1. Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight

1. Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight (Folk-Songs of the South- 1925; Footnotes moved to the end of each version.)


LADY ISABEL AND THE ELF KNIGHT (Child, No. 4)

This ballad is known in West Virginia as "Pretty Polly," "Six Kings' Daughters," "The King's Daughter," "The False Lover," and "The Salt-Water  Sea." Nine variants have been recovered.

For American variants see Child, m, 496 (Virginia; from Babcock, Folk-Lore  Journal, vn, 28) ; Journal, xvni, 132 (Barry; Massachusetts) ; xrx, 232 (Belden;  Missouri); xxn, 65 (Beatty; Wisconsin), 76 (Barry; New Jersey, tune only),
374 (Barry; Massachusetts; from Ireland; also readings from other texts);  xxhi, 374 (Mackenzie; Nova Scotia; cf. Quest of the Ballad, pp. 93, 174, 183);  xxrv, 2)33, 344 (Barry; Massachusetts and Illinois; from Irish sources); xxvn,  90 (Gardner; Michigan); xxviii, 148 (Perrow; North Carolina); xxxv, (Tolman and Eddy; Ohio); Wyman and Brockway, p. 82 (Kentucky); Campbell and Sharp, No. 2 (Massachusetts, North Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia);  Focus, rv, 161, 212 (Virginia); Child MSS., xxi, 4 (4, 6); Minish MS. (North  Carolina). In Charley Fox's MinstreVs Companion (Philadelphia, Turner &  Fisher), p. 52, may be found "Tell-Tale Polly. Comic Ballad. (As sung by  Charley Fox.) "

For references to American versions, see Journal, xxrx, 156, note, 157; xxx,  286. Add Shearin and Combs, p. 7; Bulletin, Nos. 6-10. For recent British  references see Journal, xxxv, 338; Campbell and Sharp, p. 323.

A. "Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mr. George Paugh, Thomas, Tucker  County, August 28, 1915; dictated by Mrs. S. R. Paugh.

1 He followed me up, he followed me down,
He followed me into my room ;
I hadn't the heart to speak one word,
Nor the tongue to say him nay, nay, nay,
Nor the tongue to say him nay.

2 "Go gather up your father's gold,
Likewise your mother's fee,
Two of your father's best horses,
That ride for thirty and three, three, three,
That ride for thirty and three."

3 She mounted on the pony [1] brown,
And him on the bible [2] bay;
They rode along the salt-water sea
This lonesome, long summer's day, day, day,
This lonesome long summer's day.

4 At last he said, "Get you down,
Get you down, my Pretty Polly; [3]
For here I have drowned six kings' daughters,
And you the seventh shall be, be, be,
And you the seventh shall be."

5 "Take off, take off those costly robes
And hang them on yonders tree,
For they are too fine and costly
To swim in the salt-water sea, sea, sea,
To swim in the salt-water sea."

6 "O turn your body round and about,
And your face to the leaves on the tree,
For a naked woman is the awfullest sight
For all sorts of men for to see, see, see,
For all sorts of men for to see."

7 He turned his body around and about,
His face to the leaves in the tree;
She picked him up so manfully
And dashed him to the bottom of the sea, sea, sea,
And dashed him to the bottom of the sea.

8 " O help, O help, my Pretty Polly!
O help!" said he;
"For if ever I again recover.
To you I'll faithful be, be, be,
To you I'll faithful be."

9 "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me !
Here you have drowned six kings' daughters,
But I the seventh won't be, be, be,
But I the seventh won't be."

10 She mounted upon the pony brown
And led the bible bay,
And arrived at home at her father's house
Just three hours before 't was day, day, day,
Just three hours before 't was day.

11. She placed back her father's gold,
Likewise her mother's fee,
And two of her father's best horses,
That ride to thirty and three, three, three,
That ride to thirty and three.

12 Up rose the pretty little parrot,
Which in its cage did stay,
Saying, "What are you doing, my Pretty Polly,
So long before it is day, day, day,
So long before it is day?"

