Barbery Allen- Cotton (MO) pre1906 Belden D
[From Old-Country Ballads in Missouri II by H. M. Belden; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 19, No. 75 (Oct. - Dec., 1906), pp. 281-299. Version B in JAF.
This is Pound's A version, Belden's version D in 1940.
R. Matteson 2012]
CHILD 84. - Barbara Allen
D. BARBERY ALLEN- Sung and written down by Stella Cotton, Miller County, and sent in by Mr. Johnson.
It was early in the month of May,
The rosebuds they were swelling;
Little Jimmy Grooves on his deathbed lay
For the love of Barbery Allen.
He sent his servant into the town
Where she'd been lately dwelling,
Saying, "Bring to me those beautiful cheeks,
If her name be Barbery Allen."
So he arose and he left the room
Where she'd been lately dwelling,
Saying, "You've been called upon this eve,
If your name be Barbery Allen."
Then she arose and went to the room
Where Jimmy was a-lying,
And these were the words she seemed to say:
"Young man, I think you 're dying."
"That's so, that's so, my love," said he,
"I'm in a low condition;
One-kiss from you would comfort me
If your name be Barbery Allen."
"One kiss from me you'll never receive
Although you are a-dying:"
And every tongue did seem to say
"Hard-hearted Barbery Allen."
"Oh, don't you remember a long time ago,
Way down in yonder tavern,
Where you drank your health to the ladies all,
But you slighted Barbery Allen?"
"Yes, I remember a long time ago,
Way down in yonder tavern,
Where I drank my health to the ladies all;
But my love was to Barbery Allen."
She had not gone more than half a mile
Till she saw the corpse a-coming;
Saying, "Lay those corpse before my eyes
That I may look upon them."
The more she looked the more she wept,
Till she burst out a-crying;
And then she kissed those tear cold cheeks
That she refused when dying.
"O mamma, mamma, go make my bed,
Go make it long and narrow;
Little Jimmy Grooves has died of love,
And I will die of sorrow.
"O mamma, mamma, go make my bed,
Go make it long and narrow;
Little Jimmy Grooves has died to-day,
And I will die to-morrow."
Little Jimmy was buried in the new churchyard
And Barbery close beside him,
And out of his grave grew a red rose
And out of hers a briar.
They grew and grew to the old church top
Till they could grow no higher,
And they both were tied in a true-lovers' knot,
The red rose and the briar.