ordinarily possesses the folk-song tradition, I discovered that I could get what I wanted from pretty nearly every one I met, young and old. In fact, I found myself for the first time in my life in a community in which singing was as common and almost as universal a practice as speaking. With us, of course, singing is an entertainment, something done by others for our delectation, the cult and close preserve of a professional caste of specialists. The fact has been forgotten that singing is the one form of artistic expression that can be practised without any preliminary study or special training; that every normal human being can sing just as every one can talk; and that it is, consequently, just as ridiculous to restrict the practice of singing to a chosen few as it would be to limit the art of speaking to orators, professors of elocution and other specialists. In an ideal society every child in his earliest years would as a matter of course develop this inborn capacity and learn to sing the songs of his fore- fathers in the same natural and unselfconscious way in which he now learns his mother tongue and the elementary literature of the nation to which he belongs.
And it was precisely this ideal state of things that I found existing in the mountain communities. So closely, indeed, is the practice of this particular art interwoven with the ordinary avocations of everyday life that singers, unable to recall a song I had asked for, would often make some such remark as, "Oh, if only I were driving the cows home I could sing it at once!". Cn one occasion, too, I remember that a small boy tried to edge himself into my cabin in which a man was singing to me and, when I asked him what he wanted, he said, "I always like to go where there is sweet music." Of course, I let him in and, later on, when my singer failed to remember a song I had asked for, my little visitor came to the rescue and straightway sang the ballad from beginning to end in the true traditional manner, and in a way which would have shamed many a professional vocalist (see No. 15, B). I have no doubt but that this delightful habit of making beautiful music at all times and in all places largely compensates for any deficiencies in the matter of reading and writing.
But, of course, the cultural value of singing must depend upon the kind of songs that are sung. Happily, in this matter the hillsman is not called upon to exercise any choice, for the only music, or, at any rate, the only secular music, that he hears and has, therefore, any opportunity of learning is that which his British forefathers brought with them from their native country and has since survived by oral tradition.
Introduction ix
When, by chance, the text of a modern street-song succeeds in penetrating into the mountains it is at once mated to a traditional tune (e.g. No. 99) and sometimes still further purified by being moulded into the form of a traditional ballad (see No. 8j). But this happens but rarely, for, strange as it may seem, these mountain valleys are in fact far less affected by modern musical influences than the most remote and secluded English village, where there is always a Parsonage or Manor House, or both, to link it to the outside world.
We found little or no difficulty in persuading those we visited to sing to us. To prove our interest in the subject and to arouse their memories, we would ourselves sometimes sing folk-songs that I had collected in England, choosing, for preference, those with which they were un- acquainted. Very often they misunderstood our requirements and would give us hymns instead of the secular songs and ballads which we wanted; but that was before we had learned to ask for "love-songs," wThich is their name for these ditties. It was evident, too, that it was often assumed that strangers like ourselves could have but one object and that to "improve", and their relief was obvious when they found that we came not to give but to receive.
It is no exaggeration to say that some of the hours I passed sitting on the porch (i. e. verandah) of a log-cabin, talking and listening to songs were amongst the pleasantest I have ever spent. Very often we would call upon some of our friends early in the morning and remain till dusk, sharing the mid-day meal with the family, and I would go away in the evening with the feeling that I had never before been in a more musical atmosphere, nor benefited more greatly by the exchange of musical confidences.
The singers displayed much interest in watching me take down their music in my note-book and when at the conclusion of a song I hummed over the tune to test the accuracy of my transcription they were as delighted as though I had successfully performed a conjuring trick.
The mountain singers sing in very much the same way as English folk-singers, in the same straightforward, direct manner, without any conscious effort at expression, and with the even tone and clarity of enunciation with which all folk-song collectors are familiar. Perhaps, however, they are less unself conscious and sing rather more freely and with somewhat less restraint than the English peasant ; I certainly never saw any one of them close the eyes when he sang nor assume that rigid, passive expression to which collectors in England have so often called attention.
x Introduction
They have one vocal peculiarity, however, which I have never noticed amongst English folk-singers, namely, the habit of dwelling arbitrarily upon certain notes of the melody, generally the weaker accents. This practice, which is almost universal, by disguising the rhythm and breaking up the monotonous regularity of the phrases, produces an effect of improvisation and freedom from rule which is very pleasing. The effect is most characteristic in f tunes, as, for example, No. 1 6 G, in which in the course of the tune pauses are made on each of the three notes of the subsidiary triplets.
The wonderful charm, fascinating and well-nigh magical, which the folk-singer produces upon those who are fortunate enough to hear him is to be attributed very largely to his method of singing, and this, it should be understood, is quite as traditional as the song itself. The genuine folk-singer is never conscious of his audience — indeed, as often as not, he has none — and he never, therefore, strives after effect, nor endeavours in this or in any other way to attract the attention, much less the admiration of his hearers. So far as I have been able to com- prehend his mental attitude, I gather that, when singing a ballad, for instance, he is merely relating a story in a peculiarly effective way which he has learned from his elders, his conscious attention being wTholly concentrated upon what he is singing and not upon the effect which he himself is producing. This is more true, perhaps, of the English than of the American singers, some of whom I found were able mentally to separate the tune from the text — which English singers can rarely do — ■ and even in some cases to discuss the musical points of the former with considerable intelligence.
I came across but one singer who sang to an instrumental accom- paniment, the guitar, and that was in Charlottesville, Va. (No. II, B). Mrs. Campbell, however, tells me that in Kentucky, where I have not yet collected, singers occasionally play an instrument called the dulcimer, a shallow, wooden box, with four sound-holes, in shape somewhat like a flat, elongated violin, over which are strung three (sometimes four) metal strings, the two (or three) lower of which are tonic-drones, the melody being played upon the remaining and uppermost string which is fretted. As the strings are plucked with the fingers and not struck with a hammer, the instrument would, I suppose, be more correctly called a psaltery.
The only instrumental music I heard were jig tunes played on the fiddle. I took down several of these from the two fiddlers, Mr. Reuben Hensley and Mr. Michael Wallin, who were good enough to play to me.
Introduction xi
Whenever possible they used the open strings as drones, tuning the strings — which, by the way, were of metal — in a particular way for each air they were about to perform. I have not included any of these in this collection, but I hope, later on, to publish some of them when I have had further opportunities of examining this peculiar and unusual method of performance.
Many of the singers whose songs are recorded in the following pages had very large repertories. Mrs. Reuben Hensley, with the assistance of her husband and her daughter Emma, sang me thirty-five songs; while Mrs. Sands of Allanstand gave me twenty-five; Mr. Jeff Stockton of Flag Pond, Tenn., seventeen; Mr. N. B. Chisholm of Woodridge, Va., twenty-four; Mrs. Tom Rice of Big Laurel, twrenty-six; and Mrs. Jane Gentry of Hot Springs, no less than sixty-four. Attention has often been called to the wonderful and retentive memories of folk-singers in England, and I can vouch for it that these American singers are, in this respect, in no way inferior to their English contemporaries.
None of the singers whom I visited possessed any printed song- sheets but some of them produced written copies, usually made by children, which they called "ballets", a term which the English singer reserves for the printed broadside.
It will be seen that in many cases we give several variants or different versions of the same song and that we have made no attempt to dis- criminate between these. The fact that no two singers ever sing the same song in identically the same way is familiar to all collectors, and may be interpreted in either of two wrays. The upholder of the individ- ualistic theory of origin contends that these variants are merely incorrect renderings of some original, individual composition which, never having been written down, has orally survived in various corrupt forms. On the other hand, there are those — and I count myself amongst them — who maintain that in these minute differences lie the germs of development; that the changes made by individual singers are akin to the "sports'* in the flower or animal worlds, which, if perpetuated, lead to further ideal development and, perhaps, ultimately to the birth of new varieties and species. There is no doubt that if this problem is ever to be solved it wrill be through the examination and analysis of genuine, authentic variants, such as we have done our best faithfully to record; and we make no apology, therefore, for printing so many of them.
For very much the same reason, in addition to the variants derived from different singers, we have in many cases recorded the changes made by the individual singer in the successive repetitions of the tune
xii Introduction
in the course of his song. These are often of great interest and signifi- cance and sometimes show an inventiveness on the part of the singer that is nothing less than amazing as, for example, in Mr. Jeff Stockton's version of "Fair Margaret" (No. 17, A).
Mrs. Campbell and I have together collected 450 tunes. For the purposes of this volume, we have selected 325 of these, which are asso- ciated with 122 different sets of words — 55 ballads and 67 songs.
The distinction between the ballad and the song is more or less arbitrary and is not easy to define with precision. Broadly speaking, however, the ballad is a narrative song, romantic in character and, above all, impersonal, that is to say, the singer is merely the narrator of events with which he personally has no connection and for which he has no responsibility. The song, on the other hand, is a far more emotional and passionate utterance and is usually the record of a personal experience — very frequently of an amatory nature.
The Ballads. The ballads have, probably, the longer history behind them; at any rate, they attracted the attention of collectors earlier than the songs — the reason, perhaps, why the ballads have suffered, far more than the songs, from the unscrupulous editing of literary meddlers.
The ballad air is necessarily of a straightforward type, as it is sung indifferently to verses often varying very widely in emotional character. Nevertheless, many of the ballad tunes are very lovely, as the musician who studies the contents of this volume will readily perceive. Such airs, for instance, as Nos. 3, 15, 19, 20, 2jf 29, 35, 37, 39 and 47 make really beautiful music and are fully capable of standing alone, divorced from their texts, and of being played or sung as absolute music. The most perfect type of ballad, however, is that in which the tune, whilst serving its purpose as an ideal vehicle for the words, is of comparatively little value when divorced from its text. "The False Knight upon the Road'* (No. 1) is a good instance of this and, in my opinion, a splendid example of the genuine ballad at its highest pitch.
It is greatly to be deplored that the literature of the ballad has, in the past, attracted so much more attention than the music. Properly speaking, the two elements should never be dissociated; the music and the text are one and indivisible, and to sever one from the other is to remove the gem from its setting. Early poetry, to which category the traditional ballad belongs, was always sung or chanted ; it was addressed to the ear, not the eye. While language appeals primarily to the intelli-
Introduction xiii
gencc, its sound acts upon and arouses the emotions, the more especially when the words have been artfully chosen, thrown into metrical rhythm
and wedded to beautiful music. Of all human creations, language is perhaps the most distinctive and characteristic; its development has proceeded step by step with the progress of mankind from the savage to the cultivated being of the present day; and in the course of this evolution the ballad has played by no means an insignificant part.
The texts of the first thirty-seven ballads in this book are all recorded, most of them in various forms, in the late Professor Child's English and Scottish Ballads. The remaining eighteen ballads were either deliber- ately excluded by Child from his collection — no doubt for some very good reason — or wrere unknown to him.
The references in the Notes at the end of this volume show which of these ballads have already been found and published in England. Most of these English references, however, are to versions recorded many years ago, when collectors were content with a lower standard of accuracy, and cannot, therefore, be regarded as trustworthy as similar transcrip- tions of a later date. It will be noticed that twelve of the " Child' ' ballads, Nos. I, 5, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 20, 25, 30, 31 and 35, have not been recorded in the Journal of the English Folk-Song Society, nor in any of the recent standard publications. I regret that I am unable to give similar statistical information with respect to American records, but, unfortunately, I am not sufficiently acquainted with the nature of the discoveries that have been made, many of which are not yet accessible in printed form. I believe, however, that Nos. 25, 30 and 31 have not previously been found in any form in America, and that of the remaining thirty-four the texts, but not the tunes, have in most cases been alone recorded.
The Songs. The song-melodies differ in many respects from those of the ballads. Structurally, many of them are built upon larger and more elaborate lines, while emotionally, for reasons already given, they are far more intense and more heavily charged wTith sentiment. Several of the mountain song-tunes are, in my opinion, very characteristic and beautiful; Nos. 56, 57, 58, 61, 62, 65, 69, 83, 88, 104 and 106, for instance, will challenge the very finest of the folk-tunes that have been found in England. Some of them, too, while conforming in type to the regular English folk-tune are yet in a measure so different that they may fairly be considered a fresh contribution to the subject.
Some of the song-texts are quite new to me and are not to be found,
xiv Introduction
so far as I have been able to discover, in any of the standard English collections, e.g., Nos. 57, 59, 63, 65, 68, 70, 79, 81, 86, 88, 91, 122 and 123. The literature of the traditional song does not, as a whole, compare favourably with that of the ballad. Many of the lines printed in this volume are corrupt and unintelligible, while some of them are the merest doggerel. Nevertheless, a few of the verses are very beautiful, not merely by contrast but intrinsically. Stanzas, for example, such as
When I see your babe a-laughing, It makes me think of your sweet face; But when I see your babe a-crying, It makes me think of my disgrace.
and
When your heart was mine, true love,
And your head lay on my breast,
You could make me believe by the falling of your arm
That the sun rose up in the West.
There's many a girl can go all round about And hear the small birds sing, And many a girl that stays at home alone And rocks the cradle and spins.
There's many a star that shall jingle in the West, There's many a leaf below,
There's many a damn that will light upon a man For treating a poor girl so.
contain all the essentials of genuine poetry and, in their feeling, in their artlessness, in the directness and simplicity of their verbal expression and the absence of circumlocution, reach a high level of imaginative and poetic expression.
One curious hiatus in the repertories of the mountain-singers struck me very forcibly, viz. the total absence of songs of a ritual nature, e.g. Harvest-Home songs, Carols (with one notable exception, No. 13), May-day songs and others of religious origin, such as those associated with the Morris and Sword-dance ceremonies; as well as, for obvious reasons, all Cuckoo*, Primrose and other Spring songs. The reason for this, I take it, is because ritual observances belong to, and are bound up so closely with, the soil of a country that they do not readily survive trans- plantation; and partly, too, because the mountain people for the most part live in isolated dwellings and at considerable distances from one another and do not congregate in villages as in older and more settled
* This statement must now (i. e. May, 19 17) be modified, for I have just noted down in Knox Co., Ky., a version of "The Cuckoo is a fine bird," a remarkable example, in the circumstances, of the persistence of tradition.
Introduction xv
countries like England, a condition that would inevitably lead to the discontinuance of seasonal and other communal festivals. This latter reason may also account for the decadence of dancing amongst the mountaineers, although I have no doubt that religious scruples have also been a contributory cause — I noticed that in reply to my enquiries on this subject the euphemism "playing games" was always substituted for "dancing" by my informants.
Scales and Modes. Very nearly all these Appalachian tunes are cast in "gapped" scales, that is to say, scales containing only five, or sometimes six, notes to the octave, instead of the seven with which we are familiar, a "hiatus", or "gap", occurring where a note is omitted.
To trace the history of this particular scale is to venture upon controversial ground. Personally, I believe that it was the first form of scale evolved by the folk which was in any way comparable with our modern major or minor scale. Originally, as may be gathered from the music of primitive tribes, the singer was content to chant his song in monotone, varied by occasional excursions to the sounds immediately above or below his single tone, or by a leap to the fourth below. Even- tually, however, he succeeded in covering the whole octave, but, even so, he was satisfied with fewer intermediate sounds than the seven which comprise the modern diatonic scale. Indeed, there are many nations at the present day which have not yet advanced beyond the two-gapped or pentatonic scale, such as, for instance, the Gaels of Highland Scotland; and, when we realize the almost infinite melodic possibilities of the 5- note scale, as exemplified in Celtic folk-music and, for that matter, in the tunes printed in this volume, we can readily understand that singers felt no urgent necessity to increase the number of notes in the octave. A further development in this direction was, however, eventually achieved by the folk-singer, though, for a long while, as was but natural, the two medial notes, required to complete the scale, were introduced speculatively and with hesitation. There are many instances in Irish folk-music, for example, in which the pitch or intonation of these added sounds is varied in the course of one and the same tune. This experi- mental and transitional period, however, eventually came to a close and the final stage was reached, so far as the folk-singer was concerned, when the diatonic scale, i.e. the 7-note scale represented by the white notes of the pianoforte, became definitely settled. And this is the scale which is commonly used by the English folk-singer of the present day. But even then, and for a long period after, the mediate sounds remained " weak "
XVI
Introduction
and were employed only as auxiliary notes or connecting links, rather than structural or cadential notes, so that the gaps, though covered up, were not concealed. And it was left to the art-musician to take the final step and evolve the 7-note scale of which every note could be used with equal freedom and certainty.