13 "Get you down, get you down, my pretty parrot,
And tell no tales on me,
And your cage shall be made of the hard witten [4] gold,
And your door of ivory-ry-ry,
And your door of ivory."

14 Up rose this good old man,
Who in his chamber lay,
Saying, "What are you doing, my pretty parrot,
So long before it is day, day, day,
So long before it is day?"

15 "There were three cats at my cage door,
A- trying their vengeance on me;
I was just a-calling Pretty Polly,
To drive those cats away, 'way, 'way,
To drive those cats away." 

1. Probably for bonny.
2. Probably for dapple.
3. Variant line: " Get you down, get you down," said he.
4. Probably for beaten.

B. "Six Kings' Daughters." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fairmont, Marion County, July, 1915; obtained from Mr. G. W. Cunningham,  Elkins, Randolph County, who learned it shortly after the Civil War from  Laban White, Dry Fork. Printed by Cox, xliv, 269.

1 He followed me up, he followed me down,
And he followed me into the room;
I had not the power to speak one word,
Nor a tongue to answer nay.

2 "Go bring me some of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee,
And I will take you to Scotland,
And there I'll marry thee."

3 She brought him some of her father's gold
And some of her mother's fee;
She took him to her father's barnyard,
Where the horses stood thirty and three.

4 "Mount on, mount on that pretty, pretty brown,
And I on the dapple gray;
And we will ride through some long, lonesome woods,
Three long hours before it is day."

5 She mounted on the pretty, pretty brown,
And he on the dapple gray;
They rode on through some long, lonesome woods,
Till they came to the salt-water sea.

6 "Mount off, mount off your pretty, pretty brown,
And I off the dapple gray;
For six kings' daughters have I drowned here,
And you the seventh shall be."

7 "O hush your tongue, you rag- villain!
hush your tongue!" said she;
"You promised to take me to Scotland
And there to marry me."

8 "Haul off, haul those fine clothing,
Haul off, haul off," said he;
"For they are too costly and too fine,
To be rotted all in the sea."

9 "Well, turn your face toward the sea,
Your back likewise to me,
For it does not become a rag- villain
A naked woman for to see."

10 He turned his face toward the sea,
His back likewise to me;
I picked him up all in my arms
And plunged him into the sea.

11 "O help, come help, my little Aggie!
Come help, I crave of thee,
And all the vows I 've made unto you,
I will double them twice and three."

12 "Lie there, lie there, thou rag- villain,
Lie there instead of me;
For six kings' daughters have you drowned here,
And yourself the seventh shall be."

13 I mounted on the pretty brown
And led the dapple gray;
I rode home to my own father's barn,
Two long hours before it was day.

14 "O what is the matter, my little Aggie,
That you call so long before day?"
"I've been to drown the false-hearted man
That strove to drown poor me."

15 "O hold your tongue, my little parrot,
And tell no tales on me,
And your cage shall be made of the brightest bit of gold,
And your wings of pure ivory."

16 "O what is the matter, my little parrot,
That you call so long before day?"
"A cat came to my cage door,
And strove to weary off [1] me,
And I called upon my little Aggie
To come and drive it away."

1. For worry of: cf. Child, C, 17.

C. "Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mrs. Anna Copley, Shoals, Wayne  County, December 19, 1915; dictated by her cousin Mr. Burwell Luther, who  learned it from his mother about fifty years ago. Mrs. Luther's name was Julia  Stephenson. She learned it from her mother, whose maiden name was Peyton.  The Peytons were English and the Stephensons were Highland Scotch. The  Luthers and Stephensons have lived in Wayne County for over a century, the  latter having come from Georgia.

1 He followed me up and he followed me down,
He followed me all the day;
I had not the power to speak one word,
Or a tongue to answer nay.

2 "Go bring me some of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee,
And I will take you to fair Scotland,
And there I'll marry thee."

3 She brought him some of her father's gold
And some of her mother's fee;
She took him to her father's barn,
Where the horses stood thirty and three.

4 "Mount on, mount on that brownie, brownie bay,
And I on the dapple gray,
And we'll ride away through the lonesome woods
Three long hours before it is day."

