10. Lord Thomas and Fair Annet (Folk-Songs of the South- 1925; Footnotes moved to the end of each version.)
10. LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET (Child, No. 73)
Eleven variants have been recovered under the following titles: "The Brown Girl," "Fair Ellender and the Brown Girl" "Fair Ellender," "Fair Ellenger," "Lord Thomas," "Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor," and "Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender" (cf. Cox, xlv, 120). All of these variants belong to the same version, and nine of them tell a complete story. D and H begin with a description of Lord Thomas. In the other variants the story begins by the hero's asking his mother to solve the riddle as to whether he shall marry Fair Eleanor or bring the brown girl home. Since the brown girl has house and lot (land) and Fair Eleanor has none, she advises him to marry the brown girl. Thereupon he dresses himself up in state, takes his merry men with him, rides to Fair Eleanor's hall, and invites her to his wedding on the morrow. She says that is very bad news to her for she expected to be his bride. Later she asks her mother to solve the riddle as to whether she shall go to Lord Thomas's wedding or stay at
home. Her mother advises her to stay at home since she will have few friends at the wedding and many enemies, but she is determined to go. Thereupon she arrays herself in her finery, takes her merry maids with her, and rides to Lord Thomas's hall. In answer to her knocking, Lord Thomas himself lets her in, leads her into the hall, and chooses for her the highest seat. Fair Eleanor twits him with having married such a brown wife, whereupon the brown girl stabs her with a penknife between the short ribs and the long. Lord Thomas asks why she looks so pale and she suggests that he must be blind not to observe her
heart's blood trickling down to her knee. With a little hand-sword Lord Thomas cuts off the head of the brown girl, kicks it against the wall, and then slays himself with the same sword. Before he dies, he requests that Fair Eleanor be buried in his arms and the brown girl at his feet.
The West Virginia variants are closely related to group D of Child, as is shown by many striking incidents in common, such as the meeting and quick parting of the lovers; Lord Henry loves the little finger of Fair Eleanor better than he does the whole body of the brown girl; Lord Thomas dressed in green and taken for a king; Lord Thomas dressed in black (the rhyme requires the word white) and taken for a knight ; Fair Eleanor taken for a queen ; Fair Eleanor seated in the noblest chair, or chair of gold, or given the highest seat ; the well in the yard of Fair Ellen's father.
For American texts see Child, in, 509 (Virginia; from Babcock, Folk-Lore Journal, vn, 33) Journal, XVIII 128 Barry: Vermont, Massachusetts by way of New Jersey) XIX 235, Belden; Missouri, Arkansas); xx, 254 (Pettit; Kentucky); xxvii, 71 (Barry; tune only); XXVIII 152 (Perrow; North Carolina); xxix, 159 (Tolman; Pennsylvania by way of Kansas; texts reported from
Virginia and Indiana); McGill, p. 26 (Kentucky); Focus, 111, 204, and iv, 162 (Virginia); Shoemaker, p. 138 (Pennsylvania); Campbell and Sharp, No. 16 (North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Massachusetts); Pound, No. 12 (Maryland by way of Nebraska); Mackenzie, p. 97 (Nova Scotia); Means, Outlook, September 9, 1899, lxiii, 120; Berea Quarterly, April, 1905, ix, No. 3, p. 10; October, 1910, xrv, No. 3, p. 27; October, 1915, xvin, No. 4, p. 14; Child MSS., xxih, article 73; Wyman MS., No. 9 (Kentucky); Minish MS. (North Carolina); The Forget-Me-Not Songster (New York, Nails & Cornish), p. 236. See also Belden, No. 4; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Pound, p. n; F. C. Brown, p. 9; Bulletin, Nos. 2, 3, 5-10; Campbell, The Survey, New York, January 2, 1915, xxxin, 374; Reed Smith, Journal, xxvn, 62; xxvm, 200.
