A Spanish Lady (ON) F.W. Waugh JAF 1909
[My title. From Journal of American Folklore, Volume 31, 1917; "Canadian Folk-Lore from Ontario" by F.W. Waugh. His notes with text follow.
R. Matteson 2017]
Play Rhymes
A Cornwall informant quotes (Dec. 11, 1909) a version formerly heard at Colborne, Ont., which he supposes to be Irish.
"Here sits a Spanish lady,
Who she is I do not know.
Come and court her for her beauty,
Whether she say yes or no."
The next verse began, –
"Madam, I have come a-courting,
Your kind favor to obtain."
The young man set forth his qualifications: —
"Madam, I have gold and silver,
Madam, I have houses and land;
Madam, I have ships on the ocean,
And they're all at your command."
The lady then scornfully remarked,
"What care I for your gold and silver?
What care I for your houses and land?
What care I for ships on the ocean?
All I want is a nice young man."
The young man then returned, –
"Madam, I have gold, etc.,
And, besides, I'm a nice young man," —
after which they both lived happily.