76
Molly Bawn
For the history of this ballad, see Kittredge's bibliographical note
in JAFL XXX 358. It has been reported as traditional song in
Ireland (OIFMS 220), Norfolk (JFSS vii 17), Somerset (JFSS
II 59-60), Maine (JAFL xxii 387, BFSSNE x 12-13), Massachu-
setts (JAFL XXX 358-9, FSONE 274-6), New Jersey (JAFL lii
56-8), Virginia (SharpK i 330-1, SCSM 1 16-17, FSV 68-9), West
Virginia (FSS 339-41), Kentucky (JAFL xxx 359-6o, SharpK i
329, 331-2), Tennessee (SharpK i 329), North Carolina (SharpK
I 328, FSRA loi), Mississippi (FSM 145-6), Florida (SFLQ viii
176), Arkansas (OFS i 257), Missouri (OFS i 254-6), Michigan
(BSSM 66-8), and Wisconsin (JAFL lii 32, from Kentucky).
Our texts are incomplete ; they should end with the appearance of
Molly's ghost to free her lover of the charge of murder. Sharp,
noting in the song "a strange admixture of fancy with matter of
fact," thought that it might be "the survival of a genuine piece of
Celtic or, still more probably, of Norse imagination." The woman's
name appears in various forms: Molly (or Polly) Van, Vaughn,
Bawn, Bond, Bonn; in a stall print by J. Andrews of New York
as Polly von Luther ! The man is Jimmy; in many texts, as in our
A, is Jimmy Randall.
A
'Polly Bonn.' From the collection of Miss Jewel Robbins (later Mrs.
C. P. Perdue) of Pekin, Montgomery county.
1 'Twas one rainy evening.
The rain it did fall ;
Pretty Polly was under a holly bush
The rain for to shun.
2 With her apron pinned around her
The rain for to shun ;
Jimmy Randall he saw her
And shot her for a swan.
2C4 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
3 He ran home to his father,
His gun in his hand.
'Dear father, dear father,
I've killed Polly Bonn !
4 'I've killed that fair creature.
My own heart's delight,
And I always have intended
To make her my wife !'
5 His father being old.
His head being gray :
'Jimmy Randall, Jimmy Randall,
Don't you run away.
6 'You're in your own country ;
Your trial shall stand.
You never shall be condenmed
By the loss of my land.'
'Mollie Vaunders.' Reported by Mrs. Sutton, presumably from Lenoir,
Caldwell county. A fragment only, copied off from the music.
Come all ye young fellows
Who delight in a gun,
Beware of late shooting
After the sun's down.
I'll tell you a story
Which happened of late
Concerning Mollie Vaunders,
Whose beauty was great.
-----------------------
76
Molly Bawn
Polly Bonn.' Sung by Miss Jewell Robbins. Recorded at Pekin, Montgomery
county. No date given. Another title given is 'Molly Bander.' The phrase
The rain it did fall" leans heavily on "far, far away" of 'Swanee River' fame.
Scale: Hexatonic (4), plagal. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: abed (2,2,2,2),
Molhe Vaunders.' Sung by anonymous singer. Recorded as ms score No
date given; probably at Lenoir, Caldwell county. The text of this version is
almost the same as SharpK i 329, No. soC; the name of the girl in the latter is
however, Molly Bander." Another name found is "Molly Banding."
For melodic relationship cf. ***FSS 529, No. 102A ; *SharpK i 329 and 332,
No. 50 C and F, measures 4, 8, 12, and 16, cadences only.
Scale: Heptachordal, plagal. Tonal center: g. Structure, abaicdb^ac^ (2,2,2,
2,2,2,2,2) = aa^ba^ (4,4,4,4) = Reprisenbar.
'Shooting of His Dear.' Sung by Mrs. Nora Hicks. Recorded at Mast's Gap,
Watauga county, September 28, 1940. For another variety of trees ("beech
tree") cf. SharpK i 329, No. 50B and C.
For melodic relationship cf. **SharpK i 328, No. 50A, general melodic line
only.
Scale : Mixolydian. Tonal Center : d. Structure : abcda^b (2,2,2,2,2,2) = aba^
(4-4,4)-