A. "The Brown Girl." Communicated by Mrs. W. M. Parker, Keyser, Mineral County, July 17, 191 6; obtained from Mrs. Bertha Urice, who got it from her father, Joseph Rogers, who learned it from Zimri Rush more than fifty years ago. Printed by Cox, xlv, 186.
1 "Come riddle, come riddle to me, dear mother,
Come riddle to me this one:
Whether I shall marry Fair Eleanor,
Or bring the brown girl home."
2 "The brown girl she has house and lot,
Fair Eleanor she has none;
Therefore I bid you, 'out ado,
To bring me the brown girl home."
3 He dressed himself in his silk so fine,
And his married men in green;
And every town that he passed through,
He was taken to be some king.
4 He rode up to Fair Eleanor's hall,
And he knuckled at the ring;
There was none so ready as Fair Eleanor herself
To arise and let him in.
5 "O what's the matter, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"O what's the news for me?"
"I came to bid you to my wedding to-morrow."
"That's very bad news to me."
6 "Come riddle, come riddle to me, dear mother,
Come riddle to me this one:
Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas's wedding,
Or shall I stay at home? "
7 "There are hundreds there that will be your friends,
And thousands that are your foes."
"Therefore to Lord Thomas's wedding
At the risk of my life I'll go."
8 She dressed herself in her silk so fine,
And her married maids in green;
And every town that she passed through,
She was taken to be some queen.
9 She rode up to Lord Thomas's hall
And knuckled at the ring;
There was none so ready as Lord Thomas
To arise and let her in.
10 He took her by her lily-white hand,
And he led her through the hall;
And out of four and twenty gay ladies
She was the fairest of them all.
11 "Is this your wife, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"I think she's tremendous brown;
When you could have had as fair a lady
As ever the sun shone on."
12 The brown girl had a little penknife,
The blades were keen and sharp;
Between the long ribs and the short
She pierced Fair Eleanor's heart.
13 "O what's the matter, Fair Eleanor?" he said,
"What makes you look so pale?
You used to have such red rose cheeks,
But now you have turned quite pale."
14 "O are you blind, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"Or cannot you well see?
Don't you see my very heart's blood
A- trickling down my knee? "
15 Lord Thomas had a little hand-sword,
As he passed through the hall,
And as he cut off the brown girl's head,
He cast it against the wall.
16 "Go dig my grave in yonder churchyard,
Go dig it wide and deep,
And bury Fair Eleanor in my arms,
And the brown girl at my feet."
17 He placed the sword hilt in the ground,
And the point ran at his heart,
Crying, " There were never three lovers met,
As quick as we did part."
B. "Fair Ellender and the Brown Girl." Communicated by Miss Mabel Myers, Summersville, Nicholas County, August 2, 191 6; obtained from Miss Pearl Bronley, White's Creek, Wayne County, who received it from her uncle, William Bronley, Huntington, Cabell County.
1 "O mother, O mother, come riddle us all,
Come riddle us all in one :
And say shall I marry Fair Ellender,
Or bring the brown girl home."
2 "The brown girl has a house and lot,
Fair Ellender has none;
I think it would be the wisest choice
To bring the brown girl home."
3 He called together his merry men all
And dressed himself in black;
And every town that he rode through,
They took him to be some knight.
4 He rode till he came to Fair Ellender's house,
He knocked so loud on the door;
And none was so ready as Fair Ellender herself
To rise and let him in.
5 "What news, what news, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"What news have you brought unto me?"
"I have come to invite you to my wedding,
And that is sad news to thee."
6 "Sad news, sad news, Lord Thomas," she said,
"Sad news have you brought unto me;
For I was expecting to be the bride,
And you the bridegroom to be."
7 "O mother, O mother, come riddle us all,
Come riddle us all as one:
And say shall I go to Lord Thomas's wedding,
Or whether I tarry at home."
8 "O tarry at home, my daughter," cried she,
"Yes tarry at home with me."
