Cox Collection (Folk-Songs of the South) 1925
[Folk-Songs of the South was publish in 1925 and has almost exclusively West Virginia folk songs since Cox was on the English Department faculty at West Virginia University. Since he was an English teacher, the title is baffling to say the least. At West Virginia University in the 1920s there was a nucleus of folk collectors supporting Cox including Louis Chappell, Josiah Combs, Carey Woofter and Patrick Gainer. The texts for F-U are probably housed somewhere- have not located them yet.
R. Matteson 2013]
Article was written by John A. Cuthbert:
John Harrington Cox (May 27, 1863-November 21, 1945) was one of the pioneers in the field of American folk song scholarship. Cox was born in Madison County, Illinois. Educated at Brown and Harvard (Ph.D. 1923) universities, he received an appointment on the English Department faculty at West Virginia University in 1903. His early efforts at the university were devoted to the study of Old and Middle English, and Medieval literature, in which fields he achieved distinction as an educator, author, and editor.
Cox collected his first folk song in 1913. Two years later, on July 15, 1915, he presided over the founding of the West Virginia Folklore Society, serving as its first president, archivist, and editor. Though the society met formally only twice, it established a network of field collectors across the state that continued to function loosely under Cox’s direction for many years.
During the early 1920s, Cox organized and edited an extensive body of the folk songs collected under the Society’s auspices as the basis of his Ph.D. dissertation. Produced under the direction of the noted Harvard scholar, George Lyman Kittredge, the dissertation was published as Folk-Songs of the South by the Harvard University Press in 1925. The first major collection of American folk songs by an American editor to appear in print, the volume became a model in both its scholarship and format for many subsequent American folk song publications. Despite the title it consisted almost entirely of West Virginia songs.
In the years that followed, Cox prepared an extensive body of additional folk songs for publication. These materials remained in manuscript until they were published in 1939 by the National Service Bureau in two mimeographed volumes: Traditional Ballads Mainly From West Virginia, and Folk-Songs Mainly From West Virginia. Cox died in Morgantown.
25. JAMES HARRIS (THE DAEMON LOVER) (Child, No. 243)
Twenty-one variants have been found in West Virginia, under the titles: "The House Carpenter," "The House Carpenter's Wife," and "The Salt Water Sea" (cf. Cox, xlv, 159). The story is virtually the same in all the variants.
In the main, the West Virginia variants agree very closely with Child B, but contain here and there stanzas that show relations to other Child versions. The returned lover has lost all trace of the "Daemon," unless such a trace is found in A 13, 14.
For a list of American texts see Journal, xxx, 325; xxxv, 346. Add Campbell and Sharp, No. 29 (North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee); Pound, No. 17 (Illinois; same as Journal, xxvi, 360); Minish MS. (North Carolina); Bulletin; Nos. 6-1 1.
A. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Mr. Decker Toney, Queens Ridge, Wayne County, January 20, 1916; obtained from his mother, who learned it from her sister.
1 "Well met, well met, my old true love,
Well met, well met!" said he;
"I have come from the rolling salty sea,
And for all the sake, love, of thee.
2 "I could have married a king's daughter,
A beautiful dame was she;
But I have forsaken a rich crown of gold,
And all for the sake, love, of thee."
3 "If you could have married a king's daughter,
I'm sure you are to blame;
I have just married a house carpenter,
And I think he's a fine young man."
4 "If you will forsake your house carpenter
And go along with me,
I 'll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of Sweet Willie."
5 "If I should forsake my house carpenter
And go along with you,
And you 'd have nothing to supply me with,
Lord, what should I do?"
6 "I have six ships on the ocean, love,
Sailing for dry land;
One hundred and ten of your own countrymen
Shall go at your command."
7 She dressed herself in silk so fine,
In rings and diamonds and gold;
And as she walked her rooms all round,
She was a beauty to behold.
8 She picked up her tender little babe
And gave it kisses three;
"Lie there, lie there, my tender little babe,
And keep your papa company."
9 They had not been on board the ship,
Not over two weeks or three,
This fair lady sat dcwn to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
10 "What are you weeping about, my old true love,
What are you weeping about?" said he.
