124
Caroline of Edinburgh Town
Common in songbook and stall print — see JAFL xxxv 363 — this
ballad has won a place in traditional song. It is reported as such in
Scotland (Ord 186-7), Nova Scotia (BSSNS 94-5), Vermont
(NGMS 79-83), Massachusetts (FSONE 183-5), Pennsylvania
(NPM 206-7), Virginia (FSV 40), West Virginia (FSS 362-3),
Kentucky (SharpK i 404, a fragment only). North Carolina
(FSRA 91-2), Mississippi (FSM 143-5), Missouri (OFS i 240-3),
Ohio (JAFL xxxv 362), Wisconsin (JAFL lii 14-15), in Dean's
Flying Clotid, and in Miss Pound's Midwestern syllabus. A con-
siderably altered form of it was entered by William A. Larkin in
his "album" in Illinois in 1866 (JAFL lx 224-6). Our North
Carolina texts are fairly close to that in the Forget-Me-Not Song-
ster, which had a wide circulation in the United States a hundred
years ago.
OLDER BALLADS — MOSTLY BRITISH 359
A
'Caroline of Edinborough Town.' From the manuscript notebook of
Mrs. Harold Glasscock of Raleigh, lent to Dr. White in December
1943. Dr. White notes that "most or all of her songs Mrs. Glasscock
learned from her parents, and she can now sing" most of them.
1 Come all young men and maidens, and listen to my rhymes.
I'll tell you of a blooming girl who was scarcely in her
prime.
She beat the blushing roses ; adtnired by all around
Was comely young Caroline of Edinborough Town.
2 Young Henry was a Hireling.^ A-courting her he came,
And when her parents came to know they did not like the
same.
Young Henry was ofl'ended, and unto her he said,^
'Rise up, my dearest Caroline, and with me run away.
3 'And thence we'll go to London O, and there we'll wed
with speed,
And then, my dearest Caroline, have happiness indeed.'
This maid arose, likewise put on her wedding gown.
And away went young Caroline of Edinborough Town.
4 O'er lofty hills and valleys together they did ride.^
In time they arrived in London, far from her father's
home.
She cries : 'My dearest Henry, pray never on me frown,
Or you'll break the heart of Caroline of Edinborough
Town.'
5 They had not been in London more than half a year
Before her doting^ Henry, he proved too severe.
Says Henry: 'I will go to sea; the ships are dropping
down.
Go beg your way without delay to Edinborough Town.'
6 Oppressed with grief, without relief, this maiden she did go
Into the woods to eat such fruit as on the bushes grow.
Some strangers they did pity her and some did on her
frown ;
Some said : 'What made you run away from Edinborough
Town?'
7 Beneath a lofty spreading oak this maid sat down to cry,
A-watching of the gallant ships as they were passing by.
She gave three shrieks for Henry, then plunged her body
down,
And away went young Caroline of Edinborough Town.
* So the manuscript; read instead, successively, "Highlander," "did
say," and "roam," as the rhyme demands.
* The Forget-Mc-Not Songster has, more appropriately, "hard-hearted."
360 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
8 A note likewise in her bonnet she left upon the shore
And in the note with a lock of hair the words 'I am no
more;
I'm fast asleep; I'm in the deep; the fishes are watching
round
Once comely young Caroline of Edinborough Town.'
9 Come all ye tender parents, ne'er try to part true love ;
You're sure to see, in some degree, the ruin it will prove.
Likewise young men and maidens, ne'er on your lovers
frown ;
Think on the fate of Caroline of Edinborough Town.
Mrs. Glasscock adds "part of another verse that mother knew" :
The gallant stars may fill the sky or in the waters drown :
I never will return again to Edinborough Town.
'Caroline of Eddingburg.' Contributed, with the tune, by P. D.
Midgett, Jr., of Wanchese, Roanoke Island, in June 1920. The text
does not differ markedly from that of A. Like A it omits stanza 6 of
the Forget-Mc-Not Songster text, and for stanzas 7 and 8 of that text
it has :
Many a day she passed away in sorrow and despair.
Her cheeks, though once like roses, had grown to lilies fair.
She cries, 'Where is my Henry ?' and often does she swoon ;
'Sad the day I ran away from Eddingburg town.'
Beneath a lofty spreading oak this damsel sat down to cry,
Watching of a gallant ship as she was passing by.
She gave three screams to Henry, and plunged her body
down;
And away went the lovely Caroline of Eddingburg town.
-----------------------
124
Caroline of Edinburgh Town
'Caroline of Eddingburg Town.' Sung by C. K. Tillett. Recorded at Wan-
chese, Roanoke Island, in June 1920. Our stanza is the fourth of the A version
(11 359). 309
For melodic relationship cf. **FSONE 183-5; NGMS 79-83, the very be-
ginning and ending only ; SharpK i 404, No. 69, only in main melodic points.
Scale : Heptachordal, plagal (with sometimes chromatically altered 4th and
7th). Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: abb^ai (4,4,4,4).