No. 223: Eppie Morrie
[There are no known US or Canadian traditional versions of this ballad.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnotes (There are no footnotes for this ballad)
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Texts A
5. End-notes
6. Additions and Corrections
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 223. Eppie Morrie
A. Roud No. 2583: Eppie Morrie (12 Listings)
2. Sheet Music: 223. Eppie Morrie (Bronson's music example and text from MacColl; also a fragment was collected from Jimmy McBeath)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A with additional notes)]
Child's Narrative: 223. Eppie Morrie
A. 'Eppie Morrie,' Maidment's North Countrie Garland, p. 40, 18.
"This ballad," says Maidment, "is probably much more than a century old, though the circumstances which have given rise to it were unfortunately too common to preclude the possibility of its being of a later date." He does not tell us where the ballad came from, and no other editor seems to know of it. Two stanzas, 10, 11, occur in a copy of 'Rob Roy' (No 225, J) which had once been in Maidment's hands, and perhaps was obtained from the same region.
Four-and-twenty Highlanders, the leader of whom is one Willie, come to Strathdon from Carrie (Carvie?) side to steal away Eppie Morrie, who has refused to marry Willie. They tie her on a horse and take her to a minister, whom Willie, putting a pistol to his breast, orders to marry them. The minister will not consent unless Eppie is willing, and she strenuously refuses; so they take her to Carrie side and put her to bed. She defends herself successfully, and in the morning comes in her lover, Belbordlane, or John Forsyth, well armed, and we presume well supported, who carries her back to her mother, to be his bride.
Scott, Introduction to Rob Roy, Appendix, No V, cites two stanzas of a ballad derived from tradition which, if we had the whole, might possibly turn out to be the same story with different names.
Four-and-twenty Hieland men
Came doun by Fiddoch side,
And they have sworn a deadly aith
Jean Muir suld be a bride.
And they have sworn a deadly aith,
like man upon his durke,
That she should wed with Duncan Ger,
Or they 'd make bloody worke.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
"This ballad," says Maidment, "is probably much more than a century old, though the circumstances which have given rise to it were unfortunately too common to preclude the possibility of its being of a later date." He does not tell us where the ballad came from; but a copy has been found among Sharpe's papers.
Child's Ballad Text
'Eppie Morrie'- Version A; Child 223 Epie Morrie
'Eppie Morrie,' Maidment's North Countrie Garland, p. 40, 18.
1 Four-and-twenty Highland men
Came a' from Carrie side
To steal awa Eppie Morrie,
Cause she would not be a bride.
2 Out it's came her mother,
It was a moonlight night,
She could not see her daughter,
Their swords they shin'd so bright.
3 'Haud far awa frae me, mother,
Haud far awa frae me;
There's not a man in a' Strathdon
Shall wedded be with me.'
4 They have taken Eppie Morrie,
And horse back bound her on,
And then awa to the Minister,
As fast as horse could gang.
5 He's taken out a pistol,
And set it to the minister's breast:
'Marry me, marry me, minister,
Or else I'll be your priest.'
6 'Haud far awa frae me, good sir,
Haud far awa frae me;
For there's not a man in all Strathdon
That shall married be with me.'
7 'Haud far awa frae me, Willie,
Haud far awa frae me;
For I darna avow to marry you,
Except she's as willing as ye.'
8 They have taken Eppie Morrie,
Since better could nae be,
And they're awa to Carrie side,
As fast as horse could flee.
9 When mass was sung, and bells were rung,
And all were bound for bed,
Then Willie an Eppie Morrie
In one bed they were laid.
10 'Haud far awa frae me, Willie,
Haud far awa frae me;
Before I'll lose my maidenhead,
I'll try my strength with thee.'
11 She took the cap from off her head
And threw it to the way;
Said, Ere I lose my maidenhead,
I'll fight with you till day.
12 Then early in the morning,
Before her clothes were on,
In came the maiden of Scalletter,
Gown and shirt alone.
13 'Get up, get up, young woman,
And drink the wine wi me;'
'You might have called me maiden,
I'm sure as leal as thee.'
14 'Wally fa you, Willie,
That ye could nae prove a man
And taen the lassie's maidenhead!
She would have hired your han.'
15 'Haud far awa frae me, lady,
Haud far awa frae me;
There's not a man in a' Strathdon
The day shall wed wi me.'
16 Soon in there came Belbordlane,
With a pistol on every side:
'Come awa hame, Eppie Morrie,
And there you'll be my bride.'
17 'Go get to me a horse, Willie,
And get it like a man,
And send me back to my mother
A maiden as I cam.
18 'The sun shines oer the westlin hills;
By the light lamp of the moon,
Just saddle your horse, young John Forsyth,
And whistle, and I'll come soon.'
End-Notes
51. pistol, and.
52. Set.
161. their.
Additions and Corrections
P. 239. Collated with a Manuscript of Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe's, and with another copy of the same pieces, "North Country Ballads," in Miscellanea Curiosa, Abbotsford Library.
Sharpe, p. 21.
12. all.
13. away.
14. Because.
21. Out it.
22. moonlighty.
31,2. Hald.
34. That shall be wedded.
51. He has.
52. it wanting.
53. Says, Marry.
61,2, 71,2, 101,2, 151,3. Hold.
64. be married.
73. dare not avow to marrying.
74. she were.
82. could not.
83. are away.
91. bells was.
92. all men bound.
101,2, 151,2. away from.
103. I loss.
123. Scallater.
131. Says, Get.
134. sure I am: as ye.
141. fall.
142. you could not.
143. taken.
144. kis[s]ed your hand.
153. For there's.
154. that's be wedded to me.
161. in it came Belbardlane.
163. Says, come away home.
172. And get to me.
174. came.
182. and hey the light.
Written in long lines, without division into stanzas.
Scott. Norrie throughout.
22. moonlight.
163. home wanting.