Bolakin- Turberfield (NC) 1933 Matteson
[From Beech Mountain Folk-Songs and Ballads, 1933; Matteson and Henry.
This version titled Bolakin (no "s") was collected first in 1933 by my grandfather, Maurice Matteson who has her name as Mrs. Lena Bare Turberfield which is different than LOC spelling of her name (Hudson). It appears with music in his short book, Beech Mountain Folk-Songs and Ballads. Later, titled Bolakins, it was recorded by Mrs. Lena Bare Turbyfill [sic] at Elk Park, North Carolina, 1939, on Anglo-American Ballads, volume two, The Library of Congress, Archive of Folk Culture, Rounder CD 1516; original released as Recording Laboratory, Library of Congress AFS L7, 1943.
The texts are very similar.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
Bolakin
Oh, Bolakin was a very fine mason
As ever laid stone
He built a fine castle
And the pay he got none
"Oh, where is the gentleman?
Is he at home?"
"He's gone down to Marion
For to visit his son."
"Oh, where is the lady?
Is she at home?"
"She's upstairs sleeping,"
Said the foster[1] to him.
"How will we get her down
Such a dark night as this?"
"We'll stick her little baby
Full of needles and pins."
Bolakins he rocked
And the foster she sung
While blood and tears
From the cradle did dun [2]
Down come our lady
Not thinking any harm
Old Bolakins he took her
Right in his arms
"Bolakins, Bolakins,
Spare my life one day
I'll give you many marigolds
As my horse can carry away
"Bolakin, Bolakin
Spare my life one hour
I'll give you my daughter Bessie
My own blooming flower."
"You better keep your daughter Bessie
For to run through the flood
And scare[3] up silver basins
To catch your heart's blood."
Daughter Bessie climbed up
In the window so high
And saw her father
Come riding hard by
"Oh, father, oh, father,
Would you blame me?
Old Bolakin
Has killed your baby.
"Oh, father, oh, father,
Can you blame me?
Old Bolakins
Has killed your ladie."
They hung old Bolakin
To the sea-gallows tree
And tied the foster
To the stake of stand-by.
1. for falstress; for false nurse
2. Hudson has "run"
3. scour