5 She mounted on the brownie, brownie bay,
And he on the dapple gray,
And they rode away through the lonesome woods
Till they came to the deep blue sea.

6 "Dismount, dismount from your brownie, brownie bay,
And I off the dapple gray;
Six pretty fair maids I have drowned here
And the seventh one you shall be."

7 "O hold your tongue, you villain!" she said,
"O hold your tongue!" said she;
"You promised to take me to bonny Scotland
And there to marry me."

8 "Take off, take off those fine clothing,
Take off, take off," said he;
"For they are too costly and too fine
To be rotted in the sea."

9 "O turn your body round and about
To view the leaves on the tree;
'T is a pity such a villain as you
A naked woman should see."

10 He turned his body round and about
To view the leaves on the tree;
She clasped him tight in her arms so white
And plunged him into the sea.

11. "Lie there, lie there, you villain," she said,
"Lie there instead of me!
Six pretty fair maids you have drowned here,
And the seventh one has drowned thee."

12 She jumped upon her brownie, brownie bay
And led the dappled gray,
And she returned home to her father's house,
Two long hours before it was day.

13 "O where have you been, my pretty Collin,
So long before it is day?"
"I have been to drown that false-hearted man,
That strove to drown poor me."

14 "O hold your tongue, my pretty Polly,
Don't tell no tales on me,
And your cage shall be made of glittering gold,
Instead of the greenwood tree."

15 "The old cat came to my cage door,
Intending to weary [1] me,
And I had to call on pretty Collin,
To drive the old cat away."

16 "Well turned, well turned, my pretty little bird,
Well turned, well turned!" said she;
"And your nest shall be made of leaves of gold,
Instead of the green willow tree."

1. For worry.

D. "Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mrs. Elizabeth Tapp Peck, Morgantown, Monongalia County, March 31, 1916; obtained from her mother, Mrs.  Elizabeth Wade Mack, who learned it in her youth while living near Bethel Church.

1 He followed her up, he followed her down,
In the bedchamber where she lay,
And she had not the wings of a dove for to fly,
Nor the tongue for to say nay, nay.

2 Said he, "Take all your father's beaten gold,
And put on your mother's shoes,
And take two of the best horses in your father's stable,
Wherein lie thirty and three."

3 She mounted on the bonny brown,
And he on the dapple gray,
And they rode till they came to the green river's side,
Three long hours before it was day.

4 "Take off, take off that silken gown
And hand it unto me,
For it is too rich and costly
To rotten in the salt, salt sea."

5. . . .
. . . .
"For six king's daughters have I drowned here,
And the seventh one you shall be."

6 Then she mounted on the bonny brown
And led the dapple gray,
And she rode till she came to her own father's door,
One long hour before it was day.

7 Then up spoke the pretty parrot
From the cage wherein she lay,
Saying, "What is the matter with my pretty Polly,
That she's traveling so long before day?"

8 "Lie still, lie still, my pretty parrot,
And tell no tales on me,
And your cage shall be lined with my father's beaten gold,
And be hung in the green willow tree."

9 Then up spoke the old man himself
From the bedchamber where he lay,
Saying, "What is the matter with my pretty parrot,
That she's chattering so long before day?"

10 "The old cat came to my cage door
And said she would murder me,
And I had to call to the Pretty Polly
To drive the old cat away."

E. " Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mr. Rex Hoke. Second Creek, Monroe  County, November 8, 1915; obtained from Mrs. L. F. Hoke, who learned it  about forty years ago from Mr. Wise W. Lively. Printed by Cox, XLV, 240.

1 He followed her up and he followed her down,
And he followed her into the room;
He never give her time for her to turn herself around,
Nor time for to say nay. nay, nay,
Nor time for to say nay.

2 "Go take a part of your father's gold
And a part of your mother's fee;
Go take two of your father's best horses,
In where there's thirty and three, three, three,
In where there's thirty and three."

3 She took a part of her father's gold
And a part of her mother's fee;
She took two of her father's best horses,
In where there's thirty and three, three, three,
In where there's thirty and three.

