Butcher's Boy- Kenneth Williams (IN) 1935 Brewster C
[From Brewster, Ballads and Songs of Indiana, 1940. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2017]
34 THE BUTCHER'S BOY
Nine variants have been found in Indiana, most of them badly corrupted. For other American texts, see Barry, No. 41; Belden, No. 21; Campbell and Sharp, II, 76; Cox, p. 430; Hudson, Folksongs, p. 160; Journal, XXIX, 169; XXXI, 73; XXXV, 157; XLIV, 76; XLV, 72; Mackenzie, p. 9; Mackenzie, Ballads, p. 157; Pound, p. 60; Scarborough, Song Catcher, p. 282; Shearin and Combs, p. 24; Fauset, Folk-Lore frorn Nova Scotia, p. 110; Creighton, Songs and Ballads from Nova Scotia, p. 33; Neely, Tales and Songs of Southern Illinois, pp. 146-49; Henry, Folk-Songs from the Southern Highlands, p. 195. British: JFSS, I, 252; V, 181. For the composition of "The Butcher's Boy," see Cox, headnote, p, 430.
C. "The Butcher's Boy." Contributed by Mr. Kenneth Williams, of Oakland City, Indiana. Gibson County. Secured by him from an uncle. March 19, 1935.
1. In London City where I did dwell
A butcher's boy I loved so well;
He stole from me my heart away,
"And with me now he will not stay.
2. There is a strange girl in this town;
My love he goes and he sits down,
And takes that strange girl on his knee,
And tells to her what he won't tell me.
3. It's a grief to me, I'll tell you why,
Because she has more gold than I.
But gold will melt and silver fly;
True constant love will never die.
4. Last night my lover promised me[1]
He'd take me across the deep blue sea;
But now he's gone and left me alone,
Poor orphan girl to weep and mourn.
5. Go dig my grave both wide and deep;
Place a marble slab at my head and feet.
Place o'er my eyebrow a snow-white dove
To prove to the world that I died for love.
1. This stanza appears in a number of versions, see: Forsaken Girl sung by Eden Nash TN, McDowell