"I'll go to Lord Thomas's wedding," said she,
"If death waits me at the door."
9 She called together her merry maids all
And dressed herself in green;
And every town that she rode through,
They took her to be some queen.
10 She rode till she came to Lord Thomas's home,
She knocked so loud on the door;
And none was so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To arise and let her in.
11 He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her across the hall;
And chose for her the highest seat
Among the merry maids all.
12 "Is that your bride, Lord Thomas?" she cried,
"I think she is mighty brown;
When you could have married the fairest girl
That e'er the sun shone on."
13 The brown girl having a pocket knife,
It being both long and sharp,
Between the long rib and the short
She pierced Fair Ellender's heart.
14 Lord Thomas having a sword by his side,
It being both keen and tall,
He cut the brown girl's head off
And kicked it against the wall.
15 He placed the handle against the wall,
The point against his heart:
Sing, "Ever when was it three lovers did meet, [1]
And ever so soon did part?"
1 Line should read, Saying, "Ever when" etc.
C. "Fair Elendar and the Brown Girl." Contributed by Miss Snoah McCourt, OrndofT, Webster County, May 16, 1916; learned from her mother.
1 "Come riddle, come riddle us both, dear mother,
Come riddle us both as one:
Shall I marry Fair Elendar,
Or bringeth the brown girl home?"
2 "The brown girl she has house and land,
Fair Elendar she has none;
I charge you once with my blessing,
Go bringeth the brown girl home."
3 He rode up to Fair Elendar's bower,
So clearly he knocked at the ring;
There's none so ready as Fair Elendar
To rise and let him in.
4 "What news, what news, Lord Thomas? " she said,
"What news have you brought unto me?"
"I've come to invite you to my wedding,
So sorrowful news unto me."
5. . . . . .
"So sorrowful news unto me,
For I was in hopes to have been the bride,
And you the bridegroom to be."
6 "Come riddle, come riddle us both, dear mother,
Come riddle us both as one:
Shall I attend Lord Thomas's wedding,
Or tarry with thee at home? "
7 "O some may be your friends, dear daughter,
Whilst thousands may be your foes;
I charge you once with my blessing
To tarry with me at home."
8 "O some may be our friends, dear mother,
Whilst others may be our foes;
If it be the cause of my death,
To Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go."
9 She dressed herself in silks so fine,
All trimmed off in green;
And every bower that she passed through,
They took her to be a queen.
10 She rode up to Lord Thomas's bower,
So clearly she knocked at the ring;
There was none so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To arise and let her in.
11 He took her little white hand
And led her through the hall;
He led her through the brown girl's chamber
And sat her above them all.
12 "Is this your wife, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"I'm sure she's very brown;
When once you could have married as fair a lady,
As ever the sun shone on."
13 "Despise her not," Lord Thomas said,
"Despise her not unto me;
For I do love your little finger,
More than her whole body."
14 The brown girl had a knife in her hand,
The point being keen and sharp;
Between the long rib and the short
She pierced Fair Elendar's heart.
15 "O are you sick?" Lord Thomas said,
"What makes you look so pale?
When once you had as cherry-red cheeks,
As ever my eyes beheld?"
16 "O are you blind, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"Or can you very well see;
Or can you see my own heart's blood
Come trickling down to my feet? "
17 Lord Thomas had a sword in his hand,
He walked up through the hall,
And cut the brown girl's head off
And dashed it against the wall.
18 Lord Thomas had a knife in his hand,
The point being keen and sharp;
Between the long rib and the short
He pierced it through his heart,
Saying, " Here's three lovers so merry did meet,
So sorrowful they must part!
19 "Go bury Fair Elendar at my right side,
The brown girl at my feet;
Go place a new Bible under my head:
So solemnly we may sleep!"
D. "Fair Ellender." Communicated by Mr. I. B. Boggs, Wallback, Roane County, February, 191 7; obtained from his wife, who learned it when a little girl from her associates.