4 She mounted herself on the barney [1] bright,

And he on the iron gray;
They rode till they came to the salt-water sea,
At the end of the long summer day, day, day,
At the end of the long summer day.

5 "Mount off, mount off, my Pretty Polly,

Mount off, mount off, I tell thee;
I 've drowned six of the king's daughters here,
you the seventh shall be, be, be,
you the seventh shall be.

6 "Take off, take off that silk so fine

And lay it down to me,
For it was never intended silk so fine
To rot in the salt-water sea, sea, sea,
To rot in the salt-water sea."

7 "You turn your eyes all around and about
And onto the leaves of the tree;
For you are not a fitten man
An undressed woman for to see, see, see,
An undressed woman for to see."

8 He turned his eyes around and about
And onto the leaves of the tree;
She caught him around the waist so slim,
And she tripped him in the salt-water sea, sea, sea,
And she tripped him in the salt-water sea.

9 "Come help, come help, my Pretty Polly,
Come help, come help, I beg thee!
And I will take you to old Scotland,
And there I will marry thee, thee, thee."

10 "Lie there, lie there, my false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me!
You drowned six of the king's daughters there,
O you the seventh shall be, be, be,
O you the seventh shall be."

11 She mounted herself on the barney bright
And led the iron gray;
She rode till she came to her father's hall,
Two long hours before it was day, day, day,
Two long hours before it was day.

12 Up spoke, up spoke her little parrot bird:
"Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly," said she,
"Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, what are you doing
So long before it is day, day, day,
So long before it is day?"

13 "Lie still, lie still, my pretty parrot bird,
And keep this secret on me !
I '11 build you a cage and I 'll line it with gold,
And I '11 hang it on a sweet willow tree, tree, tree,
And I'll hang it on a sweet willow tree."

1. Probably for bonny black: cf. I, 1.

F. "The King's Daughter," or, "The False Lover." Communicated by Miss Mildred Joy Barker, Morgantown, Monongalia County, October 2, 1916; obtained from her mother, whose family came to Monongalia County before the  Revolution. Its members have known the ballad for many years.

1 "O come with me, my fair, fair lad,
And we'll sail over the sea;
We'll sail to bonny Scotland,
And there you will marry me, me, me,
And there you will marry me.

2 "If you will steal your father's gold,
Likewise your mother's fee,
I'll take you over to old Scotland,
And there I'll marry thee, thee, thee,
And there I'll marry thee."

3 "O, I have stole my father's gold,
Likewise my mother's fee,
And two of the best horses in my father's stable,
Wherein stand thirty and three, three, three,
Wherein stand thirty and three."

4 She mounted on the milk-white steed,
And he upon the bay;
And they rode till they came to the salt, salt sea,
Three long hours before it was day, day, day,
Three long hours before it was day.

5 "Light off, light off, my pretty fair maid,
Light off, light off! " said he;
"For six king's daughters have I drowned here,
And you the seventh shall be, be, be,
And you the seventh shall be."

6 " O, turn yourself three times around,
And look to yonder tree."
. . .

7 . . . .
She gathered him up in her lily-white arms,
And cast him into the sea, sea, sea,
And cast him into the sea.

8 "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted knight,
Lie there, lie there instead of me !
For you promised to take me to old Scotland,
And there you 'd marry me, me. me,
And there you'd marry me."

9 She mounted on her milk-white steed
And home she led the bay;
She rode till she came to her own father's stable,
One long hour before it was day, day, day.
One long hour before it was day.

10 The king cried out from his silken couch,
In the bower where he lay,
"O what has disturbed my pretty parrot
So long before it is day, day, day,
So long before it is day?"

11. "Hush up, hush up, my pretty parrot,
And tell no lies on me,
And your cage shall be made of yellow beaten gold,
And hung on yon willow tree, tree, tree,
And hung on yon willow tree."

G. "The Salt-Water Sea." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fairmont, Marion County, December, 1916; obtained from Mr. George Gregg, Durbin, Pocahontas County. He got it from his mother, who learned it when a child.

