Constant Farmer's Son- L.C. Wimberly (NE) 1916 (1908?)
[From: American Ballads and Songs edited by Louise Pound, 1922. Her notes follow. The first stanza (unattributed) was included in Publications, Issues 8-10 by Nebraska Academy of Sciences, in 1908 also authored by Pound. This brings into question the 1916 date. It's also possible (Dublin ref.) that this has been brought over from Ireland.
R. Matteson 2016]
H. M. Belden prints a text in The Sewanee Review, vol. 19, p. 222, 1911, and in the Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, vol. 33, p. 367, 1918; and W. R. Mackenzie in The Quest of the Ballad.
The Constant Farmer's Son- Text from L. C. Wimberly of Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1916.
There was a farmer's daughter near Dublin town did dwell,
So modest, fair and handsome, her parents loved her well;
She was admired by lord and dukes, but all their hopes were vain,
There was but one, a farmer's son, young Mary's heart could gain.
Long time young Willie courted her and fixed their wedding day;
Her parents both they gave consent, but her brothers they did say:
"There lives a lord that pledged his word, and if you do him shun,
We will betray and then will slay your constant farmer's son."
There was a fair not far from home, her brothers went straightway
And asked Willie's company to pass the time away.
But, mark, returning home at night they swore his race was run,
And with a stake the life did take of her constant farmer's son.
As Mary on her pillow lay she dreamed a dismal dream,
She dreamt she saw her true love's gore; the blood appeared in streams;
She then arose, put on her clothes, to seek her love did run,
When dead and cold she did behold her constant farmer's son.
The bitter tears ran down her cheeks and mingled with his gore,
She cried in vain to ease her pain and kissed him o'er and o'er;
She gathered green leaves from off the trees to shade him from the sun,
And one night and day was passed away with her constant farmer's son.
But hunger it came creeping on, poor girl she cried with woe,
And for to find his murderers she straightway home did go,
Saying, "Parents dear, you soon shall hear of a shocking deed that's done.
In yonder vale lies dead and pale my constant farmer's son.
Then up bespoke her eldest brother, saying, "Indeed it was not me."
The same replied her youngest brother and cursed most bitterly.
"Brothers," she said, "don't turn so red or try the law to shun;
You did the deed and sore you will bleed for my constant farmer's son."
These villains then did own their guilt and for the same did die;
Young Mary fair in deep despair, she never ceased to cry;
Her parents both they vanished away for their span of life was run;
Young Mary cried and of sorrow died for her constant farmer's son.