680 The Keeper
'The Keeper.' Sung by James York, at Boone, Watauga county; recorded by Dr. Amos Abrams, September 8, 1940. This is an English folksong: 'Warwickshire.' The other stanzas of our version differ in their numerical occurrence and, to some degree in text as well, from other versions. For example, our second stanza is fourth in FSCSG, our third is the same there, our fourth is new, but has some similarity with three. In the chorus, the short phrases : "Jackie, boy" or "Master," etc., are sung by alternating voices. Both then come together in "Among the leaves, so green, O."
F-579
A keep - er did a - shoot - ing go,
And un - der his cloack he car - ried bow,
All for to shoot at the mer - ry lit - tie doe,
A - mong the leaves so green, O.
Jack - ie, boy! Mas - ter! Sing you well? Ver - y well.
Hey down! ho down! Der - ry, der - ry down,
A- mong the leaves so green,
To my hey down, down!
To my ho down, down! Hey down! ho down!
Der ry, der - ry down, A - mong the leaves so green, O.
For melodic relationship cf. ***CRS Kit 24, No. 100; FSCSG 42; SCFS 68-69, I.
Scale : Hexachordal. Tonal Center : c. Structure : aabcdb1c1d1b1c (2,2,2, 2,2,2,2,2,2,2) = aabcb1c1b (2,2,4,2,4,2,4) = nmmi (8,6,6) = inverted bar-form, of which the epode in itself is in barform. The tonal center is the lowest tone.