2. Earl Brand (Folk-Songs of the South- 1925; Footnotes moved to the end of each version.)
2. EARL BRAND (Child, No. 7)
One version only of this ballad has been recovered in West Virginia, under the title of "The Seven Sleepers." A comparison with the Child versions shows that it follows most nearly B.
For American texts see Barry, Modern Language Notes, xxv, 104 (New Hampshire); Perrow, Journal, xxvin, 152 (North Carolina); Campbell and Sharp, No. 3 (North Carolina, Georgia) ; Mackenzie, p. 60 (Nova Scotia) ; Minish MS. (North Carolina). Cf. F. C. Brown, p. 9; Shearin and Combs, p. 7; Reed Smith, Journal, xxvin, 200; Bulletin, Nos. 2, 4-6, 10.
"The Seven Sleepers." Communicated by Mr. J. Harrison Miller, Wardensville, Hardy County, January 29, 1916; obtained from his mother, who learned it when a girl from Scotch Roach. Reported by Cox, xlv, 160 (Journal, xxrx, 400); printed, xlvi, 83.
1 Wake up, wake up, my seven sleepers,
And do beware of me;
O do take care of your oldest daughter,
For the youngest is going with me.
2 Wake up, wake up, my seven bold sons,
Put your armor on so bright;
O it shall never be said that a daughter of mine
Shall be with Sweet William all night.
3 He mounted a roan, [1] she a milk-white steed,
Whilst himself upon a dapple gray;
He drew his buckles down by his side,
And away he went riding away.
4 He rode, he rode, he better had ' a ' rode,
Along with his lady so gay,
Until he saw her seven brothers bold,
And her father a-walking so nice.
5 "Get you down, get you down, Lady Margaret," he said,
"And hold my steed for a while;
While I fight your seven brothers bold,
And your father a-walking so nice."
6 She held, she held, she better had 'a ' held,
And never shed a tear,
Until she saw her seven brothers fall,
And her father she loved so well.
7 "Hold your hand, hold your hand, Sweet William,' she said,
"Hold your hand, hold your hand for a while;
O it 's a many, a many a sweetheart I could have had,
But a father I'll never have no more."
8 "You can choose for to go," Sweet William he said,
"You can choose for to go or stay."
"I'll go, I'll go, Sweet William, you know,
For you've left me without any guard."
9 He mounted a roan, she a milk-white steed,
Whilst himself upon a dapple gray;
He drew his buckles down by his side,
And away he went bleeding away.
10 He rode, he rode, he better had 'a' rode,
Along with his lady so gay,
Until he came to his own mother's house,
And a mother she was to him.
11 "O mother, O mother, O make my bed,
Make it both long and wide,
. . . .
And lay my lady down at my side."
12 Sweet William he died before midnight,
Lady Margaret before it was day;
And the old lady died for the loss of her son,
And there were eleven lives lost.
1. A corruption for "He mounted her on."