Dear Willie, My Son- Burgoyne (Mass.) 1903 Barry F and G
[My title. From: Traditional Ballads in New England II by Phillips Barry; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 18, No. 70 (Jul. - Sep., 1905), pp. 191-214. I'm including both of Barry's versions F and G (fragment) here since they come from the same person, identified only by the initials E. J. B. in 1905. Barry also published this in 1903:
Communicated to me by Miss E. J. Burgoyne, of Winchester, Mass. A young lady of Boston also remembered it, but was not able to give me a complete copy.
Barry says this could be traced back three generations, so we could conservatively go back 50 years in time- making the date c.1853.
R. Matteson 2014]
F. [Dear Willie, My Son] Communicated July 11, 1903, by E. J. B., Winchester, Mass., and traced back for three generations in Fredericton, N. B.
1. "Where have you been, dear Willie, my son?
Where have you been, my darling young one?"
"I've been to see my sweetheart, mother make my bed soon,
As I'm sick to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
2 "What did your sweetheart give you, dear Willie, my son?
What did your sweetheart give you, my darling young one?"
"Three little silver fishes, mother make my bed soon,
For I'm sick to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
3. "What will you leave your father, dear Willie, my son?
What will you leave your father, my darling young one?"
"My coaches and horses, mother make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at my heart and I fain would lie down."
4. "What will you leave your mother, dear Willie, my son?
What will you leave your mother, my darling young one?"
"My best milch cows, mother make my bed soon,
For I'm sick to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
5. "What will you leave your sister, dear Willie, my son ?
What will you leave your sister, my darling young one?"
"Many rings and diamonds, mother make my bed soon,
For I'm sick to my heart, and I fain would lie down."
6 "What will you leave your sweetheart, dear Willie, my son?
What will you leave your sweetheart, my darling young one?"
"A rope for to hang her on yonder green tree,
'T is more than she deserves, for she 's poisoned me!"
G. Recited to me December 22, 1904, by E. J. B., contributor of F.
1. "Where was you last night, dear Willie, my son?
Where was you last night, my fond-hearted one?"
"I have been a-courting, mother make my bed soon,
For I'm sick to the heart, and I fain would lie down."
2 "What did your sweetheart give you, dear Willie, my son?
What did your sweetheart give you, my fond-hearted one?"
"Three little silver fishes, mother make my bed soon,
For I'm sick to the heart, and I fain would lie down."