"Are you weeping about your house carpenter,
Whose face you can never more see?
11 "Are you weeping for riches, my love,
Or are you weeping for store?
Are you weeping for your tender little babe,
Whose face you'll see no more?"
12 "I am not weeping for riches, love,
I am not weeping for store;
I am weeping for my tender little babe,
Whose face I'll see no more."
13 "What hills, what hills are those, my love,
That look so bright and high?"
"It's the hills, it's the hills of heaven, my dear,
Where all righteous people lie."
14 "What hills, what hills, are those, my love,
That look so dark and low?"
"It's the hills, it's the hills of hell, my dear,
Where you and I must go."
15 They had not been on board of the ship,
Not over three weeks or four,
There sprang a leak in the bottom of the ship,
And she sank for to rise no more.
B. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Mr. Greenland Thompson Federer, Morgantown, Monongalia County, January, 191 7; taken from an old manuscript song book owned by Lizzie Kelly, Independence. A name at the end of the ballad seems to indicate that it was taken down from the dictation of Mary Guseman.
1 "Well met, well met, my own true love,
Well met, well met!" cried he;
"I have just returned from the salt, salt sea;
It was all for the love of thee.
2 "I could have married the king's daughter,
And vain [1] she'd 'a' married me;
But I refused all her crown of gold,
'T was all for love of thee."
3 "If you could have married the king's daughter,
I am sure you are much to blame;
For now I am married to a house carpenter,
And I think him a nice young man."
4 "O won't you forsake your house carpenter
And go to sea with me?
I will take you down where the grass grows green,
On the banks of sweet Italy."
5 "If I forsake my house carpenter
And go to sea with you,
what have you to support me on
And keep me from slavery?"
6 "I've seven ships all on the sea,
All sailing for dry land;
I've a hundred and ten of the finest waiting men,
That shall be at your command."
7 She took her babe up in her arms
And gave it kisses three:
"Stay at home, my sweet little babe,
And keep your papa company."
8 She dressed herself in rich appearl, [2]
Most beautiful to behold;
And she walked down by the river-side,
She shone like glittering gold.
9 She had not been on the sea two weeks,
I 'm sure it was not three,
Till this fair lady began to weep:
She wept most bitterly.
10 "And is it for my gold you weep,
Or is it for my store?
Or is it for your house carpenter,
That you never will see any more?"
11 "It is not for your gold I weep,
Nor is it for your store;
But it is for that sweet little babe,
That I never shall see any more."
12 She had not been on the sea three week,
1 'm sure it was not four,
Till from the deck she sprang a leak,
And she sank to rise no more.
13 The captain, crew, tried to save,
But it was all in vain;
She sank, O she sank to the bottom of the sea,
And she sleeps in a watery grave.
14 now her child is growing up,
Her husband doing well,
While this fair lady lies in the bottom of the sea,
And her soul is doomed to hell.
1 For fain.
2 Apparel.
C. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fairmont, Marion County, January, 191 7; given to him by Mr. George Gregg, Pocahontas County, who obtained it from Miss Grace Bernard, Durbin.
1 "Well met, well met, my own true love,
Well met, well met!" said he;
"For I have just returned from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee.
2 "I could have married a king's daughter dear,
And she would have married me;
But her chains in gold I did refuse,
And it's all for the love of thee."
3 "If I could forsake my house carpenter
And go along with thee,
What would you have to maintain me on
And keep me from poverty?''
4 "I have six ships on sea
And seven more on land;
If you will go along with me,
They'll be at your command."
5 She dressed herself in scarlet red,
Most beautiful to behold;
And as she walked the streets up and down,
She shone like glittering gold.
6 She picked up her own little babe
And gave it kisses three,
Saying, "Stay at home my sweet little babe,
And keep papa's company."
7 Saying, "Who will shoe your pretty feet,
And who will glove your hand,
And who will kiss your red rosy cheek,
When I'm in a foreign land?"
8 "My papa will shoe my pretty little feet,
And he will glove my hand;
And you may kiss my red rosy cheek,
When returned from the foreign land."
9 She had not been on board two weeks,
I am sure it was not three,
Until this lady began to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
10 Saying, "Is it for my gold you weep,
Or is it for my store?