1 Lord Thomas he was a gay gentleman,
He was lord of many a town;
He fell in love with pretty Fair Ellen,
The fairest of all around.
2 "Come father, come mother, come tell me now,
I'll ask you both at one:
Whether I must marry pretty Fair Ellen,
Or bring the brown girl home."
3 "The brown girl she has house and lands,
Fair Ellen she has none;
So I'll advise you as a great blessing
To bring the brown girl home."
4 He rode up to Fair Ellender's gate,
So loudly he tingled and called;
Who more ready to bid him walk in
Than pretty Fair Ellen herself!
5 "What's your news, Lord Thomas? " she said,
"The news you bring to me?"
"I've come to ask you to my wedding."
"It's very sad news to me."
6 "Lord Thomas, it's very sad news," she said,
"And it's very sad news to me;
For I intended your bride to be,
And you bridegroom to me."
7 "Come father, come mother, come tell me now,
I'll ask you both as one:
Whether I must go to Lord Thomas's wedding,
Or tarry with thee at home."
8 "There may be many and many your friends,
While there may be many your foes;
And I'll advise you as a grand blessing
To tarry with me at home."
9 "Little do I care for friends who'll be there,
Still less do I care for foes;
For I must go to Lord Thomas's wedding,
To Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go."
10 She dressed herself in scarlet red,
All trimmed in an immense of green;
And every city that she rode through,
She was taken to be some queen.
11 She rode up to Lord Thomas's gate,
So loudly she tingled and called;
Who more ready to bid her walk in
Than Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas of all!
12 He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her through the hall,
And sat her down at the head of the table
Among the ladies all.
13 "Throw none of your slurs, Fair Ellen," he said,
"Throw none of your slurs at me;
For I love the end of your little finger,
More than her whole body."
14 The brown girl she had a little penknife,
Both blades were keen and sharp;
And between the long rib and the short one
She pierced Fair Ellen's heart.
15 "O what's the matter, Fair Ellen?" he said,
"I think you are wonderful pale;
For once you were as fair a young color
As any one in the dale."
16 "O what's the matter, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"Why can't you plainly see?
I can feel my own heart's blood
Go trickling down my knee."
17 He took the brown girl by the hand,
He led her through the hall,
And with a sword cut off her head,
And threw it against the wall.
18 He put the sword against the wall,
The blade against his breast,
Saying, "Here goes the life of three young lovers;
God send their souls to rest!"
E. "Loyd Thomas." Contributed by Mrs. E. A. Hunt, Belington, Barbour County, February 21, 1916; learned when a child from her mother, Mrs. C. E. Bennett.
1 "O mother, O mother, come riddle us two,
Come riddle us two in one:
Must I go marry Fair Ellen, my dear,
Or bring the brown girl home?"
2 "The brown girl she has house and money,
Fair Ellen she has none;
Be tired of your life, beware of your death;
Go bring the brown girl home."
3 He dressed himself in a suit of red,
His fair men all in green;
And every town that he passed through,
They took him to be a king.
4 He rode up to Fair Ellen's door,
All jingling in the rings,
And none was so willing to let him in
As Fair Ellen, his own dear.
5 "Sad news, sad news to you I bring,
Sad news to you I declare:
I come to invite you to my wedding,
Sad news, sad news I declare."
6 "I God forbid that ever such news,
That ever such news I should hear;
For I the bride had took it to be,
And you the groom would be."
7 "O mother, dear mother, come riddle us two,
Come riddle us two in one:
Must I stay here and tarry all night,
Or to Loyd Thomas' wedding go?"
8 "Be tired of your life, beware of your death:
To Lord Thomas' wedding don't go."
"I'll be tired of my life, beware of my death:
To Loyd Thomas' wedding I'll go."
9 She dressed herself in a suit of red,
Her fair maids all in green;
And every town that they passed through,
They took her to be a queen.
