209
Young Charlotte
The origin of this very widely known song was discovered by
Barry and announced in the last issue of the Bulletin of the Folk-
Song Society of the Northeast (xii 26). See BSM 308-9, and
add to the references there given Massachusetts (FSONE 305-9),
Ohio (BSO 278-83), Indiana (SFLQ in 201-3, v 172-4, HFLB
III 13-14), Michigan (BSSM 126-9), Virginia (Davis FSV 72,
listed), Florida (FSF 1 14-17). It is known by oral tradition pretty
much all over the country and with surprisingly little variation in
the text. There are three texts and a fragment in our collection,
of which it will be sufficient to give only the fullest. The texts are :
A From I. G. Greer of Boone, Watauga county. Fifteen four-line
stanzas.
NATIVE AMERICAN BALLADS 493
B From Miss Amy Henderson of Burke county. An incomplete text,
the first nine stanzas only.
C From Mrs. Minnie Church, Heaton, Avery county, in 1930.
D From Mrs. Sutton, Lenoir, Caldwell county, in October 1927. The
opening stanza, copied from the musical score.
The C text runs as follows :
1 Young Charlotte lived by the mountain side
In a wild and lonely spot ;
No dwelling there for three miles round
Except her father's cot.
2 And yet on many a winter night
Young swains would gather there ;
For her father kept a social board
And she was very fair.
3 Her father liked to see her dressed
As fine as a city belle ;
For she was the only child he had,
And he loved his daughter well.
4 It was New Year's eve. The sun had set.
Why looks her anxious eye
So long from the frosty windows forth
As the merry sleighs go by ?
5 At the village inn fifteen miles ofT
There's a merry ball tonight.
The piercing air is cold as death
But her heart is warm and light.
6 But oh ! how laughs her beaming eye
As a well known voice she hears
And dashing up to the cottage door
Young Charles with sleigh appears !
7 'Oh, daughter dear,' her mother said,
'This blanket round you fold ;
For it's a dreadful night abroad
And you'll get your death of cold.'
8 'No, mother, no,' fair Charlotte said.
And she laughed like a Gypsy queen,
'To ride in blankets all muffed up
I never can be seen.
9 'My silken coat is quite warm ;
It's lined throughout, you know.
Besides, I have a silken scarf
Which around my neck I'll throw.'
494 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
10 Her gloves were on, her bonnet tied;
She jumped into the sleigh
And away they ride by mountain side
And o'er the hills so gay.
11 There's life in the sound of the merry bells
As o'er the hills they go.
What a creaking sound the runners make
As they bite the frozen snow !
12 With muffled faces, silently
O'er five long miles they pass,
When Charlie with these frozen words
The silence broke at last :
13 'Such a night as this I never saw;
The reins I scarce can hold.'
When Charlotte, shivering, faintly said :
'Oh, I am very cold.'
14 He cracked his whip and urged his team
More swiftly than before,
Until five other dreary miles
In silence were passed o'er.
15 'Oh, see,' said Charles, 'how fast the frost
Is gathering on my brow' ;
When Charlotte said in a feeble voice,
'I'm growing warmer now.'
16 And on they ride through the frosty air
And the glittering cold starlight.
Until at last the village inn
And ballroom are in sight.
17 They searched the inn and Charlie jumped
And held his arms to her.
'Why sit you like a monument
Within is power to stir?'^
18 He called her once, he called her twice ;
She answered not one word.
He called her by her name again,
But still she never stirred.
19 He took her hand in his ; oh God,
'Twas cold and hard as stone.
He tore the mantle from her brow
And there the cold stars shone.
' In the first line of this stanza "searched" is evidently miswritten for
"reached" and there should be an "out" at the end of the line ; and the
last line should read "That hath no power to stir."
NATIVE AMERICAN BALLADS 495
20 And then into the Hghted hall
Her lifeless form he bore.
For Charlotte was a frozen corpse
And words spoke never more.
21 He threw his arms around her neck
And kissed her marble brow ;
And his thoughts went back to where she said,
'I'm growing warmer now.'
-----
209
Young Charlotte
'Young Charlotte.' Sung by Dr. I. G. Greer. Recorded at Boone, Watauga
county ; no date given. Measures 2-4 in all versions show a general conformity
to a basic melodic concept. Each of the stanzas of the versions given in BSO
278-83, No. 123A and BSSB 135, No. Z"] ('Fair Charlotte') comprises two of the
stanzas as given in II 493-5. The version in BSSB is the only one giving "ten
miles round." The latter is also interesting with regard to differences in melodic
line and structure.
For melodic relationship cf. ***BSSM 126-9; **ASB 58; TexasFS 98;
BSO 278-83, No. 123A; *FSmWV 15; FSS 528, No. 80A, measures 4-6;
FSONE 305-9, measures i and 5; FSF 114-17-
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: aba^bi (2,2,2,2).
'Young Charlotte.' Sung by Miss Amy Henderson. Recorded as MS score in
Worry, Burke county, in 1914.
For melodic relationship cf. ***BSSM 126, No. 41 ; **BSO 278-83, No.
123A; ASb 58; *FMA 14; FSF 114, No. 56; TexasFS 98.
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: d. Structure: abb^c (2,2,2,2).
'Young Charlotte.' Sung by Mrs. Minnie Church. Recorded at Heaton, Avery
county, in 1939. In the main melodic outline this tune is very closely related to
209B ; still more so to 209A. For interesting comments about this ballad and
its connection with 'The False-hearted Knight' cf. BBM p. xxxiv. Compare
this with NGMS 1 12-13.
For melodic relationship cf. ***NGMS 113; ASb 58; BSSM 126, No. 41;
**BSO 278, No. 123A; FMA 14; TexasFS 98; FSF 114, No. 56, measures
3-4; *FSS 528, No. 80 A, measures 4-6.
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: d. Structure: aba^bi (2,2,2,2).
C(I)
'Young Charlotte.' Sung by Mrs. Nora Hicks. Recorded at Mast's Gap, Wa-
tauga county, in 1940. Although this tune is in a different meter, there is con-
siderable melodic relationship with 209B.
For melodic relationship cf. ***BSSM 126, No. 41 ; ASb 58; **BSO 278-83,
No. 123A; TexasFS 98; FSF 114, No. 56, measures 3-8.
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: abbic (2,2,2,2).
'Young Charlotte.' Anonymous singer. Recorded as ms score at Lenoir, Cald-
well county, in 1927. Very closely related to 209B ; actually merely a variation
of the latter. Especially the second half of the tune is closely related to that of
209 A.
For melodic relationship cf. ***FB 119; FSS 528, No. 80A (words and
tune!) ; ASb 58; **BSSM 126, No. 41; TexasFS 98; FSF 114, No. 56; *BSO
278, No. 123A.
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: abb^c (2,2,2,2).
'Young Charlotte.' Anonymous singer. Recorded ; no date or place given.
Closely related to 209A. In the first stanza the singer actually sings "cottage"
instead of "cot."*
For melodic relationship cf. ***BSSM 126, No. 41; Texas FS 98; **FSS
528, No. 80A, measures 4-6; FSF 114, No. 56, measures 3-4; *ASb 58.
Scale: Heptachordal. Tonal Center: d. Structure: aba^bi (2,2,2,2).