Of the tunes in this volume, some are pentatonic; others belong to the transitional period and are hesitatingly hexatonic, or even heptatonic; while a few are frankly in the major mode, i.e. diatonic 7-note tunes in which no indication of a pentatonic origin can be traced. For the benefit of those interested in this technical question, particulars concerning scale and mode are given at the head of every tune in the text. The names and characteristics of the 7-note diatonic modes need no explanation; but with regard to the pentatonic modes, which are but rarely employed by art -musicians, it may be as well, perhaps, to explain the method of classification and nomenclature adopted in this volume. This is set out in the chart on the opposite page.
The five pentatonic modes there given have been derived in the following way : —
If from the white-note scale of the pianoforte the two notes E and B be eliminated we have the pentatonic scale with its two gaps in every octave, between D and F and between A and C. As each one of the five notes of the system may in turn be chosen as tonic, five modes emerge, based, respectively, upon the notes C, D, F, G and A. The gaps, of course, occur at different intervals in each scale and it is this distinguishing feature which gives to each mode its individuality and peculiar characteristic.
The one-gapped or hexatonic scale, and the 7-note or heptatonic scale are, as we have already seen, derivates of the original pentatonic, obtained by the filling in, respectively, of one or both of the gaps. Miss Gilchrist (see Journal of the Folk- Song Society, v., pp. 150-153), whose very clear exposition of this matter I am in the main following, allows the lower gap, i.e. between D and F, to be completed by the insertion of either E-flat or E-natural, and the upper gap, i.e. between A and C, by the addition of B-flat ; and by this method she has succeeded in classifying very satisfactorily her material, which consists entirely of Gaelic tunes. When, however, I came to apply this method to the mountain-tunes I found it necessary to make the following modification, viz., to take E- natural as the constant and invariable mediate note of the lower gap, and either B-flat or B-natural of the upper. The chart, given here, has, therefore, been constructed on this plan, i.e. Miss Gilchrist's, modified in the way just explained.
Pentatonic Modes Mode i
Pentatonic.
i
No 3rd.
Mode 2 No 7th. No 2nd. No 6th.
^
*
(9
m^a
Hexatonic.
.. 1 m
No 7th.
No 6th.
Hexatonic.
b. (-)
i
& 9-
No 3rd.
No 2nd.
^ a.
^m
0 * fr
-& — o-
qp-*~*-
Heptatonic a + b.
ifeN
EHi
& — »-
& — »
^^
Ionian with Bfy . Mixolydian with Bt>. Dorian with Bj^ ; Aeolian with B[>.
|
ft |
Mode 3 No 4th. No 7th. |
Mode 4 No 3rd. No 6th. |
O |
|||
|
y |
C2 & |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Pentatonic. |
/l |
i?3 & |
1 ** =< |
1 |
||
|
fy\ <? |
1 « |
<p |
||||
|
vJ 0 ^ |
1 » |
|||||
|
Hexatonic. a. |
J |
No 4th. |
No 3rd. |
O |
||
|
tj |
rt * & |
1 |
||||
|
~"^T\ |
& & |
£> ^ |
1 |
|||
|
& |
C ^ |
1 |
||||
|
VU; ^ ^ |
. |
^ . |
1 |
|||
|
0 |
No 7th. |
No 6th. |
f? |
|||
|
V |
,i tn G |
1 |
||||
|
TT |
•f |
k^# 0 «-» |
mm & *? |
|
||
|
Hexatonic. |
Cn>\ ^ |
^ i^» -^ — -^ |
— , |
^ VZ\m ' |
||
|
b. |
V- 7 £> ^ |
|||||
|
0 |
S3 |
|||||
|
Heptatonic. a + b. |
^r |
utf ? ^ * |
1 |
1 |
||
|
FT |
-72-b>— ^ |
-Z5-^*— " |
||||
|
tj |
1 ^ |
1 |
Lydian with Bjf; Ionian with Bb. Mixolydian with Bjj; Dorian with Bt>.
Mode 5 No 2nd. No cth. .^.
fe^E^ — zzzB
Pentatonic.
w
Hexatonic. a.
Hexatonic. b.
No 2nd.
15» GL
55^=5—-^
No 5th.
-f$»-
Heptatonic. a + b.
jj=gj§j
-&-
Aeolian with Bfy; Phrygian with B[?.
xviii Introduction
This description will, it is hoped, enable the reader to understand the modal and scale index attached to each of the tunes printed in this volume. His attention, however, must still be called to two points.
In some tunes it has been difficult to decide with certainty upon the tonic, for in pentatonic airs, or, at any rate, in these mountain melodies, the tonic is frequently and patently not the final note of the tune. Airs of this kind are called "circular, " because the final phrase is fashioned so that it may lead into the initial phrase without pause or break of con- tinuity and thus complete the melodic circle. Strictly speaking, the singer on the final repetition of a circular tune should vary the last phrase so as to conclude upon the tonic ; but this singers very rarely do — ■ No. 25 is the only tune in this Collection in which this is done.
Again, it will be seen that a heptatonic tune may, so far as its notes are concerned, be assigned indifferently to one or other of two modes. An ionian air, for instance, may belong to Mode 1 , or Mode 3 ; a dorian to Modes 2 or 4, and so forth. The true classification in such cases is determined by detecting the "weak" notes, which, by disclosing the places in the scale where the gaps originally occurred, will thereby show the mode, of which the tune in question is a derivative. An ionian tune, for example, will be assigned to Mode 1 if its third be a weak note (as well as its seventh), and to Mode 2 if, instead of the third, the fourth be the weak one. Similarly a dorian air will be classified second or fourth Mode according as the second or third scale-degree be the weak note.
Ethnological Origin of the Singers. If the prevalence of the gapped scale in the mountain tunes is any indication of the ethnological origin of the singers, it seems to point to the North of England, or to the Lowlands, rather than the Highlands, of Scotland, as the country from which they originally migrated. For the Appalachian tunes, notwithstanding their "gapped" characteristics, have far more affinity with the normal English folk-tune than with that of the Gaelic-speaking Highlander (cf. Journal of the Folk- Song Society, v., pp. 157-269), and may, therefore, very well have been derived from those who, dwelling on the borders of the High- land Kingdom, had become infected to some extent with the musical proclivities of their neighbours. It will be observed, moreover, that the Notes contain a large number of references to Dean Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs and to the late Gavin Greig's Folk- Songs of the North-Eastt and both of these are collections of traditional songs from Lowland, not Highland, Scotland.
There is, however, another possible explanation. For all that we
Introduction
XIX
know — and there is really no trustworthy evidence on this point — the English folk-singer of the eighteenth century may still have been using the gapped scale and may not have advanced to the understanding and use of the 7-note scale until the following century. And if this supposi- tion be made — and it is at least a possible one — we may argue that the ancestors of our mountain singers hailed originally from England and that they sang in the gapped scale because that was the habit which then prevailed amongst their contemporaries. An analysis of the names of the singers recorded in this volume does not help us very much, but, so far as it goes, it seems to support rather than to contradict this latter supposition.
However, it is not a matter of any great importance which of these two hypotheses we accept, because, in either event, the tunes in question wrould quite correctly be called English. For, as folk-lorists will, I think, agree, England and the English-speaking parts of Scotland must, so far as folk-tales, folk-songs and other folk-products are concerned, be re- garded as one homogeneous area.
The Cultural Significance of Tradition. The words and the tunes in this Collection are typical and authentic examples of the beginnings and foundations of English literature and music. The history of man is the history of his efforts to express himself, and the degree to which he ha*s at any given moment succeeded in doing this is the measure of the civilization to which he has attained. The method by which he has sought to achieve this end has been through the exercise and development of certain inborn and basic human faculties; and his achievements are concretely to be seen in the literature, music, paint- ing, dancing, sculpture and other art -works which each nation has created and accumulated and in which it finds reflected its own peculiar and distinctive characteristics. The process is a cumulative one, the children of each generation receiving from their fathers that which, with certain modifications and additions of their own, they be- queath to their children. The historian, however, will point out that this process is not uniformly progressive; that nations in the course of their development pass through different phases, and that, in consonance with these, their artistic output varies in character and quality from period to period. These variations, however, fluctuate within certain clearly defined limits, and are superficial rather than radical; so that, while each may reflect with greater or less fidelity the specific outlook of a particular epoch, the form of expression remains fundamentally true to
xx Introduction
one type, and that the national type. And this national type is always to be found in its purest, as well as in its most stable and permanent form, in the folk-arts of a nation.
Although this theory of nationalism in art is now very generally accepted, the fact that it is based upon the intimate relationship which the art of the folk must always bear to that of the self-conscious, culti- vated and trained individual artist is too often overlooked. But, bearing this in mind, the significance and value of the contents of such a book as this become immediately apparent. We talk glibly of the creative musician, but, however clever and inspired he may be, he cannot, magi- cian-like, produce music out of nothing; and if he were to make the attempt he would only put himself back into the position of the primi- tive savage. All that he can do and, as a matter of fact, does, is to make use of the material bequeathed to him by his predeces- sors, fashion it anew and in such manner that he can through it, and by means of it, express himself. It is my sober belief that if a young composer were to master the contents of this book, study and assimilate each tune with its variants, he would acquire just the kind of education that he needs, and one far better suited to his requirements than he would obtain from the ordinary Conservatoire or College of Music.
Again, the value of such songs as these as material for the general education of the young cannot be overestimated. For, if education is to be cultural and not merely utilitarian, if its aim is to produce men and women capable, not only of earning a living, but of holding a dignified and worthy position upon an equality with the most cultivated of their generation, it will be necessary to pay at least as much attention to the training and development of the emotional, spiritual and imaginative faculties as to those of the intellect. And this, of course, can be achieved only by the early cultivation of some form of artistic expression, such as singing, which, for reasons already given, seems of all the arts to be the most natural and the most suitable one for the young. Moreover, remembering that the primary purpose of education is to place the children of the present generation in possession of the cultural achieve- ments of the past so that they may as quickly as possible enter into their racial inheritance, what better form of music or of literature can we give them than the folk-songs and folk-ballads of the race to which they belong, or of the nation whose language they speak? To deny them these is to cut them off from the past and to rob them of that which is theirs by right of birth. To put it another way, the aim of the
Introduction xxi
educationist should be not to forge the first link of a new chain, but to add a fresh link to an old one.
That culture is primarily a matter of inheritance and not of educa- tion is, perhaps, a mere truism, but it is one, nevertheless, which educa- tionists often forget. My knowledge of American life may be too slender for an opinion of mine to carry much weight, but I cannot withhold the criticism — advanced with the greatest diffidence — that the educational authorities of some of the larger cities in the United States are too ready to ignore the educational and cultural value of that national heritage which every immigrant brings with him to his new home, and to rest too con- fidently upon their educational system, which is often almost wholly utilitarian and vocational, to create the ideal American citizen. I admit that the problem which faces the educationist in America is a peculiarly difficult one, but it will, I am convinced, never be satisfactorily solved until the education given to every foreign colonist is directly based upon, and closely related to, his or her national inheritance of culture.
Of the supreme cultural value of an inherited tradition, even when unenforced by any formal school education, our mountain community in the Southern Highlands is an outstanding example. Another, though negative, instance of the truth of the same principle may be seen in the contents of a book which Professor Lomax has recently compiled, con- cerning the songs of the cowboys of Texas.1 Let me ask the reader to compare these with the songs of the Southern Highlanders. The com- parison is a fair one, for the cowboys live a communal life almost as isolated and shut off from the world as that of the mountaineers, and feel, accordingly, the same compelling desire to express themselves in song. They are not, or at any rate they would not, I imagine, consider themselves, in any way inferior to their neighbours; they are, I take it, less illiterate, while the life they lead is more vivid and exciting and far richer in incident. Why, then, is it that their songs compare so un- favourably with those of the mountain singeis? It can only be because the cowboy has been despoiled of his inheritance of traditional song; he has nothing behind him. When, therefore, he feels the need of self- expression, having no inherited fund of poetic literature upon which to draw, no imaginative world into which to escape, he has only himself and his daily occupations to sing about, and that in a self-centred, self- conscious way, e.g., "The cowboy's life is a dreadful life"; "I'm a poor lonesome cowboy"; "I'm a lonely bull-whacker" — and so forth.
Now this, of course, is precisely what the folk-singer never does.
1 Cowboy Songs and other Frontier Ballads. Sturgis and Walton, 1916.
xxii Introduction
When he sings his aim is to forget himself and everything that reminds him of his everyday life ; and so it is that he has come to create an imagin- ary world of his own and to people it with characters quite as wonderful, in their way, as the elfish creations of Spenser.
Mrs. Campbell and I realize that we are, of course, only at the beginning of our labours and that the contents of this book are but a first instalment. Indeed, when we consider into what a very small portion of the field we have as yet carried our investigations the magni- tude of the task before us seems overwhelming. But this may not in reality be so, for it may not, after all, be necessary to pursue our researches throughout the whole of the area with the same care that we have already given, say, to the Laurel Country. For folk-singing in the mountains is so live an art and so general a practice that in all probability by the time we have collected a certain number of songs — not necessarily a very great number — we shall find that we have exhausted the field. Whether or not this comforting supposition proves to be correct, we shall, neither of us, rest content until all of this material has been collected, either by ourselves or by others, published, and made generally available.
We have in the following pages printed the songs exactly as we took them down from the lips of the singers, without any editing or "adorn- ments" whatsoever, and we have done so because we are convinced that this is the only way in which work of this kind should be presented, at any rate in the first instance. Later on, we may harmonize and publish a certain number of the songs and so make a wider and more popular appeal.
But this can be done at leisure. The pressing need of the moment is to complete our collection while there is yet the opportunity — and who can say how long the present ideal conditions will remain unaltered? Already the forests are attracting the attention of the commercial world ; lumber companies are being formed to cut down and carry off the timber, and it is not difficult to foresee the inevitable effect which this will have upon the simple, Arcadian life of the mountains. And then, too, there are the schools, which, whatever may be said in their favour, will always be the sworn enemies of the folk-song collector.
I cannot allow myself to conclude these remarks without expressing my gratitude to the many friends who have assisted me in my investiga- tions. There are those in particular, who were kind enough to entertain me in their mountain homes: — Dr. and Mrs. Packard of White Rock; Miss Edith Fish of Allanstand; Mrs. Hamilton and Miss Bacon of Alle-
Introduction xxiii
ghany; Miss Ollie Henricks of Big Laurel; and Miss Jennie Moor of Rocky Fork. Nor can I omit the names of some, at least, of those by whose help and advice I have so greatly profited: — Mrs. J. J. Storrow, who gave me assistance of a most practical kind; Professor Alphonso Smith, and Mr. John M. Glenn of the Russell Sage Foundation.
C. J. S.
27 Church Row, Hampstead,
London, N. W.
CONTENTS
Introduction Ballads :
I.
2.
3-
4-
5- 6.
7- 8.
9-
10.
ii.
12.
13-
14.
15. 16.
17.
18.
19- 20. 21. 22.
23-
24-
25-
26.
28. 29. 30. 31. 32.
The False Knight Upon the Road
Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight .
Earl Brand .
The Two Sisters .
The Cruel Brother
Lord Randal
Edward .
Sir Lionel
The Cruel Mother
The Three Ravens
The Two Brothers
Young Beichan
The Cherry-Tree Carol
Fair Annie
Young Hunting
Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor
Fair Margaret and Sweet William
Lord Lovel .....
The Wife of Usher's Well .
Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
Barbara Allen
Giles Collins.
Lam kin .
The Maid Freed from the Gallows
Johnie Scot .
Sir Hugh
The Gypsy Laddie .