12 She rode upon her bonny, bonny brown,
And he on the dapple gray;
They rode till they came to the salt-water sea.

13 "It is here, it is here," said he,
"It is here I have drowned six kings' daughters,
And the seventh one you shall be, be, be,
And the seventh one you shall be.

14 "Pull off that costly robe of yours,
And hang it on yonder tree,
For such a costly robe," said he,
"Cannot be rot in the salt-water sea, sea, sea,
Cannot be rot in the salt-water sea."

15 "Turn, turn your back to the salt-water sea,
For to gaze on yonder throne;
For such a villain as you never can see,
A handsome lady for to see, see, see."

16 He turned his back to the salt-water sea,
For to gaze on yonder throne;
She picked him up in her arms so strong,
And she threw him into the sea, sea, sea.

17 "Some help, some help, my pretty Polly,
Some help, some help!" said he,
"And if I get on shore again,
I sure will marry thee."

18 "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted lover,
Lie there, lie there!" said she;
"For it is here you have drowned six kings' daughters,
And the seventh one you shall be, be, be,
And the seventh one you shall be."

19 She mounted upon her bonny, bonny brown,
And she led the dapple gray;
She rode all along the most lonesome road,
Three hours before it was day, day, day.

20 She rode till she came to her father's house,
Which was in sight of town,
And down she jumped and in she slipped
And shut the gates all round, round, round,
And shut the gates all round.

H. "Pretty Polly." Communicated by Miss Lucile V. Hays, Glenville, Gilmer  County, November, 19 16; obtained from her mother, who could recall it in part  only.

(The lover comes and the elopement is planned.)

(They go to the stable where there are thirty-and-three horses and
take two.)

1 She mounted on the bonnie, bonnie brown,
And he on the dappled gray,
And away they rode from her father's house,
Before the break of day.

(They rode until they came to the sea.)

2 "Take off, take off those diamonds fair

And give them unto me,
For is n't it a shame such jewels as those,
Should lie with you in the sea?"

3 "Take off, take off that pretty silk dress

And hang it upon yon tree,
For is n't it a shame such . . .
Should lie with you in the sea?"

4 "Turn your face to the tree of the wood
And your back to the bank of the sea,
For it does not become any young man
A naked woman's body for to see."

5 He turned his face to the tree of the wood
And his back to the bank of the sea,
And manfully she took him in her arms
And tripped him into the sea,

6 Saying, "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me!
For you promised to take me to St. Mary's,
And there you would marry me."

7 Then she mounted on the bonnie, bonnie brown

And led the dappled gray,
And away she rode to her father's house,
Before the break of day.

8 "Hold your tongue, my pretty parrot bird,

Don't tell any tales on me,
And your cage shall be made of yellow beaten gold,
And the doors of ivory."

I. "Six Kings' Daughters." Communicated by Miss Mabel Richards, Fairmont, Marion County, October, 1915; obtained from Mrs. P. J. Long, who  learned it from Mrs. Katherine Zinn, Monongalia County.

1 He helped her on the bonny, bonny black
And himself on the dappled gray,
And away they went through the green fields and trees,
Till they came to the brink of the sea, O sea,
Till they came to the brink of the sea.

2 " Light off, light off, you fair lady,

Pull off this shining gown,
For 't is too fine and costly

To rot in the waves of the sea, O sea."

3 " You've drowned six king's daughters here,

Yourself the seventh shall be ;
You 've drowned six king's daughters here,
And your body shall lie in the sea, O sea,
And your body shall lie in the sea."

4 She turned herself around and about

To gaze on the leaves of the tree;
She picked him up as many x as she could
And plunged him into the sea, O sea,
And plunged him into the sea.

5 "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted knight;

This ain't what you promised me:
You promised me to fair Scotland we 'd go,
And married we would be, O be,
And married we would be."

6 She helped herself on the bonny, bonny black

And led the dappled gray,
And away she went from the green fields and trees,
And she rode three hours before day, O day,
And she rode three hours before day.

1. For manly or manfully: Cf. H, 5, A, 7.