Awake, Awake- James Ashby (MO) 1874 Belden C
[My title. From the German publication; Archiv für das Studium der neueren Sprachen und Literaturen (1907). Reprinted in Ballads and Songs, 1940.
The suicide is quite different and is also found in Cox A from West Virginia.
R. Matteson 2016]
Folksong in Missouri-- Bedroom Window
The third I have copied literatim from a MS ballad book compiled in the years 1873—80 by James Ashby of Holt County, Missouri. Waters cannot write; Ashby can, after a fashion, and he regularly dated the entries in his book.
MS dated February 22, 1874 found by Belden in Missouri. It also has the "The Unkind Parents/Dearest Dear" stanzas attached at the end. Spelling and punctuation on the MS have not been corrected:
Awake, Awake (Bedroom Window)- from MS compiled by James Ashby of Holt County, Missouri. Original spelling kept.
Awake awake you drowsey sleeper
Awake awake it is allmost day
How can you Sleep you felistian creature
When your true love is Just gone[1] away
Go way go way youl will wake my
Mother and that will be sad news to me
you must go way and cort Some other
She whispered low love in my year[2]
Go way go way you will wake mi father
he lies on yonders bed of rest
and in his hand he holds a rapture[3]
To pearse the one whome i love best
Go fetch to me yonders pen and paper
That i may Set down and write a while
I will tell you of the greaf and sorow
that troubles me bothe day and night
I wish i was a little swalow
Or els Some lonesome turkle dove
I would fly away over hils of Sorow
and lite on Some land of love
In yonders field go stick an arow
I wish the same was in my heart
Then i would bid adieu to Sin and
Sorow then my poor Sole would be at rest
go dig my grave in yonders meadow
'lace marble stones at head and feet
and on my brest a turtle dove to tes
testify i died for love
1. going
2. ear
3. rapier
--------------
Awake, Awake (spelling corrected)
Awake, awake you drowsy sleeper
Awake awake it is almost day
How can you sleep you felistian[1] creature
When your true love is just going away.
Go way go way you will wake my mother
And that will be sad news to me
You must go way and court some other
She whispered low love in my ear.
Go way go way you will wake my father
He lies on yonders bed of rest
And in his hand he holds a rapier,
To pierce the one whom I love best
Go fetch to me yonders pen and paper
That I may sit down and write a while
I will tell you of the grief and sorrow
That troubles me both day and night.
I wish I was a little swallow
Or else some lonesome turtle dove
I would fly away over hills of sorrow
And light on some land of love.
In yonders field go stick an arrow
I wish the same was in my heart
Then I would bid adieu to sin and sorrow
Then my poor soul would be at rest.
Go dig my grave in yonders meadow
Place marble stones at head and feet
And on my breast a turtle dove
To testify I died for love
1. Philistine? (Belden 1940)