4. Lord Randal (Folk-Songs of the South- 1925; Footnotes moved to the end of each version.)
4. LORD RANDAL (Child, No. 12)
Twelve variants have been recovered in West Virginia, under the titles "Lord Randal," "Johnny Randolph," "Johnny Randal," "Johnny Ramsey," and "Johnny Reeler." A, B, C, D, and E, are all fine vigorous ballads, telling practically the same story, except in E, where the hero has been to visit his sister. In A the lover has been to the greenwood, spent the night with his true-love, and had for supper fried eels and fresh butter. In form and content, it is most like Child A, but verbal similarities and the refrain connect it with Child B, D, E, and F. B resembles most closely Child B, but shows other relations. The refrain is similar to that of Child H. The title is no doubt due to the fame of John Randolph of Virginia. C is so similar in arrangement and diction to B that further comment is unnecessary. D, while not so complete as B and C, belongs to the same group. E shows many variations from the preceding ballads. The name "Henry" suggests the "King Henry" of Child C. The red, black, and yellow poison may be an echo from Child B. "Ropes to hang her" suggests Child B and I. The statement that he had been to his sister's may be a corruption for grandmother's or stepmother's. Cf . Child I, J, K, L, M, N, and O. The remaining variants are more or less incomplete and need no special comment. C was printed by Cox, XIV, 266.
Scores of variants have been collected in this country, and new copies keep coming in from various states: see references in Journal, xxix, 157; xxx, 289; xxxv, 339- Add Shoemaker, p. 123; Pound, No. 1; Bulletin, Nos. 7-10.
A. "Lord Randal." Contributed by Miss Polly McKinney, Sophia, Randolph County, February 2, 1916, who writes: "I am sending it to you as I learned it from my aunt. My grandmother says Lord Randal's name was William V and that the song is sometimes sung 'William, my son/ instead of 'Lord Randal.' "
1 "O where have you been, Lord Randal, my son?
O where have you been, my handsome young man?"
"I ha' been to the greenwood; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm wearied wi' hunting, and would freely lie down."
2 "Where did you stay last night, Lord Randal, my son?
Where did you stay last night, my handsome young man?"
"I stayed wi' my true-love; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm wearied wi' hunting, and would freely lie down."
3 "What did you eat for your supper, Lord Randal, my son?
What did you eat for your supper, my handsome young man?"
"Fried eels and fresh butter; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick to my heart, and would freely lie down."
4 "What do you will to your father?"
"A dead son to bury."
5 "What do you will to your mother?"
"My trunk full of money."
6 "What do you will to your brother?"
"My land and my houses."
7 "What do you will to your sister?"
"My town in yon island."
8 "What do you will to your uncle?"
"My horses and saddle."
9 "What do you will to your sweetheart?"
"A rope for to hang her."
B. "Johnny Randolph." Communicated from Mr. Harrison Miller, Wardensville, Hardy County, January 24, 1916; obtained from his mother; learned from Susan Stewart; she, from her stepfather, John Jennings, who came from England.
1. "O where have you been, Johnny Randolph, my son?
O where have you been, my dear little one?"
"I've been courting my sweetheart; mother, make my bed soon,
I've a pain at my heart, and I want to lie down."
2. "Have you had your supper?"
"Yes, I've had my supper."
3. "What did you have for your supper?"
"Fried eels in fresh butter."
4. "What color was the eel?"
"Yellow and black spotted."
5. "What do you will to your father?"
"My farm and utensils."
6. "What do you will to your mother?"
"My house and my household."
7 "What do you will to your brother?"
"Horse, saddle, and bridle."
8 "What do you will to your sister?"
"The fairest in heaven."
9. "What do you will to your sweetheart?"
"Brimstone and hell-fire."
C. "Lord Randal." Contributed by Miss Ada Keith, Harrisville, Ritchie County, December 14, 1915; learned from Mrs. Olive Rexwood, who learned it from her brother, George W. Hardman; all of Ritchie County.
1 "O where ha' you been, Lord Randal, my son?
O where ha' you been, my handsome young man?"
"I ha' been out courting pretty Polly; mother, make my bed soon,
For I ha' a pain in my heart, and I want to lie down."
2 "Ha' you had your supper?"
"Yes, I've had my supper."
3 "What did you ha' for your supper?"
"I had fresh eels fried in butter."
4. "Do you think you will die?"
'Yes, I think I will die."
5. "What do you will to your father?"
"I will him house and dwelling."
6. "What do you will to your brother?"
"I will him horse, saddle, and bridle."
7. "What do you will to your sister?"
"I will her sweet heaven."
8. "What do you will to your true-love, Lord Randal, my son?
What do you will to your true-love, my handsome young man?"
