OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH
12. Captain Wedderburn's Courtship (Child 46)
Of this riddling ballad of courtship nothing is left in our collection but the riddles, and not all of them; the story of the courtship has faded away. The "perri-merri-dictum doniine" refrain that usually goes with this set of riddles but does not belong to 'Captain Wedderburn's Courtship' does not appear in these North Carolina texts.
A. 'The Riddle Song.' Reported by Mrs. Sutton as sung by "a young girl who worked in a mica mill and had lived on the long, picturesque ridge above the Toe River Valley all her life. She didn't recall whom she heard sing it first."
1. I gave my love a cherry that had no stone,
I gave my love a chicken that had no bone,
1 gave my love a ring that had no end.
Oh, I gave my love a baby with no crying.
2 Now where is there a cherry that has no stone?
And where is there a chicken that has no bone?
And where is there a ring that has no end?
Oh, who has seen a baby with no crying?
3 Oh, when a cherry's budding it has no stone.
And when a chicken's pipping it has no bone,
And when a ring's a-rolling it has no end,
Oh, when a baby's sleeping there's no crying.
'I Gave My Love a Cherry.' From the manuscript of Obadiah Johnson, Crossnore, Avery county, obtained in July 1940. The same set of riddles as in A, without A's misplacing of the opening line, and with "blooming" for "budding" in stanza 3.
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12. Captain Wedderburn's Courtship (Child 46)
The author of BBM 93-5 gives as his first version the complete ballad, including the story of the courtship.* None of our versions, as stated in II, 48-9, includes this story. One of our versions, however, does include the refrain "Perri Merrie Dictum Domine," but comes from a different singer. For a European relationship refer to VTWL 53 'Ach, Jungfer, ich Will Ihr,' Another title is given in BSSNS 391, No. 4.
A. 'The Riddle Song.' Sung by anonymous singer. Mrs. Sutton procured this song giving neither singer, place, nor date.
For melodic relationship of. *SharpK I 223 and 229, No. 31B and H ('Sir Hugh!'), measures 1-2. Some similarity with FSSH 141, No. 31 A. Scale: Hexatonic (4), plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: aba1b1 (4,4,4,4). Circular Tune (V).
*Referring to the source of his version he says : "Mrs. Marston's spirited and tuneful version of 'Captain Wedderburn's Courtship' came as a surprise; ... ."it should have been, for a little later he says : "Mrs. Marston cannot sing, so we are unable to give an air for this text." In fact, the melody to this song, this time with the title 'Bold Robbington,' was written down and later sent to the editor by Mrs. Marston, June 28, 1929. Cf. BBM 481.
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'I Gave My Love a Cherry.' Sung by Obadiah Johnson. Recorded at Crossnore, Avery county, July, 1940.
For melodic relationship of. ***FSSH 141, No. 31A; SharpK 11 190, No. 144A; and BT 175.
Scale: Mode I. Tonal Center: d. Structure: aa^a^aS (2,2,2,2).
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'The Riddle Song.' Sung by Horton Barker. Taken from a recording of Dr. W. A. Abrams at Boone, September 14, 1941. The variations noted below are from another rendition made for the present editor in June 1952 at Barker's home in Chilhowie, Virginia. Besides the melodic changes, the singer also made changes in the text. In the first recording by Dr. Abrams he changes "Dictum" to "Dixie." In the second rendition he sang "Pere" for "Perri," "Mare" for "Merri," and "Domini" for "Domine." A Kentucky version given in MSHF 12 gives the refrain as "Piri-Miri-Dictum Domine." On this song see also BBM 99, paragraph 2.
For melodic relationship of. **FSONE 268; BSO 25; MSHF 12; *SharpK I 222 and 229, No. 31 B and H, measures 1-2. Scale: Tetratonic, (4,6,7), plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: ababcb (2,2,2,2,2,2). It is noteworthy that our singer extends the structure by inserting a rather premature "Perry Merry Dixi Domine" (measures 7-8).