10 They rode up to the brown girl's door,
All jingling in the rings;
And none was so willing to let her in
As Loyd Thomas, her own dear.
11 He took her by the lily- white hand,
He led her through the hall;
He placed her at the head of the table
Among the merry maids all.
12 The brown girl spoke up and said,
Spoke up as if for spite,
Saying, "Where did you get the water, my pretty fair lady,
That washes your hands so white? "
13 "In father's garden there is a well,
Which flows both wide and deep;
And you may search there till you go blind,
That well you never could find."
14 The brown girl she had a penknife
That was both keen and sharp;
She pierced it through the long ribs short,
She pierced fair Ellen's heart.
15 "O what is the matter, Fair Ellen, my dear?
What makes you look so pale?
You used to be as fair a lady
That ever the sun shone on."
16 "O don't you see, Loyd Thomas," said she,
"What is the matter with me?
My own heart's blood came trinkling down,
Came trinkling down, you see."
17 Loyd Thomas he had a sword in his hand
Which was both keen and sharp;
He cut off the head of his own brown girl
And kicked it against the wall.
18 He bent his sword all to the floor,
He pierced it through his heart;
Well met, well met, three lovers well met,
But sadly they did part.
19 "Go dig my grave both wide and deep,
Through thunders may I sleep;
Go bury Fair Ellen at my side,
The brown girl at my feet."
F. "Lord Thomas." Communicated by Mr. J. Harrison Miller, Wardensville, Hardy County, June 24, 1916; obtained from his mother, who learned it from her mother, Mrs. Lucinda Ellis, who learned it from her grandmother, Mrs. Strawnsnider. Mr. Miller thinks the ballad has been known in the family for about two hundred years.
1 "O mother, O mother, come tell unto me,
And tell the story true:
Whether I shall bring Fair Ellen dear home,
Or bring the brown girl home, home, home,
Or bring the brown girl home."
2. . . . . .
. . . . .
"I charge you with all my heart, my dear,
To bring the brown girl home, home, home,
To bring the brown girl home.
3. "The brown girl she has houses and land,
Fair Ellen dear has none;
I '11 charge you with all my heart, my dear,
To bring the brown girl home, home, home,
To bring the brown girl home."
4 Lord Thomas he mounted his milk-white steed
And went to invite Fair Ellen dear home,
Home on his wedding day, day, day,
Home on his wedding day.
5 He rode till he came to Fair Ellen's hall,
And then he rang the bell;
There were none so ready to let him in
As Fair Ellen dear was, was, was,
As Fair Ellen dear was.
6 "O what is the matter, my dear?"
"I've come to invite you home this day,
Home on my wedding day, day, day,
Home on my wedding day."
7 "O mother, O mother, come tell unto me,
And tell me the story true:
Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas's wedding,
Or stay at home with you, you, you,
Or stay at home with you."
8. . . . .
. . . . .
"I'll charge you with all my heart, my dear,
To Lord Thomas's wedding don't go, don't go,
To Lord Thomas's wedding don't go."
9 She dressed herself in scarlet red,
Her maidens all in green;
And every city that she passed through,
They took her to be some queen, queen, queen,
They took her to be some queen.
10 She rode till she came to Lord Thomas's hall,
And then she rang the bell,
There was none so ready to let her in
As Lord Thomas dear was, was, was,
As Lord Thomas dear was.
11 He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her through the hall.
And set her down at the head of the table
Among his nobles all, all, all,
Among his nobles all.
12 "Is this your bride, Lord Thomas?" she replied,
"I am sure she is wondrous brown;
You could once have married as fair a young lady
As ever the sun shone on, on, on,
As ever the sun shone on."
13 "O don't despise her for me,
For I think more of your little finger
Than I do of her whole bodie-ie-ie,
Than I do of her whole bodie."
14 The brown girl had a little penknife in her pocket,
It was both keen and sharp;
Between the short ribs and the lungs
She wounded Fair Ellen's dear heart, heart, heart,
She wounded Fair Ellen's dear heart.