Geordie
The Daemon Lover
The Grey Cock
The Suffolk Miracle
Our Goodman
PAGE
vi
3
9
16
20 22 26 28 29 32 33 38 43 45 47 55 62
71
73
78
90
100
104
106
109
in
112
117 119 128 130 134
XXVI
Contents
B all ad s — Continued
33. The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin
34. The Farmer's Curst Wife
35. The Golden Vanity
36. The Brown Girl .
37. The Trooper and the Maid
38. In Seaport Town .
39. The Cruel Ship's Carpenter
40. Shooting of His Dear .
41. The Lady and the Dragoon
42. The Boatsman and the Chest
43. The Holly Twig .
44. Polly Oliver .
45. The Rich Old Lady
46. Edwin in the Lowlands Low
47. Awake! Awake
48. The Green Bed
49. The Simple Ploughboy
50. The Three Butchers
51. William Taylor
52. The Golden Glove
53. Pretty Nancy of Yarmouth
54. The Silk Merchant's Daughter
55. Jack Went A-Sailing
Songs :
56. The Rejected Lover
57. The Lover's Lament
58. The Dear Companion
59. The Rocky Mountain Top
60. The Warfare is Raging
61. The True Lover's Farewell
62. Katie Morey .
63. Rain and Snow
64. The Wagoner's Lad
65. Come all you Fair and
66. Ibby Damsel .
67. Handsome Sally
68. William and Polly
69. Hick's Farewell .
70. Poor Omie
71. The Virginian Lover
72. Early, Early in the Spring
73. Married and Single Life
Tender Ladies
Contents
XXVll
Songs — Continued
74. Betsy ......
75. If You Want to Go A-courting
76. Pretty Saro .....
77. My Dearest Dear
78. I'm Going to Georgia
79. Harry Gray .....
80. Locks and Bolts ....
81. William and Nancy
82. George Reilly ....
83. Johnny Doyle
84. Lazarus ......
85. Black is the Colour
86. The Single Girl
87. John Hardy . . . .
88. Betty Anne .....
89. My Boy Billy ....
90. Soldier, Won't You Marry me?
91. swannanoa town ....
92. The Keys of Heaven
93. Putman's Hill ....
94. The False Young Man
95. Pretty Peggy 0
96. My Parents Treated Me Tenderly
97. The Sheffield Apprentice
98. The Broken Token
99. Wild Bill Jones ....
100. The Shoemaker ....
10 1. The Brisk Young Lover
102. Seven Long Years
103. Come All You Young and Handsome Giels
104. Loving Reilly ....
105. The Awful Wedding
106. Sweet William ....
107. Good Morning, My Pretty Little Miss
108. My Mother Bid Me
109. The Ten Commandments
1 10. The Tree in the Wood
PAGE 236 238
239 242
243 244 245 248 249 251 253 255 256
257 259 260 262 263 264 268 269 274 276 278 281 284
285 286 288 289 290 292
293 296
298
300
302
Nursery Songs:
hi. The Farmyard
112. The Drummer and His Wife
113. The Bird Song
114. Sourwood Mountain
307 308 310 312
XXV111
Contents
Nursery Songs — Continued
115. The Foolish Boy . Harm Link
Sing Said the Mother . I Whipped My Horse A Frog He Went A-courting The Frog in the Well . The Carrion Crow The Old Grey Mare
116.
117.
118.
119.
120.
121.
122. Notes
Bibliography Index
PAGE
313 3H 315 316
3i7 319 320 321 323 337 339
BALLADS
No.
The False Knight Upon the Road
A
Sung by Mrs. T. G. Coates Hexatonic. Mode 4, b. at Flag Pond, Tenn., Sept. 1, 19 16
s^^=^*i^^^mmi^^
1. The knight met a
child in the road.
O
. . where are you
*
1z=?r-
V
-#-= *=^
go - ing to? said the knight in the road. I'm a - go-ing
y
£=£
-* — *-
fe
p P b»
P=^
to my school, said the child as he stood. He stood and he stood and it's
£=£
^i
N— fV
ft=E~ *— i^:g^
A—
rl^
■#— *-
well be-cause he stood. I'm a - go-ing to my school,said the child as he stood.
2 O what are you going there for ? For to learn the Word of God.
3 O what have you got there ?
I have got my bread and cheese.
4 O won't you give me some ? No, ne'er a bite nor crumb.
5 I wish you was on the sands.
Yes, and a good staff in my hands.
6 I wish you was in the sea. Yes, and a good boat under me.
7 I think I hear a bell.
Yes, and it's ringing you to hell.
The False Knight Upon the Road
B
Sung by Mrs. Jane Gentry
|
Pentatonic. o |
Mode 3, b (no 6th). |
* |
at Hot Springs, N. C, Sept. 12, 1916 |
|
|
V, 4 i |
1 i"*""! k k |
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1 pv Is 1 |
|
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V V |
1. Where are you go - ing? Says the knight in the road. I'm a
• * *
S
¥E3Ej
m=t
t=t
go -ing to my school, said the child as he stood. He stood and he stood, He
i
?\ — IV
i=^i
^m
{<— &-
^J^
£=£
p
well thought on he stood. I'm a - go -ing to my school, said the child as he stood.
2 What are you eating ?
I'm a-eating bread and cheese.
3 I wish'd you was in the sea. A good boat under me.
4 I wish'd you was in the well. And you that deep in hell.
No. 2
Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
Hexatonic. Mode 2, a.
Sung by Miss Elizabeth Coit at Amherst, Mass., July, 191 6
O)
«=g
n
-* — *
•— ^
. O bring down some of your fa- ther's gold And more of your moth-er's mon
-A — -N- -J ~ r— — J d-
ey, . . And two of the best hors - es in your fa - ther's sta - ble That
g^n^ipp fesga=y
dai - ly are thir - ty - three.
2 She brought down some of her father's gold And more of her mother's money,
And two of the best horses in her father's stable That daily are thirty-three.
3 He rode on the milk-white steed And she rode on the bay,
And together they came to the North of Scotland Three hours before it was day.
4 Light down, light down, my pretty colleen, I've something here to tell thee. Six^kings' daughters lie drowned here And thou the seventh shall be.
5 O turn your back to the billowy waves, Your face to the leaves of the tree, For it ill beseems an outlandish knight Should view a stark lady.
6 He turned his back to the billowy waves, His face to the leaves of the tree,
When quickly she threw both her arms round his neck And tossed him into the sea.
Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
7 Lie there, lie there, thou false young man, Lie there instead of me.
You promised to take me to the North of Scotland, And there you would marry me.
8 O give me hold of your little ringer And hold of your lily-white hand,
And I'll make you the ruler of all my estates And the ruler of all my land.
9 No, I won't give you hold of my little finger, Nor hold of my lily-white hand.
And I won't be the mistress of all your estates And the ruler of all your land.
io She rode on the milk-white steed, And by her went the bay, And together they came to her father's castle Three hours before it was day.
1 1 'Twas then the pretty parrot spoke From his cage upon the wall :
O what is the matter, my pretty colleen, Why did you not answer my call ?
12 O hush, O hush, my pretty parrot, Don't tell any tales upon me,
And your cage shall be of the beaten gold And your perch of the almond tree.
13 'Twas then her father spoke From the chamber where he lay :
O what is the matter, my pretty parrot, That you're calling so long before day ?
14 O these rats, these rats are at my cage door; They're trying to take me away,
So I am just calling my pretty colleen To drive these rats away.
B
Sung by Mrs. Mary Sands Pentatonic. Mode 1. at Allanstand, N. C, Aug. 2, 1916
Get down, get down, get down, says he, Pull off that fine silk
4
Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
^JfefeEfe^^FJJJ
(«)
• #
gown ; For it is too fine and cost ly To rot in the salt - wa - ter
S
II
sea, sea, sea, To rot in the salt - wa - ter sea.
fe^Ffl
2 Turn yourself all round and about With your face turned toward the sea. And she picked him up so manfully And over'd him into the sea.
3 Pray help me out, pray help me out, Pray help me out, says he,
And I'll take you to the old Scotland And there I will marry thee.
4 Lie there, you false-hearted knight, Lie there instead of me,
For you stripped me as naked as ever I was born, But I'll take nothing from thee.
5 She jumped upon the milk-white steed And she led the dapple grey,
And she rode back to her father's dwelling Three long hours before day.
e£e±
Pentatonlc. Mode
JL
Sung by Mrs. Bishop, Clay Co., Ky., on July 1 6, 1909
:*_ JLJ
3 — •-
Pull off that silk, my pret - ty Pol - ly, Pull off that silk, said
|
n«-i 1 ' |
1 |
S |
—1 |
— ^2 — 1 — |
* 1 |
|||||||
|
/ |
1 |
1 |
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! |
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If |
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m • m |
n |
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d |
W 0 J |
||||||
|
Z |
^ *' |
-J5- |
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he, .
For it
is
too fine
5
and too cost
ly
To
Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
Fjgfe^Mg
*=H=r
t=t
-w- — Jt rot in the bri - ny, bri - ny sea, To rot in the bri - ny sea. .
2 Turn your back, sweet Willie, said she, O turn your back unto me,
For you are too bad a rebel For a naked woman to see.
3 She picked him up in her arms so strong And she threw him into the sea,
Saying : If you have drowned six kings' daughters here, You may lay here in the room of me.
4 Stretch out your hand, O pretty Polly, Stietch out your hand for me,
And help me out of the sea. . .
5 She picked up a rock and threw on him, saying : Lay there, lay there, you dirty, dirty dog,
Lay there in the room of me. You're none too good nor too costly To rot in the briny, briny sea.
6 Hush up, hush up, my pretty parrot, Hush up, hush up, said she.
You shall have a golden cage with an ivory lid Hung in the willow tree.
D
Heptatonic. Mode 3, a -j- b.
Sung by Mrs. Moore, Rabun Gap, Georgia. May 1, 19 10
I
1, l J
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a
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1. There was a pro - per tall young man, And
Wil - liam was his
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name; He came a - way o - ver the ra • ging sea, He
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came a • court - ing me, O me, He came a - court - ing me.
6
Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
2 He followed me up, he followed me down, He followed me in my room.
I had no wings for to fly away, No tongue to say him nay.
3 He took part of my father's gold, Half of my mother's fee ;
He took two of my father's stable steeds, For there stood thirty and three.
4 The lady rode the milk-white steed, The gentleman rode the grey.
They rode all down by the north green land All on one summer's day.
5 Light off, light off, my pretty fair miss, I tell you now my mind.
Six pretty fair maids I've drownded here, The seventh one you shall be.
6 Hush up, hush up, you old vilyun, That hain't what you promised me.
You promised to marry me over the raging sea, And then for to marry me.
7 Turn your back and trim those nettles That grow so near the brim ; They'll tangle in my golden hair And tear my lily-white skin.
8 He turned his back to trim those nettles That growed so near the brim ;
This young lady with her skilfulness She tripped her false love in.
9 Lie there, lie there, you old vilyun, Lie there in the place for me.
You have nothing so fine nor costly But to rot in the salt water sea.
io First she rode the milk-white steed And then she rode the grey. She returned back to her father's house Three long hours before it was day.
Pentatonic. Mode I.
Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight E
Sung by Mrs. Nancy E. Shelton at Carmen, N. C, Aug. 8, 1916
m
S^03
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She mount -ed on the milk-white steed And led the dap -pie
m
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grey, And when she got to her fa - ther's house It was
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one long hour till day, till day, It was one long hour till day.
No. 3
Earl Brand
Hexatonic. Mode 3, a.
Sung by Mrs. Polly Shelton at White Rock, N. C, July 28, 1916
mm
F
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O rise you up, ye sev'n breth-e-rens, And bring your sis - ter down ; It
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nev-er shall be said that a stew-ard's son Had ta - ken her out of town.
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2 I thank you kindly, sir, he says, I am no steward's son.
My father is of a regis king, My mother's a quaker's queen.
3 He mound ( mounted ) her on a milk-white steed, He rode a dapple grey.
He swung a bugle horn all round about his neck And so went blowing away.
4 He had not gone three mile out of town Till he looked back again,
And saw her father and seven bretherens Come trippling over the plain.
5 Sit you down, fair Ellender, he said, And hold this steed by the rein, Till I play awhile with your father And your seven bretherens.
6 Fair Ellender she sat still. It wasn't long till she saw Her own dear seven bretherens All wallowing in their blood.
Earl Brand
7 Fair Ellender she sat still, She never changed a note
Till she saw her own father's head Come tumbling by her foot.
8 Saying : Love runs free in every vein, But father you have no more,
If you're not satisfied with this,
I wish you were in some mother's chamber
And me in some house or room.
9 If I was in my mother's chamber You'd be welcome there.
I'll wind you east, I'll wind you west, I'll wind along with you.
io He mound her on a milk-white steed, He rode the dapple grey,
He swung a bugle horn all round about his neck And so went bleeding away.
ii As he rode up to his father's gate He tingled at the ring, Saying : O dear father, asleep or awake, Arise and let me in.
12 O sister, sister, make my bed, My wounds are very sore.
Saying : O dear mother, O bind up my head, For me you'll bind no more.
13 It was about three hours till day, The cock began to crow.
From every wound that he received His heart blood began to flow.
.4 Sweet William he died like it might be to-day, Fair Ellender tomorrow.
Sweet William he died for the wounds he received, Fair Ellen died for sorrow.
15 Fair Ellender was buried by the church door, Sweet William was buried by her ;
And out of her breast sprung a blood red rose And out of his a briar.
16 They growed, they growed to the top of the church Till they could grow no higher,
And there they tied a true love's knot And the rose ran round the briar. 10
Earl Brand B
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
I pi ■
00
Sung by Mrs. Mary Sands at Allanstaiul, N. C, Aug. 1, 19 16
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i
I. He rode up to her fa - ther's gate, So bold - ly he did say: You may
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keep your old -est daugh-ter at home, For the young -est I'll take a - way.
The pause-notes were sung as minims.
i^i
2 He jumped upon the milk-white steed And she rode the dapple grey,
And he hung a bugle horn all about his neck And so went sounding away.
3 He had not got but a mile or two Till he looked back over the main,
And he saw her father and her seven brothers all Come trippling over the lane.
4 Get down, get down, get down, says he, And hold this steed by the mane,
Till I play awhile with your father, he says, Yes, and your seven brethren.
5 She got down and never spoke, Nor never cheaped
Till she saw her own father's head Come trinkling by her feet.
6 Hold your hand, sweet William, she says, Pray hold your hand for sure,
For love runs free in every vein, But father I'll have no more.
Earl Brand
7 If you hain't pleased at this, he says, If you hain't pleased, says he,
I'll wished you was at home in your mother's chambery And me in some house or room.
8 Go wind you east, go wind you west, I will go along with you.
And he hung a bugle all round about his neck, And so went bleeding away.
9 But when he got to his mother's hall, He jingled at the ring ;
O dear mother, sleep or awake, Rise and let me in.
io Sister, sister make my bed, My wounds are very sore. O dear mother, bind my head, You'll never bind it more.
1 1 It was about three hours before day, The chickens began to crow,
And every breath that he did draw His heart's blood begin to flow.
12 Sweet William died of the wounds he got And Barbary died for sorrow,
And the old woman died for the love of them both And was buried on Easter Monday.
Hexatonic. Mode 3, a. (?)
g^
Sung by Mrs. Hester House at Hot Springs, N. C, Sept. 14, 1916
(')
:±
1. He rode up
to the old man's gate,
So
pi
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bold fe)
ly he did say, Say- ing:
Keep your young - est
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way.
daugh
ter at home, For the
old
12
est I'll take a
Earl Brand
6 A -
a
a
^^
Verses 5 and 6
nil (') A#_^) nil (',)
2 He holp her on his milk-white steed, And he rode the apple grey.
He swung a bugle horn all round about her neck And so went winding away.
3 He hadn't got more than a mile out of town, Till he looked back again.
He saw her own dear seven brothersen Come trippling over the plain.
4 Set you down, fair Ellinor, he said, And hold the steed by the rein,
Till I play awhile with your own dear father And your seven brothersen.
5 Fair Ellinor she sat still And never changed a word,
Till she saw her own dear seven brothersen All wallowing in their blood.
6 Fair Ellinor she sat still And never changed a note,
Till she saw her own dear father's head Come tumbling by her feet.
7 He holp her on her milk-white steed And he rode the apple grey,
Till he swung a bugle horn all around her neck And so went winding away.
8 He rode up to his mother's gate And tingled on the ring,
Saying: O dear mother, asleep or awake, Arise and let me in.
