167
My Little Dear, So Fare You Well
The lover's complaint, by either sex, is a recurrent theme of
folk song, using the same or like elements in endless combinations
and permutations. This particular combination has not been found
elsewhere. Our collection has four texts and a fragment.
A
Alas ! My Darling.' Communicated by Bonnie Ethel Dickson of
Watauga county. No date given.
1 Alas, my darling, fare you well ;
You have slighted me, but I wish you well.
You've slighted me and broken my heart,
But how can I from you depart?
2 Come, all young girls of Adam's race,
With red rosy cheeks and lily-white face.
I loved you so true no tongue can tell,
But alas, my darling, fare you well.
3 The pain of love, I know full well,
No heart can think, no tongue can tell ;
430 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
But I can tell you in a few short lines
Love's worse than sickness ten thousand times.
4 I loved you once, and that you know,
I loved the ground on which you go;
I loved you with a free good will,
And upon my honor I love you still.
5 If ever you marry another girl
I wish you happy in this world ;
I hope that she will treat you kind,
Just as I would if you were mine.
6 When I'm dead and gone to rest
Remember the one that loved you best;
And when you're passing by my grave
Remember the promise to me you gave.
7 Go dig my grave, go dig it deep,
And place a marble at my head and feet ;
And in my hands place flowers few
To show this world I died for you.
'Sing with Feeling' is the only caption provided for this text, communi-
cated in 1938 by W. Amos Abrams as "written for Alice R. Moody by
her sister Katie Bell Moody, Vilas," Watauga county, in 1912.
1 My little dear, so fare you well.
You've slighted me, but I wish you well.
You've slighted me, you have broke my heart.
Oh, how can I from you depart?
2 Oh, pain of love, to you I'll tell,
No heart can think, no tongue can tell.
I'll tell you, in a few short lines.
It's worse than sickness ten thousand times.
3 My little love, you harmless dove,
I hope to see you in the world above.
But if on earth I never more see,
I'll never serve you as you have served me.
4 Oh, many a hour I've spent with you.
But never knew you was not true.
It breaks my heart to have to part
And think of your deceitful heart.
Come, all you girls of Adam's race,
I'll tell to you my sad disgrace.
I loved him long, I loved him bold ;
My Httle dear, God bless you[r] soul.
OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH 43I
6 When I am dead and gone to rest,
Remember the one who loves you best.
And as you pass along my grave
Just view the grass that o'er me wave.
c
'Broken-Hearted.' From the John Burch Blaylock Collection.
1 Oh, my love, so fare you well ;
You slighted me, but I wish you well.
You slighted me and broke my heart,
'Tis how come I from you depart.
2 The pain of love I know so well ;
My heart can't think, my tongue can't tell.
I'll write to you a few short lines —
It's worse than sickness ten thousand times.
3 I'll grieve, I'll moan, I'll weep,
But satisfied I'll never more be
If you on earth I never more see.
I wouldn't treat you like you have me.
4 Come all you boys from Adam's race —
Your rosy cheeks and lily-white face,
Your rosy cheeks and lily-white hands,
I love the ground on which you stand.
5 I love your heart, I love your bone.
My pretty little darling, God bless your soul.
D
'My Little Love, So Farewell.' From Virginia Bowers of Stanly county.
A somewhat fragmentary text of four stanzas introducing no new
elements.
'Come All Ye Girls from Adam's Race.' A fragment, not dated, secured
from Jennie Belvin of Durham ; lines i and 2 and the final stanza of A.
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167
My Little Dear, So Fare You Well
'Come All Ye Girls from Adam's Race.' Sung by Miss Jennie Belvin. Re-
corded at Durham ; no date given. Another title has "of" instead of "from."
Scale: Hexatonic (4), plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: ababi (2,2,2,2) =
aai (4,4).