"I will her hell's fire and brimstone to scorch her so brown;
She 's the cause of this pain in my heart, and I want to lie down."
D. "Johnnie Randal." Communicated by Mr. George Paugh, Thomas, Tucker County, January 10, 1916; obtained from Mrs. S. R. Paugh, who learned it about forty years previous from Mike Hedrick, while living near Spruce Mountain in Pendleton County.
1 "Where have you been, Johnnie Randal, my son?
"Where have you been, my dear little one?" [1]
"To see my sweetheart; mother, make my bed soon,
I've a pain at my heart, and I want to lie down."
2 "What did you have for your supper?"
"Fried eels and butter."
3. "What do you will to your mother?"
"A home in bright heaven."
4 "What do you will to your father?"
"My farm and my cattle."
5 "What do you will to your brothers?"
'My horse and my saddle."
6 "What do you will to your sisters?"
"My cottage."
7 "What do you will to your sweetheart, Johnnie Randal, my son?
"Where have you been, my dear little one?"
"Hell's fire and brimstone, dear mother, to scorch her bones brown;
She 's the cause of this pain at my heart, and I want to lie down."
E. [Henry, My Son] No local title. Communicated by Mr, W. H. S. White, Piedmont, Mineral County, January 28, 1916; obtained from Miss Gertrude Shapiro, who got it from her mother.
1 "Where have you been all day, Henry, my son?
Where have you been all day, my loving one?"
"Up sister's, up sister's; make my bed soon,
For there's a pain in my side, and I must lie down and die."
2 "What did she give you there?"
"Poison, poison."
3 "What color was the poison?"
"Red, black, yellow, red, black, yellow."
4 "What will you leave for father?"
"Watch and chain, watch and chain."
5 "What will you leave for mother?"
"Silk and satin, silk and satin."
6 "What will you leave for brother? "
"Toys, toys."
7 "What will you leave for baby? "
"A kiss from Henry, a kiss from Henry."
8 "What will you leave for sister?"
"Ropes to hang her, ropes to hang her."
F. [Willie, My Son] No local title. Contributed by Mrs. Anna Copley, Shoals, Wayne County, January 28, 1916, who has known it ever since she was a child.
1 "Where have you been, Willie, O Willie, my son?
Where have you been, my fair and pretty one?"
"I have been to see my true-love; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at my heart, and I want to lie down."
2 "Where have you been, Willie, O Willie, my son?
Where have you been, my fair and pretty one?"
"I have been to see my true-love; mother, make my bed soon,
For I believe I am dying, and I want to lie down."
3 "What'll you will to your father, O Willie, my son?
What'll you will to your father, my fair and pretty one? "
"My land and money; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at my heart, and I want to lie down."
4 "What 'll you will to your mother?"
"My bed and my clothing."
5 "What 'll you will to your brother? "
"My horse and my buggy."
G. "Johnny Randolph." Communicated by Miss Lily Hagans, Morgantown, Monongalia County, January 20, 1916; obtained from Mrs. Beulah Bay Richey, who learned it from her mother, a member of the Caldwell family of Wheeling, a family of Irish descent who came to Wheeling before the Revolution. A fragment of four stanzas.
H. "Johnny Ramsey." Communicated by Miss Margaret Richards, Fairmont, Marion County, April 26, 1916; obtained from Mrs. Lawrence Roby, Lowesville. A fragment in five stanzas in which Johnny Ramsey has been out with his dogs and had cold cakes and warm coffee for dinner.
I. "Lord Randal." Communicated by Mr. Harold Staats, Ripley, Jackson County, July, 1921, who writes: "This song is given in the diary of my great-great-grandfather, Abraham Staats, as sung by the early pioneers in Jackson County. I have heard it sung by different people, especially in the country. A fragment in five stanzas, in which the hero has had a cup of poison and wills to his sweetheart "Ten thousand weights of brimstone to burn her bones brown."
[Abraham Staats was born in New Castle County DE in 1750 and died. in present day Jackson County WV in 1826. He married Anna King in DE. about 1772.]
J. "Lord Randal." Communicated by Mr. S. M. Kelley, Suter, Pennsylvania,
July, 1921, but collected in West Virginia. A fragment in five stanzas, almost
exactly like variant I.
K. "Johnny Reeler." Communicated by Mr. C. R. Bishop, Green Bank, Poca-
hontas County, 1921; obtained from Miss Blanche Patterson, from Mrs. Dora
Moomau, who learned it at school in Timberville, Virginia. A fragment in six
stanzas, in which Johnny has for supper " Fresh seals fried in butter."
L. No local title. Contributed by Mrs. Hilary G. Richardson, Clarksburg, Har-
rison County, December 7, 191 7, as sung by a colored servant forty years pre-
vious. One stanza, in which the hero is called "my little rambling son."