72
The Silver Dagger
Something of a favorite in the South and West, this ballad seems
not to be found in New England tradition. See BSM 123, and add
to the references there given Virginia (FSV 57-9), Florida
(SFLQ VIII 185-6), Missouri (OFS 11 52-8), Ohio (BSO 92-4,
in combination with 'The Drowsy Sleeper'), Indiana (BSI 21 1-4),
Illinois (JAFL lx 218-9), and Michigan (BSSM 89-90). Mrs.
Steely found it in the Ebenezer community in Wake county. Since
the texts, though less or more complete, all tell the same simple
story, only one, the fullest, is given complete here.
A
'An Awful Warning.' Contributed in 1916 by J. W. Clayton, student
at Trinity College.
r Young folks, young folks, give me your attention
Of these few lines I'm about to write.
For they are true as ever mentioned.
Concerning a fair and a youthful bride.
2 A young man courted a handsome lady,
He loved her as he loved his life,
And while alone he had vowed to make her
His own and adoring little wife.
3 Now when his parents came to know this
They sought to part them night and day,
Saying, 'Son, oh, son, why are you so foolish?
Why, she's so poor,' they would oft times say.
4 Down on his knees he prayed before them:
'Oh, cruel parents, pity me.
Don't take from me my only jewel,
For she is more than life to me.'
5 Now when this lady came to know this
She volunteered what she would do.
She sauntered around and left the city,
Its pleasant groves no more to you.^
6 She wandered down by the flowing river
And there prepared herself for death.
* Miswritten, or misheard, for "view."
OLDER BALLADS — MOSTLY BRITISH 259
She took from her bosom a silver dagger
And she pierced it through her snow-white breast.
Her lover being in yonder thicket
And hearing all her love-sick groans,
He rushed to where his love lay dying.
Said she, 'True love, I'm going home.'
He then picked up the dying body
And rolled it over in his arms,
Saying, 'Is there gold or friends can save you.
Or must you die with all your charms ?'
Her coal-black eyes like the stars she opened.
Saying, 'Oh, true love, you've come too late.
Prepare to meet me on Mount Zion,
Where all our joys will be complete.'
He then picked up the blood-stained dagger
And pierced it through his tender heart.
Saying, 'Let this be an awful warning
To those who seek true love to part.'
The Dying Lovers.' Collected by Miss Jane Elizabeth Newton from
Miss Lizzie Lee Weaver of Piney Creek, Alleghany county, about 1915.
The manuscript bears the notation "Written 1838," which probably
means that this text was written down in that year. Does not differ
much from A, though it reverses the economic status of the two lovers ;
here it is the man, not the woman, who is poor and therefore unaccept-
able as a son-in-law to the woman's parents.
C
'O Parents, Parents, All Take Warning.' Contributed by W. R. Shelton
of Charlotte, with the notation that "another mountain ballad sung
through Haywood county is 'John Henry was a steel-driving man' " —
which implies that this text too comes from that county. It is consider-
ably reduced, four and a half stanzas, but has the essential story.
----------------------
B
'The Dying Lovers.' Sung by Miss Lizzie Lee Weaver. Recorded as ms score
at Piney Creek, Alleghany county, about 1915.
Scale: Mode I. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: abab^ (2,2,2,2) = aa^ (4,4).
'The Silver Dagger.' Sung by Mrs. James York. From the previous recording
of Dr. W. A. Abrams, probably at Boone; no date given.
For melodic relationship cf. *SharpK 11 229, No. 165A, only in general out-
line. Scale: Mode II, plagal. Tonal Center: c. Structure: aa^bbi (2,222) =
ab (4,4).
2 And when his parents came to know it
They pled with him both night and day.
Saying, 'Will you forsake your loving father ?
She's so very poor, I've heard them say.'
3 And she being near beneath her window,
She heard that awful, mournful groan.
She run and she run like one distracted,
Saying, 'I'm lost, I'm lost, I'm left alone.'