[Bonny Goldin] Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight- From M. A. K., Boston, Mass.; Collected Phillips Barry JOAFL 1911
[My title; first published as version K in Barry's 1908 book, Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States. Taken from: New Ballad Texts by Phillips Barry; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 24, No. 93 (Jul. - Sep., 1911), pp. 344-349.
R. Matteson 2011; 2014]
2. LADY ISABEL AND THE ELF-KNIGHT (Child, 4) "Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight," K, Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States, from M. A. K., Boston, Mass., in whose family (Irish) it has been traditional for generations.
I. So she took some of her father's gold,
And some of her mother's pelf,
And the two best horses in her father's stable,
. . . . . . . . . .
2. She mounted on a milk-white steed,
And William upon a bay,
And they left her father's palace,
. . . . hours before it was day.
3. " Dismount, dismount, my bonny Goldin,
Dismount you must for me,
Eleven King's daughters have I drowned here,
And you the twelfth shall be!"
4. "Take off, take off yon broidered gown,
And hang it on yonder pine,
For it is too good and too costly a robe,
For to rot in the salt sea brine!"
5. "Then turn yourself all round about,
To the green leaves on the tree,
For it does not become a seemly man,
A naked woman to see."
6. He turned himself all round about,
To the green leaves on the tree,
She clasped her arms about his waist,
And flung him into the sea.
7. "Some help, some help, my bonny Goldin," -
"No help you will get from me,
You thought to have drowned me here,
Instead it your grave shall be!"
8. She mounted on her milk-white steed,
In her hand she led the bay,
And she arrived at her father's palace,
Three hours before it was day.
9. . . . . . . .
From the cagement where he lay,
"Oh, where is your lovely William,
Who last night stole you away?"
10. "Oh, hush, oh, hush, my bonny parrot,
Oh, hush you must for me,
To-day you got but one handful of grots,
To-morrow you shall have three!"
11. Then up spake the King,
From his chamber where he lay,
"Oh, what is the matter, my bonny parrot,
That you prattle so long before day?"
12. "The cat, she came to my cagement door,
Thinking to devour me,
So I called out to bonny Goldin,
For to drive the cat away."