9. Young Hunting (Folk-Songs of the South- 1925; Footnotes moved to the end of each version.)
9. YOUNG HUNTING (Child, No. 68)
Two copies of this ballad have come to hand under the titles: "Lord Henry" and "Love Henry," the latter an abbreviated variant of no special significance. The former is an excellent ballad most like F of the Child versions, as indicated by the throwing of the body into the deep well (stanza 9) and the wishing for a bow and arrow (stanza 14). Cf. Child F 8 and 12.
For American texts see Journal, xx, 252 (Pettit; Kentucky); xxx, 297 (Kittredge; Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana), where references will be found; Campbell and Sharp, No. 15 (North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia); The William and Mary Literary Magazine, May, 1922, xxix, 664 (Virginia). Cf. Bulletin, Nos. 6, 7, 10.
A. "Lord Henry." Contributed by Mr. John Hill, Hughey, Logan County, January 7, 1916; learned many years ago from his mother. Reported by Cox, xlv, 160.
1 It happened on one evening late,
As the maid was going to bed,
She heard a sound, a beautiful sound,
That made her heart feel glad.
2 She thought it was her brother John,
Returning from the cane;
But who should it be but Lord Henry,
Just from his wild hunting?
3 "Get down, get down, Lord Henry,
And stay all night with me;
For the very best lodging in Mulvering Town,
The best I'll give to thee."
4 "I won't get down, I shan't get down,
To stay all night with you ;
For there 's a prettier girl in the merry green lands,
That I love much better than you."
5 As he leaned o'er his milk-white steed
And kisses gave her three,
She held up a knife in her right hand
And pierced him heartily.
6 "O live, O live, Lord Henry,
Half an hour or more;
For the very best doctors in Mulveren Town,
You'll soon be in their care."
7 "0 live, O live! how can I live,
How can I live you see,
When I can feel my own heart's blood,
Come trinkling o'er my knee?"
8 She called her waiting maids unto her
To view his body so fair,
Saying, "Of all this finery you see around here,
The finest you shall wear."
9 Some took him by his curly locks,
Some by his hands and feet,
And threw him in the cold, dark well,
Which was both cold and deep.
10 "Lie there, lie there, Lord Henry,
Till the flesh rots off your bones!
That prettier girl in the merry green lands,
Shall mourn for your return."
11 There was a pretty parrot bird,
Sitting high upon a limb,
Saying, "You murdered Lord Henry,
And in the well threw him."
12 "Come down, come down, my pretty parrot bird,
And sit on my right knee;
Your cage shall be the finest gold,
And the door of ivory."
13 "I won't come down, I shan't come down,
To sit on your right knee;
For you have murdered Lord Henry,
And soon you'd murder me."
14 "I wish I had my bended bow,
My arrow and my string;
I 'd pierce a dart so close your heart,
Those notes no more you 'd sing.
15 "O if you had your bended bow,
Your arrow and your string,
I 'd take my flight to the merry green lands
And tell what I'd seen."
B. "Love Henry." Contributed by Miss Polly McKinney, Sophia, Raleigh County, 1919.
1 "Come in, come in, Love Henry," she said,
"And sit on my right knee;
I'll give you a chair of yellow green gold,
And all the best is for thee."
2 "I can't come in, nor I shall not come in,
To sit on your right knee;
For the girl I left in the India land
Will think long of my coming home."
3 She leant herself all over the fence,
The kisses she gave were three;
A little penknife all in her hand,
She would it in fully. [1]
4 "O live, O live, Love Henry," she said,
"A half an hour or more,
And all the doctors in the town
Shall be here at your cure."
5 "O how can I live, O how can I live,
O how can I live?" said he;
"For don't you see my own heart's blood,
Come trinkling to my knee?'"
6 "Come down, come down, Polly Parrot," she said,
"And sit on my right knee;
I'll give you a cage of yellow green gold,
And all the best is for thee."
7 "I can't come down, nor I shall not come down,
To sit on your right knee;
For it have n't been long since you killed Love Henry —
How soon you might kill me!"
1 She wished to thrust it completely into his bosom.