79. Young Edwin in the Lowlands Low

79

Young Edwin in the Lowlands Low

For bibliography and previous recordings, see BSM 127 and add
Maine (BFSSNE xii 12-13), Virginia (FSV 54-5), Kentucky
(TKMS 45), North Carolina (FSRA 63-5), Florida (FSF 345).
the Ozarks (OFS 11 59-64), Indiana (BSI 202-3), Michigan
(BSSM 62-3), and Wisconsin (JAFL lii 25-6). The ballad is
pretty widely known and sung.

^ Miswritten, or perhaps merely carelessly set down, for "dead."

 

OLDER BALLADS — MOSTLY BRITISH 267

A

'The Driver Boy.' From Miss Rawn's collection, communicated in 1915,
before she became Mrs. Perry. The manuscript does not tell where ami
when the text was taken down.

1 Miss Einily was a pretty fair maid
And she loved the driver hoy

Who drove in the mist some gold to gain
Down in the lowland low,
Who drove in the mist some gold to gain
Down in the lowland low.

2 And seven years returning,
His fortime to assure,

That he had gained the driver maid
Down in the lowland low,
That he had gained the driver maid
Down in the lowland low.

3 'My father keeps a public^
Down by the river side,
And you may go this night
And lay yourself a-side,

And meet me in the morning.
And meet me in the morning.'

4 'Don't let your parents know
My name it is young Edward
Who drove in the lowland low,
My name it is young Edward
Who drove in the lowland low.'

5 Young Edward fell to drinking
In time to go to bed,

But little was he thinking

That sorrow would crown his head.

6 'That puts me in mind of the driver boy
Who drove in the lowland low,

That puts me in mind of the driver boy
Who drove in the lowland low.'

7 Said Willie to her father,
'Let's go and make a show ;
W^e'U send his body a-sailing
Down in the lowland low,
We'll send his body a-sailing
Down in the lowland low.'

* The word "house" has evidently dropped out.

 

268 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

8 Miss Emily went to bed that night ;
She dreamed a frightful dream.
She dreamed her lover was bleeding,
The blood running down in a stream,
She dreamed her lover was bleeding,
The blood running down in a stream.

9 She got up in the morning ;
To her father she did go.

'Oh, father, where is my driver boy
Who drove in the lowland low,
Oh, father, where is my driver boy
Who drove in the lowland low?'

10 Her father made answer,
So cruel, you know :

'He's gone to dwell, no tongue can tell,
Down in the lowland low.
He's gone to dwell, no tongue can tell,
Down in the lowland low.'

11 'Oh, father, cruel father.
You shall die a public show

For the killing of my driver boy
Down in the lowland low,
For the killing of my driver boy
Who drove in the lowland low.

12 'The ships are on the ocean.
Sailing o'er my lover's breast ;
The sea's in gentle motion
And I hope his soul's at rest;
The sea's in gentle motion
And I hope his soul's at rest.

13 'The coach is on the mountain
A-sailing to and fro.

And reminds me of my driver boy
Who drove in the lowland low,
And reminds me of my driver boy
Who drove in the lowland low.'

 

'Young Emily.' One of the songs collected by Professors W. Amos
Abrams and Gratis D. Williams in 1945 from the siriging of Pat Frye
of East Bend, Yadkin county — concerning whom see the headnote to
'Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight' G. Somewhat incoherent, but most
of it can be made out by collation with the fuller text of A.

 

OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH 269

1 Youngs Emily was a maid so fair
She loved to drive a boatman

All she fained by driving the boat
Way down the lowland low.

2 Young Hendrick says to his father

'We'll send his body a-floating
Way down in the lowland low.'

3 Young Henry went to drinking that night
Was time to go to bed,

But little was he thinking

Of crowns to crown his head.

4 Young Emily went to bed that night
And dreamed a frightful dream,
She dreamed she saw her darling
Lie bleeding in the stream.

5 She rose up soon next morning
And to her father did go ;

'Oh father, where is my darling
Who driv in the lowland low?'

6 'He's gone to dwell no tongue can tell*
Her father did reply.

7 'Oh father, cruel father.
You'll die a public shore^
For murdering of my darling
Who driv in the lowland low.

8 'The fish that swims the ocean
Swims over my true love's breast ;
His body's in a gentle motion ;

I hope his soul's at rest.

9 'His coat's on yonders mountain
And wavers to and fro;

It minds me of my darling
Who driv in the lowland low.'
---------------------

79 Young Edwin in the Lowlands Low

A
'The Driver Boy.' Sung by anonymous singer. Recorded as ms score; no date
or place given.

 


For melodic relationship cf. **SharpK i 351, No. 56B, phrase b (variation),
and ibid. 354 and 356, versions E and G, measures 5-8. Also 356, No. 7, versions
I and J, measures 7-8 writh final cadence in our song.

Scale: Mode IV, plagal. Tonal Center: d. Structure: abab^abi (2,2,2,2,2,2)
= aaiai (4,4,4)-

A(I)

'The Driver Boy.' Sung by Mrs. E. Stamey. Recorded at Altamont, Avery
county, July 14, 1940. The singer does not repeat the last two lines as given in
the printed text in II 267 f. Our text is very similar to that of SharpK i 351,
No. 56B. The third and fourth measures remind one of 'Oh, Susanna!'
 
For melodic relationship cf. **SharpK 1 351 and 356, No. 56 B and G.

Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: abed (2,2,2,2). Circu-
lar Tune (V).