9 Sister, sister, fix my bed, My wounds are very sore.
Saying: O dear mother, bind up my head, For me you'll bind no more.
13
Earl Brand
10 Sweet William he died from the wounds received, Fair Ellinor died with sorrow ;
Sweet William died with the wounds received And Ellinor died with sorrow.
1 1 Sweet William was buried at the upper church yard And Ellinor was buried close by.
Out of William's grave spring a blood red rose And out of hers a briar.
12 They grew, they grew to the top of the church Where could not grow any higher.
They wound, they tied in a true love knot, The rose wrapped round the briar.
D
i
Penatonic. Mode 3.
Ji 1
Sung by Mrs. Moore, Rabun Co., Georgia, in May, 1909
m
SEEE
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1. He rode up to the old man's gate, So bold-ly he did say: You can
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keep your youngest daugh - ter at home, But your old -est I'll take a - way.
2 O rise you up, you seven brothers all, And bring your sister down,
It never can be said that a steward's son Shall take her out of town.
3 I thank you, kind sir, said he, I am no stewerd's son ; "
My father's of the richest of kings And my mother's a Quaker's queen.
4 She lit on the milk-white steed, And he rode on the brown.
5 Then they rode about three miles from town, And then he cast his eyes all around,
And saw her father and seven brothers all Come trickling down the plain.
14
Earl Brand
6 O, light you off, fair Ellen, said he, And hold my steed by the rein,
Till I play awhile with your father And seven brothers all.
7 Fair Ellen she still stood there And never changed a word
Till she saw her own dear seven brothers all A-wallowing in their own blood.
8 Fair Ellen she still stood there And never changed a note,
Till she saw her own dear father's head Come tumbling by her foot.
9 O hold your hand, sweet William, said she, Love runs free in every vein,
But father I have no more.
If you are not satisfied with this
I wish you were in your mother's chamberee
And Fse in some house or room.
io If I was in my mother's chamberee, You'd be welcome there. I'll wind you East, I'll wind you West, I'll trip along with thee.
ii He rode up to his mother's gate And jangled at the ring : O mother, dear mother, asleep or awake, Arise and let me in.
12 O sister, O sister, make my bed, For my wound is very sore.
O mother, O mother, bind up my head, For me you'll bind no more.
13 It was about three hours till day, And the chickens crowing for day,
When every wound sweet William received, The blood began to pour.
14 Sweet William he died like it was to-day, Fair Ellender tomorrow ;
Sweet William died from the wounds he received, Fair Ellender died cf sorrow.
15
No. 4 The Two Sisters
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
,4
ifcri:
A — N-
4- -l *
e^s
Sung by Mrs. Jane Gentry at Hot Springs, N. C, Sept, 11, 1916
E
E
m
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1
1. O . . sis-ter, O sis -ter, come go with me, Go with me down to the sea.
i
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tzzhzli
v — V
Ju - ry flow-er gent the rose-ber - ry, The ju - ry hangs o - ver the rose-ber
S
ry-
i^Egsp^sap
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1
We'll take it and we'll make harp strings. We'll take them and we'll make harp screws.
2 She picked her up all in her strong arms And threwed her sister into the sea.
3 O sister, O sister, give me your glove, And you may have my own true love.
4 O sister, O sister, I'll not give you my glove, And I will have your own true love.
5 O sister, O sister, give me your hand, And you may have my house and land.
6 O sister, O sister, I'll not give you my hand, And I will have your house and land.
7 O the farmer's wife was sitting on a rock, Tying and a-sewing of a black silk knot.
8 O farmer, O farmer, run here and see What's this a-floating here by me.
9 It's no fish and it's no swan,
For the water's drowned a gay lady.
10 The farmer run with his great hook And hooked this fair lady out of the sea.
1 1 O what will we do with her fingers so small ? We'll take them and we'll make harp screws.
16
The Two Sisters
1 2 O what will we do with her hair so long ? We'll take it and we'll make harp strings.
13 O the farmer was hung by the gallows so high, And the sister was burned by the stake close by.
Heptatonic. Mode 4, a -|- b ( dorian ).
B
Sung by Mr. Wesley Batten at Mount Fair, Albermarle County, Va., Sept. 22, 1916
m
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1. There lived an old la - dy in the north coun-try, Bow down, There
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lived an old la - dy in the north coun-try, The bough has been to me, There
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lived an old la- dy in the north coun-try, She has daugh - ters
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one, two, three, True to my love, love my love be true to me.
•These B's and F's were ordinarily sung as written ; but the singer occasionally sharpened them, making the B's natural and the F's sharp.
2 There came a young man a-courting there, And he made the choice of the youngest there.
3 He made her a present of a beaver's hat, The oldest thought a heap of that.
4 O sister, O sister, just walk out
To see those vessels a-sailing about.
5 The oldest pushed the youngest in. She did struggle and she did swim.
6 O sister, O sister, give me your hand, And I will give you my house and land.
7 I will not give you my hand,
But I will marry that young man.
8 The miller picked up his drab hook, And then he fished her out of the brook.
17
The Two Sisters
9 The miller got her golden ring, The miller pushed her back again.
10 The miller was hung at his mill gate For drownding my poor sister Kate.
Major Mode.
Sung by Miss Louisa Chisholm at Woodridge, Va., Sept. 23, 19 16
lived an old lord by the north - ern sea, Bow down, There
*
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lived an old lord by the north - ern sea, The boughs they bent to me. . There
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lived an old lord by the north - ern sea, And he had daugh-ters one, two, three.
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That will be true, true to my love, Love and my love will be true to me.
2 A young man came a-courting there, He took choice of the youngest there.
3 He gave this girl a beaver hat, The oldest she thought much of that.
4 O sister, O sister, let's we walk out To see the ships a-sailing about.
5 As they walked down the salty brim, The oldest pushed the youngest in.
6 O sister, O sister, lend me your hand, And I will give you my house and land.
7 I'll neither lend you my hand or glove, But I will have your own true love.
8 Down she sank and away she swam, And into the miller's fish pond she ran.
9 The miller came out with his fish hook And fished the fair maid out of the brook.
18
The Two Sisters
10 And it's off her finger took five gold rings, And into the brook he pushed her again.
ii The miller was hung at his mill gate For drowning of my sister Kate.
Heptatonic. Mode i, a -f- b ( mixolyclian influence).
Sung by Mr. Nuel Walton at Mt. Fair, Va., Sept. 26, 191 6
3e£e3
fi=^=
:. There was once an
old
la
dy in the north coun - try, The
i=t
s
;
bough were giv - en to me. . There was once an old la - dy in the
i
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north coun - try, The bough were giv - |
en |
to me, . . There was |
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once an old la - dy in the north coun-try, And she had daugh-ters one,two and three
ft
II
&
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Lov-er be true, true to my lov- er love and my love be true to me.
2 That young man bought a beaver hat, The oldest one thought hard of that.
19
No. 5
The Cruel Brother
Hexatonic. Mode 3, b.
Sung by Mrs. Hester House at Hot Springs, N. C, Sept. 15, 1916
pg
z ^,*~ * — *~
H H P-
P • • *-
:i
=
i . There's three fair maids went out to play at ball, I
o the li - ly gay, There's
I
t
m
^— • — +
three land-lords come court them all, And the rose smells so sweet I know.
2 The first landlord was dressed in blue.
He asked his maid if she would be his true.
3 The next landlord was dressed in green. He asked his maid if she'd be his queen.
4 The next landlord was dressed in white. He asked his maid if she'd be his wife.
5 It's you may ask my old father dear, And you may ask my mother too.
6 It's I have asked your old father dear, And I have asked your mother too.
7 Your sister Anne I've asked her not, Your brother John and I had forgot.
8 Her old father dear was to lead her to the yard, Her mother too was to lead her to the step.
9 Her brother John was to help her up. As he holp her up he stabbed her deep.
10 Go ride me out on that green hill, And lay me down and let me bleed.
1 1 Go haul me up on that green hill, And lay me down till I make my will.
12 It's what will you will to your old father dear? This house and land that I have here.
13 It's what will you will to your mother, too ? This bloody clothing that I have wear.
20
The Cruel Brother
14 Go tell her to take them to yonders stream, For my heart's blood is in every seam.
15 It's what will you will to your sister Anne ? My new gold ring and my silver fan.
16 It's what will you will to your brother John's wife? In grief and sorrow the balance of her life.
17 It's what will you will to your brother John's son ? It's God for to bless and to make him a man.
18 It's what will you will to your brother John ? A rope and a gallows for to hang him on.
21
No. 6
Lord Randal
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
Sung by Mrs. Dora Shelton at Allanstand, N. C, Aug. 2, 1916
V^
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3 #— F -«-
=t
' i *
A p
What you will to your fa-ther, Jim my Randolph my son'Whatyou
■-:■-
^mmm
A — N-
B^
* — •
*— *
will to your fa-ther, my old - est, dear-est one ? My hors-es, my bug-gies,Moth-er,
m
■i
^
^ m-
make my bed soon, For I am sick-heart - ed And I want to lie down.
2 What you will to your brothers. My mules and waggons.
3 What you will to your sisters. My gold and my silver.
B
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
Sung by Mrs. Mary Sands at Allanstand, N. C, Aug. 3, 1916
m
h m-
-A £v-
3
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*=*=$■
:. What did you eat f or your sup-per, Jim - my Ran-dal my son ? What did you
I
PS
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eat for your sup - per, my own dear-est one ? Cold poi-son, cold poul-try. Moth-er
y*
•—jr
-m — •-
11
make my bed soon, For I am sick - heart -ed and I want to lie down.
2 What will you will to your mother. My gold and my silver.
3 What will you will to your father . My mules and my wagons.
22
Lord Randal
4 What will you will to your sister
My land and my houses.
5 What will you will to your brothers. My trunks and my clothing.
6 What will you will to your sweetheart
Two tushes bulrushes and them both parched brown, For she is the cause of my lying down.
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
¥&a—
Miss Emma Hensley at Carmen, N. C, Aug. 28, 1916
0 « #z_i — — * # — 1 j — —^ — p.
1. It's what did you eat for your break-fast, Jim - my Ran - dal my
'<■
W=m-
1
m
son? It's what did you eat for your break-fast, My own dear - est
E#
f
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f f
■v — v-
son? It's cold pie and cold cof - fee. Moth-er, make my bed
!;:
* — V
w
-• — *
soon, For I'm sick at the heart and I want to lie down
(Mrs. Hensley's version)
*=w=^=w
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It's what will you will to your father My mules and my wagons.
It's what will you will to your mother My trunk and my clothing.
It's what will you will to your brother My house and plantation.
It's what will you will to your sister . My gold and my silver.
23
Lord Randal
6 It's what will you will to your sweetheart . . . Bulrushes, bulrushes, and them half parched brown, For she's the whole cause of my lying down.
7 Where do you want to be buried .... By my little baby.
D
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
Sung by Mr. William F. Wells at Swannanoah. N. C. Sept. 9, 1916
w
a
3E
• A- 0 f _£ 1 «4r
Lt± # ^ 9 V±
&—P—J
Where have you been a
rov - ing, Jim - my
i
Ran - dal my
. 1 ra
P
son? Where have you been a - rov - ing, my old - est
S7\
dear
*=*
s
one? I've been out
i
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a - court - ing, moth - er, make my
— V
bed
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soon, I'm sick to the heart and I want to lie
down.
m
(a) (Last Verse)
What is your rea- son, Jim -my
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m
2 What did you will to your mother My houses and my lands.
3 What did you will to your father My waggon and my team.
4 What did you will to your brother My horn and my hounds.
5 What did you will to your sister My rings off my finger.
24
Lord Randal
6 What did you will to your sweetheart A cup of strong poison.
7 What is your reason . Because she poisoned me.
Fentatonic. Mode 3.
Sung by Miss Florence McKinney at Habersham Co., Georgia, June 2, 1910
1 — r
1=1
=3
QP
L
O where have you been, Lord Ran - dal my son ? O where have you
$=t
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been, my
ly son? I've been a - court - ing, moth - er, O
i
11
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o
make my bed soon, For I'm sick at the heart And fain would lie down.
2 What did you have for your supper. . . . A cup of cold poison.
3 What would you leave your father
My wagon and oxen. . . .
4 What would you leave your mother My coach and six horses. .
5 What would you leave your sweetheart .
Ten thousand weights of brimstone to burn her bones brown, For she was the cause of my lying down.
25
No. 7
Edward A
Heptatonic. Mode 4, a + b ( mixolydian ).
:g=^=t: ^F-E^ • +=}
Sung by Mrs. Jane Gentry at Hot Springs. N. C, Aug. 24, 1916
4=t
t±=d
)m *-
=*=•=
H 1 — H-
SEEt
[. How come that blood on your shirt sleeve? Pray, son, now tell to me. It
1
3=
i
is the blood of the old grey - hound That run young fox for me.
2 It is too pale for that old greyhound. Pray, son, now tell to me.
It is the blood of the old grey mare That ploughed that corn for me.
3 It is too pale for that old grey mare. Pray, son, now tell to me.
It is the blood of my youngest brother That hoed that corn for me.
4 What did you fall out about ? Pray, son, now tell to me. Because he cut yon holly bush Which might have made a tree.
5 O what will you tell to your father dear When he comes home from town ?
I'll set my foot in yonder ship And sail the ocean round.
6 O what will you do with your sweet little wife ? Pray, son, now tell to me.
I'll set her foot in yonder ship To keep me company.
7 O what will you do with your three little babes ? Pray, son, now tell to me.
I'll leave them here in the care of you For to keep you company.
8 O what will you do with your house and land ? Pray, son, now tell to me.
I'll leave it here in care of you For to set my children free.
26
Edward B
Hexatonic. Mode 3, a.
Sung by Mrs. Rosie Henslky at Carmen, N. C, Aug. 28, 1916
1
^
a
'i
¥*=^r
:
1. O what will you say when your fa - ther comes back,
O
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t
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:
m
s=t
m
what will you say to me? I'll set my foot on yon-der lit -tie boat, I'll
1
m
t=£
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sail a - way o - ver the sea, I'll sail a - way o - ver the sea.
27
No. 8
Sir Lionel
i
Pentatonic. Mode 4.
4=t
i=±
WiEi
S=
Sung by Mrs. Tom Rice at Big Laurel, N. C, Aug. 16, 1916
1. Ban - gry Rew - ey a - court - ing did ride, His sword and pis - tol
11
e=i
=t
:4=*z
4
by his side. Cam - bo key
quid - die down, quill
-& -. o - quon.
q=&
Hfe^^fel
2 Bangry rode to the wild boar's den
And there spied the bones of a thousand men.
3 Then Bangry drew his wooden knife To spear the wild boar of his life.
Hexatonic. Mode 3, b.
B
Sung by Mrs. Betty Smith and Mr. N. B. Chisholm at Woodridge, Va., Sept. 27, 1916
fa
£
d:
I. There is
wild boar in these woods, Del - lum down,
del - lum down, There is
wild boar in these woods, He'll
I
i
eat your meat and suck your blood. Del - lum down, del - lum down.
2 Bangrum drew his wooden knife
And swore he'd take the wild boar's life.
3 The wild boar came in such a flash, He broke his way through oak and ash,
28
No. 9
The Cruel Mother
Heptatonic Mode i, a -f b (mixolyilian ).
Sung by Mrs. Rosie Henslky at Carmen, N. C , Aug. 10, 1916
an.3
tt=t
• *
h
. She laid her • self all against the oak, All a -long in the Lude-ney Rather faster
— r 4 0 cm m. g 0 — c^ j 0-
l
d-
II
And first it bent and *hen it broke, Down by the green-wood side.
2 She leaned herself all against the thorn. And there she had two fine babes born.
3 She pulled out her snow-white breast,
And she bid them a-suck for that would be the last.
4 She pulled down her yellow hair,
And she bound it around their little feet and hands.
5 She pulled out her little penknife,
And she pierced all in their tender little hearts.
6 She was setting in her father's hall,
And she saw her babes a-playing with their ball.
7 O babes, O babes, if you were mine, I would dress you in the silk so fine.
8 O mother, O mother, when we were thine,
You neither dressed us in the coarse silk nor fine.
