No. 256: Alison and Willie
[There are no known US or Canadian traditional versions of this ballad. In the article, A Note on "Alison and Willie" (Child 256) by Ruth Yakes Mortenson, she interprets the crypic stanza 7 as a supernatural abduction-- an argument which Bronson says wouldn't have convinced Child. See the article in Recordings & Info.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnotes (There are no footnotes for this ballad)
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Text A a (Changes for Christie's A b text appear in End-notes.)
5. End-notes
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 256. Alison and Willie
A. Roud No. 245: Alison and Willie (5 Listings)
2. Sheet Music: 256. Alison and Willie (including Bronson's music example A a and text)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A a- A b)
Child's Narrative: 256. Alison and Willie
A. a. 'My luve she lives in Lincolnshire,' Harris Manuscript, fol. 18 b; Mrs. Harris.
b. 'Alison' Buchan's Manuscripts, I, 231.
Alison gaily invites Willie to her wedding; he will not come unless to be the bridegroom, with her for bride. That day you will never see, says Alison; once on your horse, you will have no more mind of me than if I were dead. Willie rides slowly away, and his heart breaks with the pains of love; he dies by the way, and is left to the birds. A letter stops the wedding, and breaks Alison's heart.
Stanza 7 must be left to those who can interpret Thomas of Erceldoune's prophecies.
Child's Ballad Text
'My luve she lives in Lincolnshire'- Version A a; Child 256 Alison and Willie
a. 'My luve she lives in Lincolnshire,' Harris Manuscript, fol. 18 b; Mrs. Harris.
1 'My luve she lives in Lincolnshire,
I wat she's neither black nor broun,
But her hair is like the thread o gowd,
Aye an it waur weel kaimd doun.'
2 She's pued the black mask owre her face,
An blinkit gaily wi her ee:
'O will you to my weddin come,
An will you bear me gude companie?'
3 'I winna to your weddin come,
Nor [will] I bear you gude companie,
Unless you be the bride yoursell,
An me the bridegroom to be.'
4 'For me to be the bride mysel,
An you the bonnie bridegroom to be —
Cheer up you heart, Sweet Willie,' she said,
'For that's the day you'll never see.
5 'Gin you waur on your saddle set,
An gaily ridin on the way,
You'll hae nae mair mind o Alison
Than she waur dead an laid in clay.'
6 When he was on his saiddle set,
An slowly ridin on the way,
He had mair mind o Alison
Than he had o the licht o day.
7 He saw a hart draw near a hare,
An aye that hare drew near a toun,
An that same hart did get a hare,
But the gentle knicht got neer a toun.
8 He leant him owre his saiddle-bow,
An his heart did brak in pieces three;
Wi sighen said him Sweet Willie,
'The pains o luve hae taen hald o me.'
9 . . . .
. . . .
There cam a white horse an a letter,
That stopped the weddin speidilie.
10 She leant her back on her bed-side,
An her heart did brak in pieces three;
She was buried an bemoaned,
But the birds waur Willie's companie.
End-Notes
a. 23. Oh.
103. He was.
b. But wanting: threads.
21. She pu'd: mask aff.
22. blinked blythely.
23. Says, Will ye.
24. Or: gude wanting.
32. Nor will; gude wanting.
34. the bonny bridegroom be.
42. to wanting.
43. Sweet wanting.
52. And merry.
53. Ye'll mind nae mair o.
54. When.
62. An weary.
71. He spied: draw till.
72. aye the.
73. An wanting.
81. leand his back to his.
83. said that sweet.
84. luve's taen.
91,2. Their wedding-day it was well set,
And a' their friends invited there.
93. While came.
94. wedding in prepare.
Before 101: She said, If Willie he be dead,
A wedded wife I'll never be.
101. Then leand her back to her bed-stock.
102. Her heart in pieces broke in three.
103. then was.