15 "O what is the matter, my dear?"
"O don't you see my very heart's blood
Come trickling over my knee, knee, knee,
Come trickling over my knee? "
16 Lord Thomas he drew his two-edged sword
And cut off the brown girl's head,
And kicked it against the wall, wall, wall,
And kicked it against the wall,
17 Saying, "0 bury Fair Ellen at my side,
And the brown girl at my feet, feet, feet,
And the brown girl at my feet."
G. "Fair Ellenger." Communicated by Mrs. Hilary G. Richardson, Clarksburg, Harrison County, 191 7; obtained from Mrs. Nancy McDonald McAtee (cf. Journal, xxxn, 499, 504).
1 "O mother, dear mother, come tell to me,
Come tell to me in one:
Whether I shall marry Fair Ellenger,
Or the brown girl go bring home."
2 "The brown girl she has house and land,
Fair Ellenger she has none;
And before I charge you with my bless-on
The brown girl go bring home."
3 He put his foot in his right stir-rup,
So merrily rode away;
He rode till he come to Fair Ellenger's hall,
And tingered low down at the ring.
4 There was none so ready as Fair Ellenger
To git up and let him in.
"What news have you brought to me,
Lord Thomas?" she said.
5 "I've come to ask you to my wedding;
May the Lord have mercy on me."
6 "Now mother, now mother," she says to me,
"Come tell to me in one:
Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas' wedding,
Or shall I tarry at home?"
7 "Perhaps a great many of your friends will be there,
And perhaps a great many of your foes;
Before I charge you with my bless-on,
To Lord Thomas' wedding don't go."
8 She turned herself around about
And gazed up agin the wall :
"Now mother," she says,
"To Lord Thomas' wedding I'll go."
9 Lord Thomas dressed himself in white,
Fair Ellenger dressed in green,
And every town that they rid through,
They took her to be some queen.
10 They rid till they came to the brown girl's hall,
He took Fair Ellenger by the hand,
And led her through where the beds were made,
And the tables were spread and the ladies were dancing thereby.
11 He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her through the hall,
And set her down in a golden cheer
Before the quality all.
12 "Is this your bride, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"I'm sure she's wonderful brown;
You mought 'a' had me, as fair a ladee
As ere the sun shone on."
13 The brown girl had a little penknife,
The blade was keen and sharp;
She pierced it through Fair Ellenger's breast
And pierced it to her heart.
14 Lord Thomas rode up in the hall
Before the quality all,
And cut the brown girl's head off
And kicked it agin the wall.
15 Lord Thomas he had a sword,
The blade was keen and sharp;
He placed the handle agin the wall,
The point toward his heart.
16 "Go dig my grave both wide and long,
Go dig it wide and deep;
Place Fair Ellenger in my arms,
The brown girl at my feet."
H. "The Brown Girl." Communicated by Miss Lalah Lovett, Bulltown, Braxton County, May, 191 7; obtained from Caroline Flemming of Napier, West Virginia, who learned it from Lulu Bosely of Bulltown.
1 Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas was a fine young man,
He was lord of three great towns;
He courted Fair Ellen to make her his bride,
And to make a bridegroom for her.
2 "Come, father, come, mother, I'd ask your advice,
I'd ask you both at once:
Whether to marry Fair Ellen, my dear,
Or bring the brown girl home."
3 "The brown girl has both house and land,
Fair Ellen she has none;
As my advice, 't would be a God's blessing,
To bring the brown girl home."
4 He saddled up his milk-white horse,
Rode down to Fair Ellen's home;
And none was so ready as Fair Ellen herself
To arise and bid him walk in.
5 "What news, what news, Lord Thomas," she said,
"What news have you brought to me now?"
"I've come to ask you to my wedding."
"That's very sad news," said she.