B
Hexatonic. Minor mode ( Aeolian influence, no 6th ),
Sung by Mrs. Moore at Rabun Co., Georgia, May I, 1909
m
*=f4
±
d • &
-&—
&—
1. Christ-mas time is a roll-ing on, When the nights are long and cool, When
g
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A— N-
a— n-
l=g^^-^
5
1
w
— IK
three lit-tle babes come run-ning down And run in their moth-er's room.
29
The Cruel Mother
2 As she was going to her father's hall,
All down by the greenwood side, She saw three little babes a-playing ball. All down by the greenwood side.
3 One was Peter and the other was Paul,
All down, etc. And the other was as naked as the hour it was born. All down, etc.
4 O babes, O babes, if you were mine, I'd dress you in the silk so fine.
5 O mother, O mother, when we were young, You neither dressed us coarse nor fine.
6 You took your penknife out of your pocket, And you pierced it through our tender hearts.
7 You wiped your penknife on your shoe,
And the more you wiped it the bloodier it grew.
8 You buried it under the marble stone, You buried it under the marble stone.
9 The hell gates are open and you must go through, The hell gates are open and you must go through.
i
Pentatonic. Mode 3. (a)
Sung by Mr. T. Jeff Stockton at Flag Pond, Tenn., Sept. 4, 1916
tt
f=^
fi • f ?
»
*=t
1 I 1
w
1. O babes, O babes, if you was mine, All a -lone, a - lo - ney, I'd
&*— m ^1.1 1 rV-1 i.l In QflJ ^ 1
rr r rw
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*=t
?=?=*
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dress you up in silk so fine. All down by the green-wood side-y.
Heptatonic. Mode 1, a -f- b (mixolydian ).
m
IX
^=*
Sung by Mr. N. B. Chisholm at Woodridge, Va., Sept. 21, 1916
W4p
fe£
^~
ba
by,
ba - by, if 30
you were mine,
The Cruel Mother
6
l$=^=£
(a)
^
r
^
All a • long and a - lo
ney, I would dress you in the
B
II
§
.
s
fcl
w.
scar -let so fine Down by the green riv - er side - y.
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y
a-
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II
* •"
Pentatonic. Mode 2
Sung by Mr. Riley Shelton at Alleghany, N- C, Aug. 29, 1916
(0
W-
~* — m — ■
^3
=frF
|
1. 0 dear mother w 1 — 0 - 1 ; — |
iien |
we was ther |
e, All a - long, a - long - ey, You'd 1 s N — T*"* 1 — — ■■ |
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neith - er dress us coarse nor fine. Down by the green-wood side
g^^g^^ll
H&=f-f-rf-£MI
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31
No. 10
The Three Ravens
Heptatonic. Mode i a + b ( mixolydian ).
Sung by Mr Ben Burgess at Charlottesville, Va., Sept. 28, 1916
»
4
£=£
i=±
I. Three old crows sat on a tree, Just as black as crows could be.
»
iEgSfefc
• ^
Poor old crow,
The
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53
tt
old he - crow says to his mate : What shall we do for meat to eat ? (a)
Jill
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Poor old crow.
^
I
32
No.
ii
The Two Brothers
Hexatonic. Mode 3, a.
Sung by Mrs. Lizzie Roberts and Mrs. Smith at Hot Springs, N. C, Sept. 15, 19 16
=3
^^g^
I
&£
i
-
. Mon - day morn - ing go to school, Fri - day eve - ning home.
s — * — • — *-
PES
-&—
1
Broth - er, comb my sweet-heart's hair As we go walk - ing home. 1 (a)
=J=t
11
— &—
2 Brother, won't you play a game of ball ? Brother, won't you toss a stone ? Brother, won't you play no other game As we go marching home ?
3 I can't play no game of ball, I can't toss no stone,
I can't play no other game. Brother, leave me alone.
4 Brother took out his little penknife, It was sharp and keen.
He stuck it in his own brother's heart, It caused a deadly wound.
5 Brother, take off your little check shirt, Stitched from gore to gore ;
Bind it around the deadly wound. It won't bleed no more.
6 Brother took off his little check shirt, Stitched from gore to gore ;
Bound it around the deadly wound. It didn't bleed no more.
7 Brother, O brother, go dig my grave, Dig it wide and deep.
Bury my bible at my head, My hymn book at my feet.
33
The Two Brothers
8 He buried his bible at his head, His hymn book at his feet, His bow and arrow by his side, And now he's fast asleep.
B
Heptatonic. Mode 3, a -f- b (ionian).
Sung by Mrs. Rosie Smith at Charlottesville, Va., Sept. 25, 1916
s£
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3=^
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Jt±*
1 1-
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i
:. Two broth-ers they have just re-turned,Theirpleas-ures are all sin - cere. I A")
g=F=<
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ir
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want to see my pret - ty Su - sie, The girl I loved so dear.
^-^^-i
r i i
2 You're not the one that loves Susie, And here I'll spill your blood.
He drew a knife both keen and sharp And pierced it through his heart.
3 What will you tell my father dear When he calls for his son John ?
I'll tell him you're in the western woods A-learning your hounds to run.
4 What will you tell my mother dear When she calls for her son John ? I'll tell her you're in the Tennessee A lesson there to learn.
5 What will you tell my pretty Susie When she calls for true love John ? I'll tell her you're in your silent grave, Where never no more to return.
6 She took her bible in her hand, A-moaning she went on.
She moaned till she came to his silent grave. In search of her true love John.
34
The Two Brothers
7 What do you want, my pretty Susie ? What do you want with me ?
I want a kiss from your clay-cold lips, Tis all I ask of thee.
8 If I were to kiss your rosy cheeks My breath it is too strong.
If I were to kiss your ruby lips, You would not stay here long.
9 So now go home, my pretty Susie, And moan no more for me,
For you may moan to Eternity, My face no more you'll see.
Heptatonic. Mode i, a -f b ( mixolydian influence ).
Sung by Mr. Nuel Walton at Mount Fair, Va., Sept. 26th, 1916
feEfeg=^=*
■&-. — K-
s
^— r
-&- — &-
t=t=i
One eve • ning, one eve - ning, Two broth -ers gone from school. The
-N N-
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5
1
XT Z
old - est said to the young - est one : Let's take a wras - tie fall.
V
*
II
2 The oldest threw the youngest down, He threw him to the ground,
And from his pocket came a penknife And give him a deathless wound.
3 Pull off, pull off, your woolen shirt, And tear it from gore to gore,
And wrap it around this deathless wound, And that will bleed no more.
4 He pulled off his woolen shirt, And tore it from gore to gore,
And wrapped it around this deathless wound, And it did bleed no more.
35
r
The Two Brothers
5 It's take me up all on your back And carry me to yonder churchyard. And dig my grave both wide and deep And gentle lie me down.
6 What will you tell your father When he calls for his son John ?
You can tell him I'm in some low green woods A-learning young hounds to run.
7 What will you tell your mother When she calls for her son John ?
You can tell her I'm in some graded school, Good scholar to never return.
8 What will you tell your true love When she calls for her dear John ?
You can tell her I'm in some lonesome grave, My books to carry home.
9 One sweet kiss from your clay, clay lips Will bring my day short on.
D
Heptatonic. Mode i, a + b ( mixolydian ).
Sung by Mr. Ozzo Keeton at Mount Fair, Va., Sept. 26th, 191 6
W I ! J
m=^=i
But when young Suse
came to knew this
She
m
A- IS FV
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charmed the birds all out of their nests, And charmed young John all
u
C£
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out of his grave, Where he was rest - ing in peace.
2 O what do you want with me, young Suse,
0 what do you want with me ?
1 want one kiss from your sweet lips And then I can rest in peace.
36
The Two Brothers E
Hexatonic. Mode 3, b.
Sung by Mrs. CARRIE Ford .it Black Mountain, N. ('., Sept. 18, 1916
J
S^
&
1. It's Mon - day morn - ing go to school, Fri - day eve - ning home.
i=t
i i i--l — i i
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m
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Broth - er comb my sweet-heart's hair and wel - come her in home.
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37
No. 12
Young Beichan
Pentatonic. Mode i, a ( no 6th ).
Sung by " Granny " Banks at White Rock, N. C, July 28, 1916
t:
2l
Lord
Ba
con
no
ble
man,
As
|
n# 1 |
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m — i |
— # — -4- |
1 |
fine as
ny you should see; He'd ga - thered all his
i
i
s
silks and ru bies, The Turk - ish land he'd go and see.
2 He first blowed East and then blowed West, And he blowed down to the Turkish land.
The Turks they got him and so sadly used him, To love his life he was quite wearied.
3 They bored a hole in his left shoulder And nailed him down unto a tree.
They gave him nothing but bread and water, And bread and water but once a day.
4 The Turks they had but one fair daughter, As fair a one as you should see.
She stole the keys of the prison strong
(or, She stole the jail keep from her father) And vowed Lord Bacon she would set free.
5 She said : Have you got any land or living, Or have you any dwelling free ?
Would you give it all to a prince's daughter If she would set you free ?
6 Then he says : I've got a land and living And I have got a dwelling free,
And I'll give it all to you, (my) -pretty creature, If you will do that thing for me.
7 She went on to her master's cellar And from her father stole a jail key.
She opened the dungeon both deep and wide, And vowed Lord Bacon she would set free.
38
Young Beichan
8 Then she took him to her master's {or father's) cellar And chawed some of the best port wine,
And drink a health, you pretty creature, I wish, Lord Bacon, you were mine.
9 And then they drawed each other's notes of love And seven years they were to stand.
He vowed he'd marry no other woman Unless(tfr Until) she married some other man.
10 Then she took him on to the sea-side And left him sailing over the main : Fare-ye-well, fare-ye-well, you pretty creature. O when shall I see you again ?
ii When seven years was passed and gone, And seven months and almost three, She gathered all her silks and rubies And vowed Lord Bacon she'd go and see.
12 When she got to Lord Bacon's hall She knocked so far below the ring.
Who's there, who's there {or O yes, O yes), said the bold, proud
porter, Who knock so hard fain would come in ?
13 Is this Lord Bacon's hall, she said, Or is there any man within ?
O yes, O yes, said the bold, proud porter, This day has fetched him a young bride in.
14 She says: Now you've married some other woman And I have married no other man,
I wish I had my notes of love,
Straight back I'd go to the Turkish land.
15 She's got a ring on every finger
And on her middle one she's got three, And gold around her neck a-plenty To buy all Cumberland of thee.
16 Then up spoke the young bride's mother, An angry spoken old thing was she,
Saying : Would you quit my own fair daughter And take up with a Turkish lady ?
39
Young Beichan
17 He said : You may take your daughter home with you, Foi I'm sure she's none the worse of me,
For the prettiest thing stands there awaiting That ever my two eyes did see.
18 He took her by the lily-white hand And took her to her father's cellar, And drawed some of the best port wine, Saying : Drink a health, you pretty creature, Who freed me from such a prison strong.
19 He took her by the lily- white hand And gently led her to his hall,
And changed her name from Pretty Nancy, And called her name, it was Noble Jane.
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
B
Sung at Hindman School, Knott Co., Ky., 1907
i
£&3=i:
±£
-&—
=B
:•=*:
±
i. There was a man who lived in Eng-land And he was of some high de -
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v-y-
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s
tot
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gree ; He became un - ea - sy, dis - con- tent- ed, Some fair land,some land to s«e.
2 He sailed East, he sailed West,
He sailed all over the Turkish shore, Till he was caught and put in prison, Never to be released any more.
3 The Turk he had but one lone daughter, She was of some high degree ;
She stole the keys from her father's dwelling, And declared Lord Batesman she'd set free.
4 She led him down to the lower cellar
And drew him a drink of the strongest wine,
Every moment seemed an hour.
O Lord Batesman, if you were mine 1
5 Let's make a vow, let's make a promise, Let's make a vow, let's make it stand ; You vow you'll marry no other woman, I'll vow I'll marry no other man.
40
Young Beichan
6 They made a vow, they made a promise, They made a vow, they made it stand ; He vowed he'd many no other woman, She vowed she'd many no other man.
7 Seven long years had rolled. around, It seemed as if it were twenty-nine, She bundled up her finest clothing,
And declared Lord Batesman she'd go find.
8 She went till she came to the gate, she tingled, It was so loud, but she wouldn't come in,
Is this your place, she cried, Lord Batesman,
Or is it that you've let yours, brought your new bride in ?
9 Go remember him of a piece of bread, Go remember him of a glass of wine, Go remember him of the Turkish lady Who freed him from the iron, cold bonds.
io He stamped his foot upon the floor, He burst the table in pieces three, Saying : I'll forsake both land and dwelling For the Turkish lady that set me free.
1 1 She went till she came to the gate, she tingled, It was so loud, but she wouldn't come in, She's got more gold on her little finger Than your new bride and all your kin.
Heptatonic. Mode i, a + b ( mixolydian ).
m
Sung by Mrs. Zippo Rice at Big Laurel, N. C, Aug. 15, 1916
Lord Bates - man was
ble
val - iant
is — N"
¥=t
•z?
sol - dier he set sail. He put his foot in - to some lit - tie
i
5
boat And de-clared some strange land he'd go and see.
41
Young Beichan
D
Hexatonic. Mode i, b.
Sung by Mrs. Tom Rice at Big Laurel, N. C, Aug. 17, 1916
p£f;
i=t
m
a
1 . They bored a hole . in his left shoul - der And nailed him
m^=s^
&—
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t?
down . to the wood, They give him noth - ing but bread and
m
±=t
1
wa
ter,
But bread and wa
ter
day.
Hexatonic. Mode 1, b.
m
Sung by Mrs. Mary Sands at Allanstand, N. C, July 31, 19 16
fci
£
-iSi~
1. Lord Bates -man was a no - ble young man And as fair a
i
mm
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5
ft a>.
*=tt
one as you'd wish to see, And he put his foot on a lit - tie
i
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1
Eg
boat - en, And he vowed some strange land he would go and see.
42
No. 13
The Cherry -Tree Carol
Hexatonic. Mode I, b.
Sung by Mrs. Tom Rice at Big Laurel, N. C, Aug. 17, 19 16
a=^3=f.
(*)
:fc£
V— L
. As Jo - seph and Ma - ry were a - walk - ing the greenj
=E=-r<— j^- -* — 5— — *-
They was ap - pies and cher - ries plen - ty there to be
m
11
=E^
£S
# — *^+
seen. They was ap - pies and cher - ries plen - ty there to be seen.
i
(«)
fe^^=ii
2 And then Mary said to Joseph so meek and so mild : Gather me some cherries, Joseph, for I am with child.
3 Then Joseph said to Mary so rough and unkind : Let the daddy of the baby get the cherries for thine.
4 Then the baby spoke out of its mother's womb :
Bow down you lofty cherry trees, let my mammy have some.
5 Then the cherry tree bent and it bowed like a bow,
So that Mary picked cherries from the uppermost bough.
6 Then Joseph took Mary all on his left knee,
Saying : Lord have mercy on me and what I have done.
7 Then Joseph took Mary all on his right knee,
Saying : O my little Saviour, when your birthday shall be, The hills and high mountains shall bow unto thee.
8 Then the baby spoke out of its mother's womb :
On old Christmas morning my birthday shall be {or, it'll be just
before day). When the hills and high mountains shall bow unto me.
43
The Cherry-Tree Carol
B
Pentatonic. Mode 3
Sung by Mrs. Jane Gentry at Hot Springs, N. C., Aug. 24, 1916
:4=t
^E^E*
i
w
j. Jo - seph were
a young man,
A young man were
3E=
*s
$=*.
he, And he court - ed Vir-gin Ma - ry, The Queen of Gal - li - lee.
• * ,— •— * L
1
2 Mary and Joseph Were a-walking one day. Here is apples and cherries A-plenty to behold.
3 Mary spoke to Joseph So meek and so mild :
Joseph, gather me some cherries, For I am with child.
4 Joseph flew in angry, In angry he flew,
Saying : Let the father of your baby Gather cherries for you.
5 The Lord spoke down from Heaven, These words he did say :
Bow you low down, you cherry tree, While Mary gathers some.
