141
A False-Hearted Lover
Akin to this, though not the same, are songs reported from Ken-
tucky (Archive of American Folk Song under this title) and Ten-
nessee (SSSA 170, ETWVMB 40). In all of these the boy speaks,
not the girl.
'A False-Hearted Lover.' Collected by C. B. Houck from Miss Pearl
Webb of Pineda, Avery county, in April 1920.
1 There is more than one, there is more than two,
There is more pretty boys, my love, than you,
There is more pretty boys than you.
2 You've slighted me once, you've slighted me twice.
You'll never slight me any more, my love.
You'll never slight me any more.
3 You slighted me for that other girl ;
You may take her now and go, my love,
You may take her now and go.
4 For the loss of one is the gain of two
And the choice out of twenty-five more, my love,
And the choice out of twenty-five more.
5 I wished to the Lord you had never been born
Or have died when I was young, my love,
Or have died when I was young.