6 She dressed herself in scarlet red,
Her seven maids in green;
And every town that they rode through,
They took her to be some queen.
7 They rode till they came to Lord Thomas' gate,
They rang their bells and dingled their rings;
And none was so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To arise and bid her walk in.
8 He took her by the lily-white hand,
And led her in at the hall,
And set her down at the head of the table
Among the ladies all.
9 "Is that your wife, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"Indeed she looks quite brown;
You once could have married as fair a young lady
As ever came into this town."
10 "Don't throw on slurs, Fair Ellen," he said,
"Don't throw on slurs at me;
For I 'd much better love the brown girl's home
Than to love your hope by day."
11 The brown girl having a knife in her bosom,
It being both sharp and keen,
She plunged it through Fair Ellen's ribs
Between the short and the long.
12 "O what is the matter, Fair Ellen?" he said,
"What makes you look so pale?
You once had two as red rosy cheeks
As ever two eyes did see."
13 "O what is the matter, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"O can't you plainly see?
O can't you see my own heart's blood
A-flowing away from me?"
14 He took the brown girl by the hand
And led her out into the hall,
And with the sword cut off her head,
And kicked it against the wall.
15 Then placing the sword against the wall,
The spear next to his heart,
Saying, "Here lies three persons all bound to die
Lord send their souls to rest!
16 "Go dig our grave in the roses red,
Go dig it wide and deep,
And bury Fair Ellen all in my arms,
And the brown girl at my feet."
I. "Lord Thomas." Communicated by Miss Maude Groves, Deepwell, Nicholas County, July, 1917; obtained from Minnie Taylor, Fenwick, West Virginia, who learned it from Mrs. Rhode Ramenes, Yadkin, Arkansas, 1914.
1 "O mother, come and riddle to me,
The things I dreamed last night:
Which to bring the brown girl home,
Or make Fair Elender my bride."
2 "The brown girl having house and land,
Fair Elender she has none;
O go and please your dear mother,
And bring the brown girl home."
3 Lord Thomas he rode and he rode,
Till he came to Fair Elender's hall,
And none was half so willing as Fair Elender herself
To rise and let him in.
4 "Lord Thomas . . .
What news have you brought to me?"
"I have come to ask you to my wedding,
To-morrow it shall be."
5. "Bad news, bad news, Lord Thomas," she said,
"Bad news to me," . . .
6 Next day she dressed in her scarlet bright,
Her maids all dressed in green;
Every city they 'd pass through,
They were taken to be some queen.
7 She rode, she rode till she came to Lord Thomas' hall,
She jingled at the ring;
None was half so willing as Lord Thomas himself
To rise and let her in.
8 He took her by the lily-white hand,
And led her through the marble hall;
He took her in the parlor,
And set her among those ladies all.
9 "Lord Thomas, is this your bride?
Why, she is scornfully brown;
When you could have chosen a fairer lady
As ever the sun shone on."
10 The brown girl having a little penknife,
Though very keen and sharp,
Between the long ribs and the short
She pierced Fair Elender's heart.
11 Lord Thomas having a little sword,
Very keen and sharp,
He cut off the brown girl's head
And kicked it against the wall.
12 Placing the handle to the floor,
The point toward the heart :
"Did you ever see three lovers meet,
As soon as these three part?
13 "So take us to the graveyard,
So wonderfully complete;
Bury Fair Elender in my arms,
The brown girl at my feet.
J. "Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor." Communicated by Mrs. Elizabeth Tapp Peck, Morgantown, Monongalia County, March 31, 191 6; obtained from her mother, Mrs. Thomas H. Tapp, who learned it from her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Wade Mack, who lived near Bethel church. An abbreviated variant in nine stanzas.
K. "Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender." Communicated by Miss Mabel Richards, Fairmont, Marion County, October, 1915; obtained from Mrs. J. P. Lang, who learned it from Mrs. Katherine Zinn of Monongalia County. A fragment of two stanzas.