6 The cherry tree bowed down, It was low on the ground ; And Mary gathered cherries While Joseph stood around.
7 Then Joseph took Mary All on his right knee : Pray tell me, little baby, When your birthday shall be.
8 On the fifth day of January My birthday shall be,
When the stars and the elements Shall tremble with fear.
9 Then Joseph took Mary All on his left knee,
Saying : Lord have mercy upon me For what I have done.
44
No. 14
Fair Annie
Fentatomc. Mode 3
Sung by Mrs Jane Gentry at Hot Springs, N. C, Aug. 24. 1916
|
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— f-i — 1- |
* |
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1 |
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1. A
H
dieu, a - dieu, fair An - nie, he did say, For
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i
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kc ^ _£
twelve months and one day. It's twelve months be roll - ing round, Fair
(b) ^(b) last verse
1 LJ 1 ^ jjr.ll II
An- nie thought the time be-ing long. home. And we'll have Lord Thom-as burned.
(«)
(a)
B=
jt=J:
iH
2 She took her spy glass in her hands And out of doors she went ;
She looked to the East, West, both North and South, And looked all under the sun.
3 She thought she saw Lord Thomas a-coming, All bringing his new briden home.
She called her own seven sons : I think I see your father a-coming And bringing your step-mother home.
4 Come down, come down, dear mother they did say, Some clothing to put on.
Saying : All of his merry, merry, merry maids Might as well to come as one.
5 Fair Annie she had a silken towel Hanging on a silver pin,
And she wiped out her watery eyes As she walked out and in.
6 The rest of them drunk ale, beer and wine, But fair Annie she drunk cold well water To keep her spirits alive.
45
Fair Annie
7 There is a fair lady in our house, Before tomorrow morning she'll be dead, We will call to our waiting-maids
And have her taken out of town.
A word or two, Lord Thomas, she did say,
Before I go away.
8 I wish my sons was seven greyhounds And I was a fox on the hill,
And they might have longer ( or more ) breath than I That they might worry me down.
9 It's who is your father dear, And who is your mother, And who is your brother dear And who is your sister ?
io It's King Henry he's my father dear, Queen Chatry's my own mother, Quince Dudley he's my own brother dear And fair Annie she's my own sister.
1 1 If King Henry he's your own father dear, Queen Chatry she's your own mother, Quince Dudley your brother dear,
I'll ensure I'm your own sister.
12 We have seven ships all on the sea, They're loaded to the brim,
And five of them I'll give to you
And two will carry me home,
And we'll have Lord Thomas burned.
46
No. 15 Young Hunting
Hexatonic. Mode 2, a.
Sung by Mrs. Jane Gentry at Hot Springs, N. C, Aug. 25, 1916
i
2
2=i
!
i. Come in, come in, my pret - ty lit- tie boy, And stay this night with
me
For
i
I have got of the
ry
best And I will
11
0
give
up
to
thee,
I will give it up to thee.
2 I can't come in, I won't come in And stay this night with thee, For I have a wife in old Scotchee This night a-looking for me.
3 She did have a little penknife, It was both keen and sharp. She gave him a deathlike blow And pierced him through the heart.
4 She picked him up all in her arms, Being very active and strong,
And she throwed him into an old dry well About sixty feet.
5 One day she was sitting in her father's parlour door, Thinking of no harm.
She saw a bird and a pretty little bird All among the leaves so green.
6 Come down, come down, my pretty little bird And parley on my knee.
I'm afeard you'd rob me of my life Like you did the poor Scotchee.
7 I wish I had my bow and arrow, My arrow and my string ;
I'd shoot you through your tender little heart, For you never no more could sing.
47
Young Hunting
8 I wish you had your bow and arrow, Your arrow and your string ; I'd fly away to the heavens so high, Where I could for evermore sing.
B
Hexatonic. Mode 4, b. (a)
gf^^m
t=t
Sung by Mr. Floyd Chandler at Alleghany, N. C, Aug. 29, 1916
b# — =*.
H m «_
rf
i. Come in, come in, my own true love, And stay all night with
t=±
3S
±¥
i
me. For I have a bed, and
ve - ry fine bed, And I'll
S3
I
M*
give
ijt
it up to thee, And I'll give it up to thee.
2 It's I ain't coming in, nor I can't come in To stay all night with thee,
For I have a wife in old Scotland And this night she weeps over me.
3 It's out she drew her little penknife And stabbed him through his heart. She cried out with a very loud cry : There's a dead man in my house.
4 It's she picked him up by the middle so small, She picked him up by his feet,
She plunged him over in a deep, wide well Just about eighteen feet, feet, Just about eighteen feet.
5 And as she was sitting in her parlour door Thinking of what she had done,
She saw a bird and a very pretty bird All among the leaves so green, green.
48
Young Hunting
6 Come here, come hero, my pretty little bird And perch all on my thumb,
For 1 have a cage and a very fine cage And I'll give it up to thee.
7 It's I ain't a-coming there and I won't come there To perch all on your thumb,
For I'm afraid you'll rob me of my tender little heart Just like a Scotland man, man.
8 It's if I had my bow and arrow, My arrow and my bow,
I'd shoot you right through the tender little heart Just like the Scotland man, man.
9 It's if you had your bow and arrow, Your arrow and your bow,
I'd fly away to the heavens above And ne'er be seen any more.
Heptatonic. Major Mode (mixolydian influence).
(«) .
P6
^
Sung by Miss Linnie Landers at Carmen, N. C, Sept. 5, 1916
:•
ijEEEEEEEEEt
i. Come in, come in, my old true love, And stay all night with
3
ig
t=±
me, For I have a bed and
^8*=r
ve - ry fine bed, I'll
11
=t
u
give
it up
gtsi
to thee, thee, I'll give it up (a)
to
thee.
*
i^feH
2 I can't come in, nor I'm not coming in To stay all night with thee, For I have a wife in the old Scotland, This night she waits for me.
(The remaining stanzas as in B)
49
Young Hunting
D
Heptatonic. Major Mode ( mixolydian influence ).
Sung by Mrs. Orilla Keeton, at Mount Fair, Va., Sept. 26, 1916
in
mut
-A N
i=J=j^=*
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w
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La - dy Mar-g'ret was |
> a - go-ing to bed, She |
heard the sound of a |
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mu - si - cal horn, which made her heart feel glad and sad To
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n
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think that it was her broth - er John,broth-er John, Coming in from his wild
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hunt. But who should it be but her true love Hen - e - ry, Re -
tm=s=r^¥+
1-1 1.
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turn - ing from his King, his King, Re - turn - lng from his King. Subsequent verses sung thus ;
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2 O light, O light, love Henery, And stay all night with me,
And you shall have the cheers of the cheer (or cheery) cold girl, The best I can give you.
3 I will not light and I shall not light To stay all night with thee,
For there's a pretty girl in Merry Green Lea I love far better than thee.
SO
Young Hunting
4 He bended over her soft pillow And gave her a kiss so sweet,
But with a penknife in her right hand, She wounded him in full deep.
5 Woe be, woe be, Lady Marg'ret, he cried, Woe be, woe be to thee,
For don't you see my own heart's blood Come twinkling down my knee ?
6 She called unto a maid of hers : Keep a secret, keep a secret on me. All these fine robes on my body Shall always be to thee.
7 One takened him by his long yellow hair And the other one by his feet,
And they threw him into the well waters Which was so cool and deep.
8 Lie there, lie there, love Henery, Till the flesh rots off your bones,
And that pretty girl in Merry Green Lea Thinks long of your coming home.
9 Up spoke, up spoke a pretty little parrot Exceeding on a willow tree :
There never was a girl in Merry Green Lea He loved so well as thee.
io Come down, come down, my pretty little parrot, And sit upon my knee,
And you shall have a cage of a pure, pure gold Instead of the wallow tree.
ill won't come down, nor I shan't come down To sit upon your knee,
For you have murdered your true love Henery, More sooner you would kill me.
12 If I had my arrow in my hand, My bow on tuneful string,
I'd shoot a dart that would win your heart, So you could no longer sing.
13 If you had your arrow in your hand, Your bow on tuneful string,
I'd take a flight and fly, fly away And tune my voice to sing. 51
Young Hunting
Pentatonic. Mode I. J*
Sung by Mrs. Sotherland, at Carmen, N. C, on Oct. 3, 1914
h-s>—
=t
•J
m
|
Come in, come in, my own true |
love, And stay a |
11 night with 1 |
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y |
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IS 1 |
A |
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K ft N f\ J |
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me; And all those cost - ly cards that I wear a-round my waist I'll
=t
t
-SHr-
free - ly give them un - to thee,thee,thee,I'll free - ly give them un-to thee.
2 I won't come in, or I won't sit down, Or stay all night with thee,
For there is another pretty girl in old Scotland That I love more better than thee.
3 She had a sharp knife within her right hand, She pierced him heartilee.
4 I will come down and I must come down And stay all night with thee.
There is nary nother pretty girl in old Scotland That I love more better than thee.
5 O live, Lord Henry, she cried, One hour, or two, or three,
And all these costly cards I wear around my waist I'll freely give them unto thee.
6 I can't live, nor I won't live, One hour, nor two, nor three,
And all the costly cards you wear around your waist Will do no good for me.
7 She tuk him by his lily-white hand, She drug him to the well,
Which you know was cold and deep. She says ....
8 Lie there, love Henry, she cried,
Till the flesh all rots off your poor bones And all your pretty girls in old Scotland Will mourn for your return. 52
11
Young Hunting
9 Come down, come down, my pretty parrot bird, And sit at my right knee,
And your cage shall be decked of the yellow beaten gold And hung on the ivory.
10 I won't come down, nor I won't come down, Nor sit at your right knee,
For you just now murdered your own true love, And soon you'd murder me.
ill wish I had in my bow in flight, My arrow keen and sharp, I'd pierce a lightning all through your breast That you never should sing again.
12 If you had your bow in flight, Your arrow keen and sharp, My two little wings would carry me away, Where you never would see me again.
Sung by Mrs. Hall at Kensington,
|
Pentatonic. Mode i, a (no 5th). |
v — |
s — |
Walker Co., Georgia, April, 1914 |
|
|
TH* 1 |
• m J |
— N -P F— ^ = i |
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f • d |
# |
• |
J d m J a |
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9 ^ d ' • |
1. Come in, come in, lov - ing Hen - ry, said she, And
i
stay all night with
For it's been al - most one
in
quar - ter of a year Since I spake one word un - to thee.
2 I can't come in, Lady Margaret, said he, Nor stay all night with thee,
For the girl that I left in the Arkansas land Will think long of my return.
3 Then stooping over the great high fence And kissing all so sweet,
She had a penknife in her hand And she plunged it into the deep. 53
Young Hunting
4 Some taken him by his lily-white hands, Some taken him by his feet,
And they carried him to the broad water side And plunged him into the deep.
5 Lay there, lay there, loving Henry, said she, Till the meat drops off your bones,
And the girl you left in the Arkansas land Will think long of your return.
6 Come in, come in, pretty parrot, said she, And sing all on my knee ;
Your cage shall be made of ivory beaten gold And the doors of ivory.
7 I can't come in, Lady Margaret, said he, Ncr sing all on your knee,
For you are the girl that killed loving Henry, And surely you might kill me.
8 I wish I had a bow and arrow, And it all in its prime,
I'd shoot yon yonders pretty little bird That sits on that tall pine.
9 Who cares I for your bow and arrow, And it all in its prime,
I fly away to some lonesome valley And 'light on some high pine.
S4
No. 16
Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
^^
Sung by Mrs. Hester House at Hot Springs, N. C, Sept. 14, 1916
rr
mm
4
4
& •
m
. Lord Thorn- as he was a brave young man, The keep-ing of bach-e-lor's
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4
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^=*
£3=2
t=^*=
4;
Egam
hall.Come rid-dle to me, my mo - ther dear, Come rid -die to me as one.
t=t
g^ag^^^^i
2 Or shall I marry fair Ellendry now, Or bring you the brown girl home ? Or shall I marry fair Ellendry now, Or bring the brown girl home ?
3 The brown girl she has house and land, Fair Ellendry she has none.
My request is to you, my son, Go bring the brown girl home.
4 Fair Ellendry dressed herself in white, And trimmed her merry maidens green, And every town that she rode through They took her to be some queen.
5 She rode up to Lord Thomas's hall, And tingled on the ring ;
No'one so ordel but Lord Thomas himself For to rise and let her come in.
6 He took her by the lily-white hand, He led her through the hall,
He sat her down at the head of the table Amongst those ladies all.
7 Is this your bride? — fair Ellendry she says — What makes her so wonderful brown?
When you could have married as fair a lady one As ever the sun shined on.
55
Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor
8 Go hold your tongue, you pretty little miss, And tell no tales on me,
For I love your little finger nail Better than her whole body.
9 The brown girl had a little penknife Which just had lately been ground,
She pierced it through fair Ellendry's side, The blood come tumbling down.
10 He took her by her little hand, He led her in the room ; He took his sword and cut her head off And kicked it against the wall.
He put the handle against the wall, The point against his breast. Here is the ending of three dear lovers. Pray take their souls to rest.
Go dig my grave both wide and deep And paint my coffin black, And bury fair Ellendry in my arms, The brown girl at my back.
13 They dug his grave both wide and deep And painted his coffin black, And buried the brown girl in his arms And fair Ellendry at his back.
11
12
B
Heptatonic. Mode 3, a + b ( ionian ).
P P P P
V V-
Sung by Mrs. Moore at Rabun Co., Ga., May 2, 1909
«=— — * — •-
-P p T^tj^
v — 1
O mo -ther, O mo - ther, go roll a song, Go roll a song as
IN
one, . . Which had you ra
1— zz
$—$ — hft-v-
ther, I'd mar -ried fair El - len, Or
• * #— *
L>" .'!
--—1 N-
V ^=^
I
bring the brown girl home, home? Or bring the brown girl home?
56
Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor
2 It's, O my son, I'd advise you at your own blessing To bring the brown girl home ;
For she has got both house and land And fair Ellender she has none.
3 I le dressed himself in the finest he had, His image it was broad ;
And every town that he rode round They took him to be some lord.
4 He rode up to fair Ellender's gate And jangled at the ring —
No one so ready as fair Ellen herself To rise and let him come in.
5 Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, she replied, What news have you brought for me ? I've come to ask you to my wedding, And that's bad news for to hear.
6 O mother, O mother, go roll a song, Go roll a song as one,
Which had you rather, I'd go to Lord Thomas' wedding, Or stay and tarry at home ?
7 It's, O my daughter, I'd advise you at your own blessing To stay and tarry at home.
8 I know I've got a-many a friend, Likewise many a foe,
But if my death coffin was at my door, To Lord Thomas' wedding I'd go.
9 She dressed herself in the finest she had, Her image it was green ;
And every town that she rode round They took her to be some queen.
io She rode up to Lord Thomas's gate And knocked so clear it rung. No one so ready as Lord Thomas hisself For to rise and let her come in.
1 1 He took her by her lily-white hand And led her in the hall, And seated her down by his bright side Amongst the ladies all.
57
Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor
12 Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, is this your bride ? I think she's very brown ;
When you once might have had as fair a lady As ever the sun shined on.
13 This brown girl she had a knife in her hand, And the blade both keen and sharp. 'Twixt the long ribs and the short
She pierced it through fair Ellender's heart.
14 Fair Ellen, fair Ellen, he replied, What makes you look so pale ? Your cheeks were once the rosy red, And all your fine color has failed.
15 Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, she replied, Are you blind, or cannot you see ?
Or don't you see my own heart's blood Come twinkling down so free ?
16 Lord Thomas had a sword hung by his side With a blade both keen and sharp.
He cut this brown girl's head smooth off And cleaved the body apart.
17 And then he pointed toward the floor With the point toward his heart.
Did you ever see three own true loves Sudden in death to part ?
18 Go dig my grave both wide and deep And paint my coffin black,
And put fair Ellender in my arms And the brown girl at my back.
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
Sung by Mrs. Roste Hensley at Carmen, N, C, Aug. 8, 191 6
£
f#3=?
4
A+
~
a
r»i
s
^m
58
Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor
Hexatonic. Mode 3, b.
