A Nebraska Folk-Song
by Louise Pound
Folklore, Vol. 33, No. 1 (Mar. 31, 1922), pp. 113-115
Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises, Ltd.
COLLECTANEA
A NEBRASKA FOLK-SONG
THE following Nebraska text of a song for New Year's Eve may have interest for the readers of Folk-Lore. It was heard from Mr. James R. Barron of Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1919. He learned it from his mother, who learned it from oral transmission in the parish of Walls, on the west side of the Shetland Islands. He cannot recall that she ever had a book of songs.
Mr. Barron says that it was the custom for boys and girls
to go from house to house to sing this song. They were usually
asked into the house, and were, as a rule, given something in the
way of provisions-coffee, sugar, bread, butter. To carry
the provisions they had a sort of straw basket, called as nearly
as Mr. Barron can remember, a kishie. One of the singers was
appointed, or jokingly compelled, to carry this basket hung
from his shoulders by a strap. The one who carried the basket
was called the " carrying horse." The custom was practised
only in remote parts of Scotland and the Shetlands, and had
about died out by 1882, the year in which he learned the song
from his mother. The song itself continued to be sung at
parties on New Year's Eve.
I have not been able to identify it with anything in the
collections of Old World Folk-song which are available in the
library of the University of Nebraska.
LOUISE POUND
University of Nebraska, Lincoln, U.S.A.,
December, 1919.
A Nebraska Folk-Song
"The Newer Even's Sang"
This is guid Newer Even's night.
Saint Mary's men are we,
An' we're come here to crave our right,
Before our Lady.
We're neither come here for meal or maut,
Saint Mary's men are we,
Nor yet we're come for kale or saut,
Before our Lady.
But we are here to mak' you gay,
Saint Mary's men are we,
And we're here to honor guid New Year's Day,
Before our Lady.
King Henry he is not at home,
Saint Mary's men are we,
But he is a-hunting gone,
Before our Lady.
Shall we tell you how King Henry's lady was dressed ?
Saint Mary's men are we,
An' that fu' braw an' a' the best
Before our Lady.
She had upon her weel made head,
St. Mary's men are we,
A crown o' gold an' that fu' braid,
Before our Lady.
She had around her middle sma',
Saint Mary's men are we,
A golden belt an' it fu' braw,
Before our Lady.
She had upon her weel made feet,
Saint Mary's men are we,
Golden slippers an' they fu' neat,
Before our Lady.
Guid man, geng ti' your beef barrel,
Saint Mary's men are we,
An' gie us the piece 'at's neust the sparrel
Before our Lady.
Guid wife, geng ti' your bread basket,
Saint Mary's men are we,
An' gie us a slice or tiu of that
Before our Lady.
Guid man, geng ti' your mutton reest,
Saint Mary's men are we,
And gie us the piece that's next the breest,
Before our Lady.
Guid wife, geng ti' your cream kern,
Saint Mary's men are we,
An' gie us ane an' a' a stirrin'
Before our Lady.
Cut wide, cut room,
Saint Mary's men are we,
An' tak' care you cut na you in the toom,
Before our Lady.
Here we hae our cerryin' horse,
Saint Mary's men are we,
An' muckle-sorrow he on his cross,
Before our Lady.
He hed de wyte, we cam frae hame,
Saint Mary's men are we,
And brokken he his neck bane,
Before our Lady.
Wir feet are cauld, we want within,
Saint Mary's men are we,
Open the door or we'll lay him in,
Before our Lady.