Molly Vonder- Dellie Drain (AR) 1942 Randolph F
[Fragment from Ozark Folksongs I, 1946 by Vance Randolph. His notes follow,
R. Matteson 2016]
54. MOLLY VAUGHN
The "Molly Vaughn" ballad was first printed in 1806, under the title "Peggy Baun" (Jamieson, Popular Ballads, 1806, I, p. 194). There are numerous American variants. Campbell bell and Sharp (English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, 1917, No. 40) give a version from North Carolina and a fragment from Tennessee, while Pound (American Ballad's and Songs, 1922, p. 78) reprints the song as Wyman heard it in Kentucky. Kittredge (JAFL 30, 1917 p. 358) reports several texts from Massachusetts and Kentucky, and gives many British and American references. Recently reported versions include those of Chappell (Folk Songs from Roanoke and the Albemarle, 1939, p. 101), Eddy (Ballads and Songs from Ohio, 1939, p. 192 Gardner (Ballads and Songs of Southern Michigan,1939, pp. 66-67), Linscott (Folk Songs of Old New England, 1939, pp.274-276), Halpert (JAFL 52, 1939, pp. 56-58), Treat (JAFL 52, p. 32) and Morris (Southern Folklore Quarterly 8, 1944, p. 176). This ballad appears also in the Bromn (North Carolina Folk-Lore Society) collection.
F. "Molly Vonder" From Mrs. Dellie Drain, Rogers, Ark., Feb. 10, 1942. Mrs. Drain calls it "Molly Vonder."
Molly Vonder was a-walking
When a shower come on,
Jimmy Randall was hunting,
A-hunting for a swan,
He shot her and killed her,
Her name was Molly Von.
When Jimmy run to her
And seen what he had done,
With your apron pinned around you
I took you for a swan,
I shot you and killed you,
My love is Molly Von.
The day of Jimmy's trial
Her ghost did appear,
Stay at home, Jimmy,
And don't run away.
By the love of Molly Vonder
You shall never be hung.