Sung by Mrs. Mandy Shklton at Carmen, N. C, Aug. 11, 1916
it
^m
:
:. Lord Thorn - as
he
£3=*=
brave
young man,
A -
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v ^
;
keep - ing of all king's hall ;
Fair El - len - der
■s
II
m=?:
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gay young la - dy, Lord Thorn - as he loved her dear.
Pentatonic. Mode
Sung by Mrs. Jane Gentry at Hot Springs, N. C, Aug. 24, 191 6
I
s*f
w
$
1. Come well to me, dear moth - er, he says. Come well me your de -
r=^
sign
— \r-
Whe - ther
I mar
ry
fair El - li - nor dear,
Or
i
=t
bring you the brown girl, home,home,home, Or bring you the brown girl home.
p^^^l
Pentatonic. Mode
Sung by Mrs. Addy Crane at Flag Pond, Tenn., Aug. 31, 1916
|
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M M • 1 ' • 1 S |
=£=1 |
rv "I- |
f7,,fj |
|
ffi * d |
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— •— |
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;. Lord Thom-as, Lord Thorn- as, is this your bride ? I think she's mis - er - a-ble
59
Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor
&=!=t
*=P=tEE£
-£■ w-
^=jr
brown ; And you could have mar - ried as fair a skinned girl As
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t=t
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ev - er the sun shined on, shined on, As ev - er the sun shined on.
Hexatonic. Mode 3, b.
/7\
Sung by Mrs. Noah Shelton at Alleghany, N. C, July 29, 1916
w
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33
H
Hexatonic. Mode 1, a.
aS
1
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Sung by Mrs. Kate Campbell at Woodridge, Va., Sept. 21, 1916
w
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8=_^tt=
v — ?-
v — w-
v— v— t
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:. O moth-er, O moth-er, O mother, says he, Pray tell your wil - ling mind,
*=S
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III
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Wheth-er I must mar - ry fair El - ling - ton, Or bring the brown girl home.
it
i
60
Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
Sung by Mrs. Mary Sands at Allanstand, N. C, Aug. 5, 1916
*
6
*=*=
J — d- 1. rn
rid - die
to you,
o
my youn - ger son, And ad
=*2=5=
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vise you all as one . The brown girl she's got house and home, Fair
:z±=t
II
El - lin - der she's got none, Fair El - len - der she's got none.
J
Hexatonic. Mode 3, b.
Sung by Miss Della Moore at Rabun Co., Ga.
-fr—1*-
•~d~ dr
V d
S-
r=J:
M^-*.
A—
O mo-ther, O mo-ther, go roll a song, go roll a song as one. Which
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had you ra- ther, I'd mar-ried fair El- len, Or bring the brown girl home ? The
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brown girl she has house and land, Fair El - len - der she has none ; There -
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fore I warn you at your own ad-blessing To bring the brown girl home.
g
Hexatonic. Mode 3, a.
i
Sung by Mrs. Isabel A. Dame (Mass.), in 1914
A ^ N-
ft
ESi 8 v\k
|
1. LordThom-as |
he was a bold for - est - er, |
A hunts- man of is «^. |
the King |
's |
|
y-Jft I j — g-gH |
--f— J— J' I E=:-P n i ^~ |
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I |
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y •— • :»jl«uJ-_ JL |
— P— • p • A — L^ ^ 9 |
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deer ; La - dy He-len she was a fair la - dy, Lord Thomas he loved her dear.
61
No. 17
Fair Margaret and Sweet William
Sung by Mr. Jeff Stockton
|
Hexatonic 0 |
. Mode 3, b. |
at Flag Pond, Tenn., Sept. 4, 1916 |
||||
|
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1 IS i^ |
|||||
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Sweet Wil - liam he rose in the month of May, He a
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decked him - self
^
in blue, Say-ing: I long to know that .
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II
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long, long love has been Be - twixt La - dy Mar - get and me.
w
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a
2 No harm, no harm of Lady Marget, Nor she knows none by me,
But before tomorrow morning at eight o'clock Lady Marget a bride shall see.
3 Lady Marget was a-sitting in her bowing room Combing back her yellow hair,
And she saw Sweet William and his new wedded bride, To church they did draw nigh.
62
Fair Margaret and Sweet William
4 And it's down she stood her ivory comb And baek she threw her hair.
And it's yon may suppose and be very well assured Lady Marget was heard no more.
5 The time has passed away and gone For all men to be asleep,
And something appeared to Sweet William and his new wedded bride And stood up at their bed feet.
6 Saying : How do you like your bed making ? Or how do you like your sheets ?
Or how do you like that new wedded bride That lies in your arms and sleeps ?
7 Very well do I like my bed making, Much better do I like my sheets ; But the best of all is the gay lady That stands at my bed feet.
8 The time was passed away and gone For all men to be awake.
Sweet William he said he was troubled in his head By the dreams that he dreamed last night.
9 Such dreams, such dreams cannot be true, I'm afraid they're of no good,
For I dreamed that my chamber was full of wild swine And my bride's bed a-floating in blood.
io He called down his waiting-men, One, by two, by three,
Saying : Go and ask leave of my new wedded bride If Lady Marget I mayn't go and see.
1 1 It's he rode up to Lady Marget's own bowing room, And he knocked so clear at the ring ;
And who was so ready as her own born brother For to rise and let him in.
12 Is Lady Marget in her own bowing room ? Or is she in her hall ?
Or is she high in her chambry Amongst her merry maids all ?
13 Lady Marget's not in her bowing room, Nor neither is she in her hall ;
But she is in her long coffin, Lies pale against yon wall.
63
Fair Margaret and Sweet William
14 Unroll, unroll the winding-sheets, Although they're very fine,
And let me kiss them cold pale lips Just as often as they've kissed mine.
15 Three times he kissed her ivory cheeks, And then he kissed her chin,
And when he kissed them cold pale lips There was no breath within.
16 Lady Marget she died like it might be to-day, Sweet William he died on tomorrow ;
Lady Marget she died for pure, true love, Sweet William he died for sorrow.
17 Lady Marget were buried in yons churchyard, Sweet William was buried by her ;
From her there sprung a red, red rose, From his there sprung a briar.
18 They both growed up the old church wall Till, of course, could grow no higher,
And they met and they tied in a true love's knot, For the rose rolled round the briar.
B
Heptatonic. Mode 4, a + b ( dorian )*.
Sung by Mrs. Louisa Hensley at Clay Co., Ky., 1910
1. La-dy Mar-gret was sit- ting in the new church door, A - comb-ing her yel-low
g
m
:±
1
¥
as
-N— ,
"*-*-
hair And down she threw her high - row comb, And out of the door she sprung.
2 O mother, O mother, I saw a sight Which I never shall see any more.
She dies, she never drew another breath, And she never lived any longer.
3 Willy rode on home that night And quickly fell asleep, Bothered and pestered all night In a dream he dreamed before.
'i.e. with tonic D. If C be tonic, Mode 1, a -f- b ( ionian).
64
Fair Margaret and Sweet William
4 Early, early he rose up, Dressed himself in blue ; Asked of his new wedded wife To ride one mile or two.
5 They rode on till they got to Lady Margret's gate, Tingled at the wire ;
There was none so ready to let them in But Lady Margret's mother dear.
6 Is she in her sewing-room ? Nor in her chamber asleep ? Or is she in her dining-room, A lady before them all ?
7 She is not in her sewing-room, Nor in her chamber asleep ; Although she's in her dying-room, A lady before them all.
8 Her father opened the coffin lid, Her brother unwrapped the sheet ;
He kneeled and kissed her cold clay lips And died all at her feet.
9 They buried Lady Margret in the new church yard, And Willy close by her side ;
And out of her heart sprang a red rose, And out of his a green briar.
to They grew and grew so very high, Uhtil they couldn't grow any higher ; They looped and tied in a true love knot The red rose and green briar.
Heptatonic. Mode i, a -f- b ( mixolydian ). ii (a) ^
Sung by Mrs. Mary Sands at Allanstand, N. C, July. 31, 1916
&=£$
=t
-&-T
. As she was sit- ting in her dow - er room, A - comb -ing back her hair, She
S7\
saw sweet William and his brown bro-den bride As they drew near to her. («) ^- _
55
Mzzt
65
Fair Margaret and Sweet William
2 Lady Marget she rose in the dead hour of night When they'se all a-lying at sleep,
Lady Marget she rose in the dead hour of night And stood at his bed feet.
3 Says, how do you like your bed ? she says, And how do you like your sheet ?
Or how do you like your brown broden bride That lays in your arms at sleep ?
4 Very well, very well do I like my bed, But better do I like my sheet,
But better do I like a lady gay Who stands at my bed feet.
5 Sweet William arose at the dead hour of night When they was all a-lying at sleep,
Sweet William arose at the dead hour of night And tingled on the ring.
There was none so ready as her seven brothers To rise and let him come in.
6 O where is Lady Marget, Lady Marget ? he cries, O where is Lady Marget ? says he ;
For she's a girl I always did adore And she stole my heart from me.
7 Is she in her dower room ? Or is she in the hall ?
Or is she in her bed chambry Along with the merry maids all ?
8 She is not in her dower room, Nor neither in the hall,
But she is in her cold, cold coffin With her pale face toward the wall.
9 And when he pulled the milk-white sheets That were made of satin so fine :
Ten thousand times you have kissed my lips And now, love, I'll kiss thine.
io Three times he kissed her snowy white breast, Three times he kissed her cheek, But when he kissed her cold clay lips His heart was broke within.
66
Fair Margaret and Sweet William
ii What will you have at Lady Marget's burying?
Will you have bread and wine ? Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock The same shall be had at mine.
12 They buried Lady Marget in our church-yard, And buried Sweet William by her ;
And out of Sweet William's breast sprung a blood-red rose, And out of Lady Marget's a briar.
13 They grew and grew to the top of the church, And they could grow no higher,
And they tied a true love's knot And lived and died together.
D
Hexatonic. Mode 3, b.
Sung by Mrs. Rosie Hensley at Carmen, N. C, Aug. 8, 1916
1 u u
£=£
&-^
x=x
i
1. Sweet Wil- Ham he rose one morn-ing in May, He dressed him-self in blue. And
N n
±=
m
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m
t~-
pray will you tell me that long, long love Be-tween La - dy Mar-gret and you.
2 I know nothing of Lady Margret, he says, Lady Margret knows nothing of me. To-morrow morning about eight o'clock Lady Margret my bride shall see.
3 Lady Margret was in her dowel room, Combing back her yellow hair.
She saw Sweet William and his new wedded wife As they drew near to her.
4 O down she threw her ivory comb, And back she threw her hair, And running to her bed-chamber To never no more appear.
5 The very same night they were all in the bed, They were all in the bed asleep,
Lady Margret she rose and stood all alone And sung at Sweet William's bed feet.
67
Fair Margaret and Sweet William
6 Saying : I low do you like your bed, Sweet William? Or how do you like your sheet ?
Or how do you like your new wedded wife That lies in your arms and sleeps ?
7 Very well, very well I like my bed. Very well I like my sheet,
But ten thousand times better do I like the lady gay That stands at my bed-feet
8 Sweet William he rose and stood all alone, He tingled at the ring.
There was none so ready as her dear old mother To rise and let him come in.
9 O where's Lady Margret? he says, O where's Lady Margret ? he cries. Lady Margret is a girl I always adored, She hath stole my heart away.
io Or is she in her dowel room? Or is she in her hall ? Or is she in her bed-chamber Among her merry maids all?
1 1 She's neither in her dowel room, Nor neither in her hall ;
Lady Margret she's in her cold coffin With her pale face all to the wall.
12 O down he pulled the milk-white sheets That was made of satin so fine.
Ten thousand times she has kissed my lips, So lovely I'll kiss thine.
13 Three times he kissed her cherry, cherry cheeks, Three times he kissed her chin,
And when he kissed her clay cold lips His heart it broke within.
14 Saying : What will you have at Lady Margret's burying ? Will you have some bread and wine ?
To-morrow morning about eight o'clock, The same may be had at mine.
15 They buried Lady Margret in the old church-yard, They buried Sweet William by her ;
Out of Lady Margret's grave sprung a deep-red rose, And out of William's a briar.
68
Fair Margaret and Sweet William
1 6 They grew to the top of the old church house, They could not grow any higher. And met and tied In ;t true love's knot, And the rose hung on the briar.
Hexatonic. Mode 3, b.
il
Sung by Miss Wonnie Shelton at Carmen, N. C, Aug. II, 1916
N
m
|
i. La |
- dy Mar |
gret was sit - ting in her dow |
• er |
room, A - |
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rv ■ |
1 |
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■**" |
-•- |
• -m- -#- |
comb - ins: back her hair
She
Sweet Wil - Ham and his
1
s
il
• 4 3
new wed - ded wife As they
drew near
to
her.
Pentatonic. Model.
4
m
SE=
Sung by Mrs. Orilla Keeton at Mount Fair, Va., Sept. 26, 19 16
-#— #■
O down she threw her i - vo - ry comb, And back she toss'd her
|
n^ 1 1 |
f\ |
1 |
fc |
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i\ N |
■ |
^ |
1 |
h |
^ |
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hair ; . And a - down she fell from that high, high win - dow And
§ti — N — h — fc ,"",,,,» 1 1 fr 1 N — h-
-* — ^
Jtzi
t=t
nev - er was more seen there,seen there, And nev - er was more seen there.
Heptatonic. Mode 1, a + b ( mixolydian ).
Sung by Mr. N. B. Chisholm at Woodridge, Va., Sept. 23, 1916
m
&
E
v ^
When the night was spent and the day com - ing in And the
69
fM
»
Fair Margaret and Sweet William
t=t
p
31
most of them all was a - wake, Sweet Wil - Ham a - rose with
J JN J 1 1
(0
]
trou - ble (a)
imai
his mind of the dream that had been last night.
ill
S
¥
I
70
No. 18
Lord Lovel
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
Sung by Mrs. Mary Sands at Allanstand, N. C, Aug. 3, 1916
RqF±=fs:
A — * — P
|
I. Lord Lov - el was at his gate oft - (a) |
side, A - cur - ry - ing his milk white |
|||
|
yifm'm m |
p P • |
.N i - |
mm l\ P |
|
|
A 1 1 1 |
J |
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Pn j |
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m |
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VjJ 1 1 1/ |
1 ^ — 1 |
» / |
L^ ^ ^_ J |
steed ; Miss Nan - cy Bell come ri - ding by, A - wish - ing Lord Lov - el good
A N-
m
-* — •-
d
V 1 — t/ b>-
2 L-y £ e-
I
speed, good speed, A - wish - ing Lord Lov - el good speed.
P
*=£
i
2 Where are you going, Lord Lovel ? she says, Where are you going ? says she.
I'm going to ride my milk-white steed Some foreign country to see.
3 How long will you be gone, Lord Lovel ? she says, How long will you be gone ? says she.
One year, or two, or two, or three, Then 'turn to my Lady Nancy.
4 He had not been gone but one year and one day, Strange thoughts rolled through his mind
About his Lady Nancy.
5 And so he mounted his milk-white steed And rode to London town,
And there he heard the death-bells ringing And the people a-mourning all round.
6 Who is dead ? Lord Lovel he said, Who is dead ? says he.
Miss Nancy Bell from London town That is called your Lady Nancy.
71
Lord Lovel
7 Go open her coffin, Lord Lovel he said, Pull down her shroud, says he,
And let me kiss her cold, cold lips — And the tears come trinkling down.
8 Go dig my grave, Lord Lovel he said, Go dig my grave, says he,
For I have no longer in this world to stay For the loss of my Lady Nancy.
72
No. 19
The Wife of Usher's Well
Pentatonic. Mode 2.
Sung by Mr. SOL. and Miss Vir<;inia S HELTON at Alleghany, N. C, July 29, 1916
:2=«L
fe£
1. She had - n't been mar
fe^EE*EE*
%==?-
ried but a ve - ry short
±4:
jtzJ=
a
f=F
time Un - til chil - dren
she had
three ; She sent them
m^t
-&—
tt-t,-
:— U«J-
2
a
-\ — i-
&-T
II
out to the north coun - tree To learn the gram - ma - ree.
2 They hadn't been there before a very short time, Scarcely six weeks and three days,
Till sickness came into that old town And swept her three babes away.