Or is it for the house carpenter,
Who you will never see more?"
11 "It's neither for your gold I weep,
Or is it for your store;
But it 's all for the love of the sweet little babe,
Who I shall never see any more."
12 She had not been on board three weeks,
I am sure it was not four,
The ship it sprang a leak,
And she sank to rise never more,
13 Saying, " Cursed be to a seaman,
And curse a sailor's life,
For robbing a house carpenter of his wealth
And stealing away his wife!"
14 The little babe in the churchyard lies,
And it's mother in the bottom of the sea;
And it 's father roams all over the world,
And still no pleasure can see.
D. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Mr. George Paugh, Thomas, Tucker County, October 191 5; written down for him by Mrs. Stella Thomas, Ben Bush.
1 "Well met, well met, my own true love,
Well met, well met," said he;
"I have just returned from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee.
2 "I could have married a queen's daughter fair,
In fain married would she be;
But I regret of her golden crown,
And it's all for the love of thee."
3 "You should have married a queen's daughter,
In fain married would she;
For I have married a house carpenter, .
And a fine young man is he."
4 "If you will forsake your house carpenter,
And go along with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of a sweet libertee."
5 "If I would forsake my house carpenter,
And go along with thee,
What have you to maintain me on,
And keep me from misery?"
6 "Seven ships I have out on the sea,
Seven more I have at land;
One hundred and ten, brave jolly young men,
All to be at your command."
7 "Then I will forsake my house carpenter
And go along with thee,
If you will take me where the grass grows green,
On the banks of the sweet libertee."
8 She called her children to her side,
And gave them kisses three,
Saying, "Stay at home with your papa, dear,
And keep him in company. "
9 She dressed herself in rich array,
Most glorious to behold;
And every town that she sailed through,
She shone like the glittering gold.
10 "O do you weep for gold," he said,
"Or do you weep for fear?
Or do you weep for the house carpenter,
That you left and came with me here?"
11 "I do not weep for gold," she said,
"I do not weep for fear;
But I do weep for the pretty little babes,
That I left and came with you here."
12 We had not been at sea three weeks,
I am sure it was not four,
Till this fair lillie threw herself overboard,
And her weeping was heard no more.
13 He turned himself round about,
With dark and watering eyes,
Saying, "The nearest and the dearest of this world must part,
And so must you and I."
14 O cursed be those seafaring men,
O cursed be their lives,
For the robbing of the house carpenter
And the stealing away of his wife
15 They had not sailed half across the main,
Till the winds began to roar,
And the ship sprang a leak, and she sank to the deep,
And she sank to rise no more.
E. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Mr. George Paugh, Thomas, Tucker County; learned from his mother, whose maiden name was Ida Knapp. Printed by Cox, xliv, 388.
1 "Well met, well met, my own true love,
Well met, well met!" cried he;
"I am just returning home from the sea,
And it's all for the sake of thee, thee, thee,
And it 's all for the sake of thee.
2 "I could have married the king's daughter dear,
I'm sure she'd a married me;
But I forsook her crowns of gold,
And it's all for the love of thee."
3 "If you could of married the king's daughter dear,
I'm sure you're much to blame;
For I have married a house carpenter,
And I'm sure he's a nice young man."
4 "If you will forsake your house carpenter,
And go along with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of the sweet Morea."
5 "If I forsake my house carpenter,
And go along with thee,
What have you to support me upon,
To keep me from poverty?"
6 "I have on sea one hundred ships,
All sailing for dry land;
One hundred and ten nice, jolly young men, —
They shall be at your command."
7 She picked up her sweet little babe,
The kisses she gave was three,
Saying, "Stay at home my sweet little babe,
Keep your father's company."
8 She dressed herself in richery,
Most beauteous to behold;
And as they walked along the street,
She shined like glittering gold.
9 They had not been on the sea two weeks,
I 'm sure it was not three,
Until this maid began to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
10 "Are you weeping for your gold,
Or for your richery?
Or are you weeping for your house carpenter,
That you never again shall see?"
11 "I 'm neither weeping for my gold,
Nor for my richery;
But I 'm weeping for my sweet little babe,
That I never again shall see."
