Barbary Allen- Corn (IN) 1935 Brewster E
[From: Brewster; Ballads and Songs of Indiana, 1940. Most of the ballads were collected in 1935 and 1936.
R. Matteson 2012]
15. BARBARA ALLEN (Child, No. 84)
"Barbara Allen" easily ranks first among Indiana ballads in point of number of versions recovered. Fourteen texts have been collected, ranging in length from seventeen stanzas to two. The ballad is known in this state as "Barbara Allen" or "Barbary Allen."
Both the A and B versions of Child are found, and sometimes there are combinations of the two. The hero appears as "Sweet William," "Young William," "Jemmy Groves," "Johnnie Green," and "Willie Green." The "rose-and-brier" ending occurs in eight of the versions.
For American texts, see Barry, No. 22; Barry, Eckstorm, and Smyth, p. 195; Campbell and Sharp, p. 90; Cox, p. 96; Davis, p. 302 and p. 577; Hudson, No. 13; Hudson, Folksongs, p. 95; Journal, VI, 132; XIX, 286; XX, 256; XXII, 63; XXVI, 352; XXVIII, 144; XXIX, 160,198; XXX, 317; XXXV, 343; XXXIX, 97, 211; XLII, 268, 303; XLVI, 28; XLIX, 207-8; Jones, p. 301; Greenleaf and Mansfield, p. 26; Mackenzie, Ballads, p. 35; Mackenzie, p. 100; McGill, p. 39; Pound, Ballads, p. 7; Sandburg, p. 57; Scarborough, p. 59; Scarborough, Song Catcher, p. 83; Shearin, p. 3; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Smith, pp. 13, 20; Smith, Ballads, p. 129; Thomas, p. 94; Wyman and Brockway, p. 5; Randolph, The Ozarks, pp. 183-85; Smith and Rufty, American Anthology, pp. 30-36; Cambiaire, East Tennessee and Western Virginia Mountain Ballads, pp. 66-6$; Fauset, Folk-Lore from Nova Scotia, p. 113; BFSSNE, X, 23-24 (Maine); PTFLS, X, 146; Neely, Tales and Songs of Southern Illinois, pp. 138-39; Gordon, Folk-Songs of America, p. 69; Henry, Folk-Songs from the Southern Highlands, p. 80.
British: Greig, Last Leaves, pp. 67-70; Williams, Folk-Songs of the Upper Thames, pp. 204, 206; JFSS, I, 111, 265; II, 15, 80; Journal of the Irish Folk-Song Society, I, 45
Version E- "Barbary Allen." Contributed by Mrs. A. W. Corn, of Winslow, in Pike County. May 20, 1935.
1. In Scarlet Town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling
And every youth cried "well away,"
Her name was Barbary Allen.
2. All in the merry month of May
When green buds they were swelling,
Young Jemmy Grove on his deathbed lay
For love of Barbary Allen.
3. He sent his man unto her then
To the house where she did dwell in,
Saying, "You must come to my master
If your name be Barbary Allen.
4. "For death is printed on his face
And o'er his heart is stealing
Then haste away to comfort him,
O lovely Barbary Allen."
5. "Though death be printed on his face
And o'er his heart be stealing
Yet little better shall he be
For bonny Barbary Allen."
6. So slowly, slowly she came up,
And slowly she came nigh him,
And all she said when there she came,
"Young man, I think you're dying."
7. He turned his face unto her straight,
With deadly sorrow sighing,
"O pretty maid, come pity me;
I'm on my deathbed lying."
8. "If on your deathbed you do lie,
What needs the tale you're telling?
I cannot keep you from your death;
Farewell," said Barbary Allen.
9. He turned his face unto the wall,
And death was with him dealin';
"Adieu, adieu, my friends all;
Adieu to Barbary Allen."
10. As she was walking o'er the fields,
She heard the bells a-knellin',
And every stroke did seem to say,
"Unworthy Barbary Allen!"
11. She turned her body round about
And spied the corpse a-coming;
"Lay down, lay down the corpse," she said,
"That I may look upon him."
12. With scornful eyes she looked down,
Her cheeks with laughter swelling,
While all her friends cried out again,[1] "Unworthy Barbary Allen!"
13. When he was dead and in his grave,
Her heart was struck with sorrow:
"O Mother, Mother, make my bed,
For I shall die tomorrow."
14. "Hard-hearted creature him to slight,
Who loved me so dearly;
O that I'd been more kind to him
When he was alive and near me!"
15. She on her deathbed as she lay
Begged to be buried by him,
And sore repented of the day
That she did e'er deny him.
16. "Farewell," she said, "ye virgins all;
And shun the fault I fell in.
Henceforth take warning by the fall
Of cruel Barbary Allen."
1. Again should probably read "amain." The friends are introduced here for the first time.