3 She dreamed a dream when the nights were long, When the nights were long and cold ;
She dreamed she saw her three little babes Come walking down to their home.
4 She spread them a table all on a white cloth, And on it she put bread and wines.
Come and eat, come and eat, my three little babes, Come and eat and drink those wines.
5 Take it off, take it off, mother dear, cried they, For we can no longer stay,
For yonder stands one, our Saviour dear, To take us in his arms.
6 She spread them a bed in the backside room, And on it she put three sheets,
And one of the three was a golden sheet, For the youngest one might sleep.
7 Take it off, take it off, mother dear, cried they, For we can no longer stay,
For yonder stands one, our Saviour dear, To take us in his arms.
73
The Wife of Usher's Well
8 Dear mother, it is the fruits of your own pride heart That has caused us to lie in the clay. Cold clods at our head, green grass at our feet, We are wrapped in our winding-sheets.
B
Pentatonic. Mode 2
Sung by Miss Linnie Landers at Carmen, N. C, Sept. 5, 1916
1 . They had - n't been there
but a ve - ry short time, Till
i£E3=
I* P
chil - dren
-JS k-
they had . three. They sent them a
t4
2=^=^
&=S
9 d *ji
3B=t
t=t
i
way to North Car-o - li
na, To
learn
their gram-ma - ree.
to,
rM J n (1 1 .. la , in J>*V. 1 ^ nil J* J .Pin r-i =w
2 They hadn't been there but a very short time, Scarcely six weeks and three days,
Till sickness came into that old town And swept her babes away.
3 She dreamed a dream when the nights were long, When the nights were long and cold.
She dreamed she saw her three little babes Come walking down to their home.
4 She spread them a table on a milk-white cloth And on it she put cake and wine.
Come and eat, come and eat, my three little babes, Come and eat and drink of mine.
5 No mother, no mother, don't want your cakes, Nor neither drink your wine,
For yonder stands our Saviour dear To take us in his arms.
74
The Wife of Usher's Well
6 She fixed them a bed all in the hack side room And on it she put three sheets,
And one of the three were a golden sheet, Under it that the youngest might sleep.
7 Take it off, take it off, dear mother, they said, For we haven't got long to stay,
For yonder stands our Saviour dear, Where we must surely be.
8 Dear mother, dear mother, it's the fruit of your poor pride heart That caused us to lie in the clay.
Cold clods at their heads, green grass at their feet, We are wrapped in our winding-sheet.
Pentatonic. Mode 4, b ( no 2nd).
Sung by Mr. T. Jeff. Stockton at Flag Pond, Tenn., Sept. 4, 1916
,— . 1-
3rJ
m
-&—
There was a
la
dy and gay was she And chil - de
f— f-rfejF^-=j==it V V 1 f d •-
&-
ip.-
iBe
ir— —A
%$
P=t
%
ren she had three. She sent them a - way to the west - ern coun
l|i
it
try
To
learn
all
gram - ma
ree.
They hadn't been gone but a very short time, Scarcely three weeks and a day, Till death came along through them dark woods And swept them all away.
There is a King in the Heavens all bright, He used to wear a crown. I hope he'll send me my three babes to-night Or in the morning soon.
The beds was fixed in the back wall room, Spread over with clean sheets, And on the top was a golden cloth That they might rest and sleep.
75
The Wife of Usher's Well
5 The table was set in the dining-room, Spread over with cakes and wine. Go sit down, my three little babes, And eat and drink of mine.
6 Take it off, take it off, dear mother, said they, Take it off, I say again,
For we'll not be here till the break of day ; My Saviour will call us away.
7 Rise up, rise up, said the oldest one, I think it's almost day.
See my Saviour standing by To welcome us three home.
Pentatonic. Mode 2.
Sung by Mrs. Dora Shelton at Allanstand, N. C, Aug. 15, 1916
t
I
^
Prct - ty Pol - ly had - n't been mar - ried but a ve - ry short r -fijjg hk N— tit— — tstt- w * hr
I
£
-fZ-
l£E3
^2^
time, When she had her three lit - tie babes; She sent them a -
I
&^
-<9—
s
m
4
2:
g s ^JFj — F5
■&T
way to the North coun - try To
learn . . their gram-ma - ree.
Hexatonic. Mode 2, a.
Sung by Mrs. Gentry at Hot Springs, N. C, Aug. 24, 1916
m
^
2
1. Come in, come in, my two lit - tie babes And eat and drink with
m
m
~
me ; We will nei • ther eat, sweet Mo - ther
dear, Nor
i
-&—
nei • ther drink of wine. For yon - der stands our Sa • viour dear, And
76
The Wife of Usher's Well
i
&-
^
-&—
to him we must join, And to him we must join.
Hexatonic. Mode 2, b.
Sung by Mrs. Zirro Rice at Rice Cove, Big Laurel, N. C, Aug. 15, 1916
H
PE*
There was
wo
man of
the North, She had but
k
* — rT
\—* 1 i^£:5
WzZ
5z± * » -q_^l^ jL • n.
on - ly three babes ; She sent them a - way to the priest of the
North
Pentatonic. Mode 2.
through.
Sung by Mrs. RosiE Hensley at Carmen, N. C, Aug. 11, 1916
i
9-, — 3 — • — *—
a
i
W2=i
m
Ml],
(«)
■*— »
4^-fg
a^=^
rrT-T— ^^g^ pHft-l — d-4— F~FI
^-<9-
i?
<«)
:i
9
Pentatonic. Mode 4, b (no 2nd).
H
Sung by Mrs. Susan Sawyer at Black Mountain, N. C, Sept. 19, 1916
33
-m
^
2:
[. There was a
dy lived in York Those chil - dren she had
N^pi
3^
2 aJ. I
2:
*=*^=$
three ; She sent them off to some north coun - try To learn their gram-ma - ree.
77
No. 20
Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
A
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
¥|
Sung by Mrs. Becky Griffin at Big Laurel, N. C. Aug. 17, 1916
I I
zMn — r
1 — r
A h
4=±
izzt
ir=t
1. One day, one day, one high hoi i - day, The ve • ry first day in the
P=*-
year, Lit - tie Matth - y Groves went to the church, The
1 i:
T5>-
Ho - ly Word to hear, hear. The Ho - ly Word to hear.
2 Lord Dannel's wife was standing by, She cast her eye on him.*
Go home with me, little Matthy Groves, A wedded wife to be.
3 Hark, hark, hark, hark, said little Matthy Groves, I cannot spare my life,
I know by the rings you wear on your fingers, You are Lord Dannel's wife.
4 It's if I am Lord Dannel's wife, It is nothing to you.
Lord Dannel's gone to Kentucky King Georgie for to view.
5 Rise, up, rise up, little Matthy Groves, And men's clothing put on.
It never shall be said in the old Scotland I slewed a naked man.
6 Hark, hark, hark, hark says little Matthy Groves I cannot spare my life,
It's you have swords by your side And I have ne'er a knife.
7 It's I've got swords by my side, They cost me from my purse, And you can have the very best And I will have the worst.
78
Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
8 The very first lick Lord Dannel struck, He wound little Matthy deep ;
And the very next lick Lord Dannel struck Little Matthy fell at his feet.
9 He took his lady by the right hand, He set her on his knee.
Tell to me which you love best, Little Matthy Groves or me.
10 Very well I like your red rosy cheeks, Very well I like your chin, But better I like little Matthy Groves Than Lord Dannel and all his kin.
B
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
Sung by Mrs. Jane Gentry at Hot Springs, N. C, Aug. 24, 1916
:2
3
5
&
The
first come down was a
ra - ven white, And the
1 fr
^S
*ffi
.2:
m
next come down was a pol - ly,
And the next come down was Lord
i
It
n
2:
— — • • 3 jr
wife And she was the fair - est of them
m
Thorn - as'
all,
-&-r
all, And
m
she was
the fair - est of them all.
^
3
&
II
2 Little Matthy Groves was a-standing by ; She placed her eyes on him,
Saying : You're the darling of my heart And the darling of my life.
3 It's you no home, no place to lie, Go home with me this night.
I think by the rings you wear on your fingers You are Lord Thomas's wife. 79
Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
4 True, I am Lord Thomas's wife Lord Thomas is not at home.
The little foot-page was a-standing by,
These words heareth he,
And he licked to his heels and run.
5 He run, he run to the broken-down bridge, He bent to his breast and swum ;
He swum, he swum to the other, other side, And he buckled up his shoes and he run.
6 He run, he run to Lord Thomas's gate And he dingled at the ring and it rung, And he dingled at the ring and it rung. What news, what news, my little foot-page ? What news you've brought to me ?
Little Matthy Groves is at your house In the bed with the gay lady.
7 If that be a lie you've brought to me And a lie I expect it to be,
If there is e'er a green tree in these whole worlds A hangman you shall be.
8 If that be the truth you've brought to me, And the truth I don't expect it to be, You may wed my youngest daughter And you may have all I've got.
9 Lord Thomas's wife raised up about half a doze asleep. Lay still, lay still, little Matthy Groves says,
Lay still I tell to thee,
For it's nothing, but your father's little shepherd boy
A-driving the wolves from the sheep.
io When little Matthy Groves did wake Lord Thomas was at his feet. Rise up, rise up, Lord Thomas he says, And put your clothing on, For it never shall be known in old England That I slew a naked man.
ii How can I rise up, he says, WThen I am afeard of my life ? For you have two good broad-edged swords And I have not so much as a knife.
80
Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
12 True, I have two good broad swords They cost me deep in the purse. But you may have the very best one And you may have the first lick.
13 The very first lick little Matthy Groves struck, He struck him across the head,
And the very next lick Lord Thomas he struck, And it killed little Matthy Groves dead.
14 He took his gay lady by the hand, And he led her up and down.
He says : How do you like my blankets And how do you like my sheets ?
15 Well enough your blankets And well enough your sheets,
But much better do I love little Matthy Groves Within my arms asleep.
16 He took his gay lady by the hand And he pulled her on his knee,
And the very best sword that he did have He split her head into twine (twain ).
Hexatonic. Mode 3. b
J
Sung by Mr. David Norton at Rocky Fork, Term., Aug. 31, 191 6
gin
j 1-
t=t
m
1 . The next come down was dressed in red, The next come down in
U ft : ^ _.
¥
v-
|
green, 0 44; tf W |
The next come |
down |
was |
a pret - ty lit - tie |
Miss, Dress'd |
||
|
r . |
/mr |
II |
|||||
|
/ |
fl J |
r r \ J |
«? |
■ |
! Is 1^ 1 1 |
- II |
|
|
(( |
\ * m |
! I 1 m |
* J J |
Of . * II |
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U ! 1 1 |
* * • |
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II |
fin - er than a • ny queen, queen, Dress'd fin - er than a • ny queen.
i
fetS:
I
81
Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
2 She stepped up to little Matthy Groves And says : Come and go with me.
I know by the rings that is on your hand You are Lord Dannel's wife, That you are Lord Dannel's wife.
3 It makes no difference by the rings on my hand, Nor whose wife I am.
My husband he's not at home, He's in some foreign land.
4 Little foot Dannel (page?) was standing by, And he heard every word they were saying. If I live till broad daylight
Lord Dannel shall know of this.
5 He had about fifteen miles to go And ten of them he run ;
He swum till he came to the river And he held his breath and swum.
6 He swum till he came to the grassy green grove, He sprang to his feet and he run ;
He run till he came to Lord Dannel's gate And he rang his bells and rung.
7 Is my castle burning down,
Or what is a-going to be done ? No, your wife's with another man And both of their hearts are one.
8 He gathered him up about fifty good men, And done it with a good will.
He put his bugle to his mouth And blowed it with a shrill.
9 How do you like my pillow, sir, How do you like my sheet,
And how do you like the pretty little girl
That lies in your arms asleep ? io Very well do I like your pillow, sir,
Very well do I like your sheet,
But very much better do I like the pretty little girl
That lies in my arms asleep. 1 1 Little Matthy Groves struck the very first lick,
Which made Lord Dannel sore.
Lord Dannel struck the very next lick
And killed little Matthy on the floor. 82
Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
12 He took his wife by the lily-white hand And he sat her upon his knee.
Said : Which one do you love best, Little Matthy Groves or me ?
13 He took his wife by the lily-white hand And he led her through the hall.
He jobbed the pistol in her breast And she fell with a special ball.
14 Go bury me on yonder church hill With Matthy in my arms asleep.
And bury Lord Dannel at my feet.
D
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
Sung by Mr. Hilliard Smith at Hindman, Ky., Aug. 10, 1909
5=5
£=p:
1. The first came in
were li - ly white, The next were pink and
e— — fe-
S
1
^
\j .J^^^T^JJ
blue, The next came in Lord Van-ner's wife, The flow - er of the view.
2 This young Magrove a-being there, Fair as the morning sun,
She looked at him and he looked at her, The like was never known.
3 She stepped up to him and says : Kind Sir, Won't you take a ride with me ?
4 I dare not to, I dare not to, I dare not to for my life ;
From the ring that you wear on your finger, You are Lord Vanner's wife.
5 Well, if I am Lord Vanner's wife, Lord Vanner is not at home,
Lord Vanner is to redemption gone, To King McHenry's throne.
6 This little foot-page a-being by, Hearing every word they said,
He swore Lord Vanner should have the news Before the rising sun. 83
Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
7 He run till he came to the river side, And he jumped in and swam,
He swam and he swam to the other side, And he rose and run.
8 He run till he came to McHenry's throne, He dingled so loud with the ring,
There's none so ready as Lord Vanner himself To arise and let him in.
9 What news, what news ? my little foot-page, What news have you brought to me ?
Has any of casten walls fell down, Or any of my men false be ?
io There's none of your casten walls fell down, Nor none of your men false be. This young Magrove is in fair Scotland In bed with your lady.
1 1 If this be lie you bring to me, As I believe it to be,
I'll build a gallow just for you, And hangen you shall be.
12 If this^be lie I bring to you As you believe it to be,
You needn't build any gallows for me, Just hang me on a tree.
13 Lord Vanner calling up his best men, By one, by two, by three,
Saying : Let's take a trip to fair Scotland, This happy couple for to see.
14 They rolled and they rolled all over the bed Till they fell fast asleep,
And when they woke Lord Vanner was there A-standing at their bed feet.
15 It's how do you like my blanket, sir? It's how do you like my sheet ? How do you like that fair lady, That lies in your arms asleep.
16 Very well I like your blanket, sir, Very well I like your sheet,
Ten thousand times better I like this fair lady Lies in my arms asleep.
84
Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
17 Get up, get up, put on your clothes, And fight me like a man ; Never should have been said in fair Scotland I killed a naked man.
Hexatonic. Mode 2, a.
Sung by Mr. Jeff Stockton at Flag Pond, Tenn., Sept. 4, 1916
\-2r=*
|
1. It's ho - li- , ho - li- te) n |
ho |
- li - day, |
The |
ve ■ |
ry first day in the |
|
|
y r? ' m |
m |
■ |
# |
|||
|
/T 1 * T |
ft |
mm 1 |
||||
|
~m — I- -v- |
— 1 1_ 1 1 ) |
1 h h •- • — |
||||
|
LJ^Z J/ |
1 1 |
V V |
#^
year.
ip)
3=z
Lit - tie Matt - hy
Groves he went to the church, The
fc3
II
:-
-■&-
s:
i
Ho - ly Word to hear, hear, The Ho - ly Word to hear. <*) n W
*—*-*-?=?:
a^-^i^3 f *
1
$jm
u
:^3
t=f
g — g
2 If I am Lord Thomas's wife, Lord Thomas is not at home. He's gone away to his false taverin His prentiss for to see.
Hexatonic. Mode 3, a.
Sung by Mrs. Carrie Ford at Black Mountain, N. C, Sept. 18, 1916
u
*=t
SB
i=i
|
2. Well, |
if 1 |
am |
Lord Dan - nel's wife, Lord Dan |
nel |
is not at |
|
1 y tfir |
1 |
||||
|
/f It r^ • I |
1 m m • mm |
I |
1 r |
||
|
1 r r r • f |
|||||
|
LSD. 1 J^ |
1 — # — |
— V V 1 y W — |
d • < |
u