Bold Dunkins (My title)- Gentry (NC) 1916 Sharp A
[My title. English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians; collected by Cecil J. Sharp and Olive Dame Campbell; Edited by Maud Karpeles; 1932, Volume I. Notes from 1932 edition follow.
Gentry could not remember the ending stanzas, she said the maid was sent to warn the lady's husband of the murders and did so by saying that Dunkins has killed a doe and a swan [MS in V.W. Collection]
R. Matteson 2015]
No. 27. Lamkin.
Texts without tunes:—Child's English and Scottish Popular Ballads y No. 93. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xiii. 117; xxix. 162.
Texts with tunes :—Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, i. 61. E. M. Leather's Folk-Lore of Herefordshire, p. 199. Journal of the Folk-Song Society, i. 212 ; ii. 111; v. 81. Gavin Greig's Last Leaves, No. 34. Folk-Songs of England, iv, p. 38 (also published in English Folk Songs, Selected Edition, ii. 24, and One Hundred English Folk-Songs, p. 62). Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxxv. 344. British Ballads from Maine, p. 200. Davis's Traditional Ballads of Virginia, pp. 354 and 583.
A. [Bold Dunkins.] Sung by Mrs. JANE GENTRY at Hot Springs, N. C, Sept. 12, 1916
1. Bold Dunkins was as fine a mason,
As ever was under the sun.
And he built a fine castle,
And pay he got none.
2 But bold Dunkins crept in
By the way of the back door,
And persuaded the nurse
To help him get her down.
3 We'll pick her baby Johnny
With the silver spade.
And the blood from the head
To the foot-board did run.
4 Bewore, ye fair lady,
You must come to your dearest one.
How can I get to him
At this time of night
When there's no fire burning,
Nor no candle alight ?
5 You've got five golden mantles
As bright as the sun.
Bewore, ye fair lady,
You must come by the light of one.
6 She was a-coming downstairs
A-thinking no harm,
When bold Dunkins was ready
To take her in his arms.
7 O spare my life, Dunkins,
Just one half of an hour,
And you may have as much gold and silver
As endel in the streets.