12 "Cheer up, cheer up, my own true love,
Cheer up, cheer up," said he;
"I'll take you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of the sweet Morea."
13 They had not been on the sea three weeks,
I 'm sure it was not four,
Until the ship it sprang a leak,
And it sank for to rise no more.
14 "Cursed be to all seafaring young men,
Cursed be to the sailor's life,
Who has robbed me of my house carpenter,
And taken away my life!"
F. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Mrs. Hilary G. Richardson, Clarksburg, Harrison County, March 15, 1916; obtained from Mrs. Rachel Fogg, originally from Doddridge County. She learned it from her mother, and she from her mother. Eight stanzas.
G. "The House Carpenter." Contributed by Mrs. J. J. Haines, Parkersburg, Wood County, January, 1916. She writes: "I have heard these old ballads sung from earliest recollections by grandparents and others. My ancestors on both sides came to America in the time of colonization. A variant in ten stanzas, the first one corrupt.
H. "The Carpenter's Wife." Communicated by Professor C. E. Haworth, Huntington, Cabell County. Obtained from Mrs. J. A. Rollyson, who says it is familiar in Clay, Braxton, and Calhoun Counties. Ten stanzas; heroine's name, Ellen.
I. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Mr. Rex Hoke, Second Creek, Monroe County, February 4, 1916; obtained from his mother, who learned it in 1 87 1 from Cyrus McKinsley. An excellent text in fourteen stanzas.
J. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Miss Lalah Lovett, Bulltown, Braxton County. Obtained from Mrs. Cora Starkey, Clarksburg; learned from her parents, who learned it in Virginia from their parents, who were of English descent. Twelve stanzas. The heroine dressed herself in a "scarlet robe" and "walked the downward road." The ship sails "two links from land."
K. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Anna Copley, Shoals, Wayne County, December 28, 1915; obtained from Luther Burwell, who learned it from his mother about fifty years previously. Twelve stanzas. The heroine dressed herself in white and trimmed herself in green.
L. "The House Carpenter." Contributed by Professor A. J. Hare, Morgantown, Monongalia County. He learned it when a child from his mother. Ten stanzas.
M. "The House Carpenter." Contributed by Mr. W. T. Ryan, Chicago, Illinois, a native of Monongalia County. Reported August 10, 1915; learned about fifty years before from a relative. Eleven stanzas.
N. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Mrs. Elizabeth Tapp Peck, Morgantown, Monongalia County, March 31, 1916; obtained from her mother, Mrs. Thomas H. Tapp, who learned it from her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Wade Mack, who lived in her youth near Bethel Church. A very good text in thirteen stanzas.
O. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Miss Alice Brake, Webster Springs, Webster County, February 27, 1916; obtained from her mother, who probably learned it from her brothers. Nine stanzas.
P. "House Carpenter." Contributed by Miss Polly McKinney, Sophia, Raleigh County, 1919. Eleven stanzas.
Q. "Salt Water Sea." Communicated by Miss Sallie Evans, Elkins, Randolph County, 1916; obtained from Mr. Guy Marshall, who got it from his mother, who learned it from her mother. Ten stanzas.
R. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fairmont, Marion County, May 19, 1916; obtained from Miss Daisy Watkins, who learned it from her mother. Ten stanzas, much corrupted.
S. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fairmont, Marion County, July, 191 5; obtained from Mr. G. W. Cunningham, Elkins, Randolph County, who learned it from his father. Seven stanzas.
T. "The House Carpenter's Wife." Contributed by Miss Maud Groves, Deepwell, Nicholas County, August 3, 1915; learned from Mr. Wiley Geho. Twelve stanzas.
U. "The House Carpenter." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fairmont, Marion County, 1919. It appeared shortly before in a Tyler Count newspaper, which says of it in part: "Mrs. Nora V. Ankron of near Kidwell gives us a faded copy of an old ballad that was sung by the old settlers in Tyler and Wetzel counties back prior to the Civil War and had its origin possibly in the romantic adventures of some Saxon seaman. The copy she handed us was written on July 5th, 1869, on old fashioned foolscap paper." An excellent text in twelve stanzas.
(Folk-Songs of the South- 1925; Footnotes moved to the end of each version.)