Mary Dear- Frank Corban (MS) 1936 Hudson
[My title. From Folksongs of Mississippi, 1936 Hudson. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2016]
46. WILLIE AND MARY
[Mary Dear] "The Drowsy Sleeper." Text secured by Miss Emma Ruth Corban, Fayette, from Mrs. Frank Corban, Fayette. Compare: Campbell and Sharp, No. 47;Cox, No. ro8; Pound, No. 21. For the related song type, see Baskerville, PMLA, XXXVI, 585.
1. I am sitting by the bedroom window,
Weeping there so bitterly,
" 'Tis I, 'tis I, your old true lover
Open the door and let me in."
2 Mary rose from her snow-white pillow
To open the door to let him in,
And who did she see but her old true lover,
Standing there so tenderly.
3 "Mary dear, go and ask your mother
If she'll consent you my bride to be,
And if she says no, come quick and tell me;
No longer this night will I trouble thee."
4 "'Tis of no use to ask my mother,
For she intends to keep me free;
So go away my old true lover,
And court some prettier damsel than me."
5 "I could ramble this whole world over,
I could ramble from shore to shore,
Oh, I could court some prettier damsel,
But not the girl that I love best.
6. "Mary dear, go and ask your father
If he will consent you my bride to be,
And if he says no, come quick and tell me;
No longer this night will I trouble thee."
7. "'Tis of no use to ask my father,
For he's lying on his bed of rest,
And by his side lies a golden dagger
To kill the boy that I love best."
8. Willie picked up the golden dagger
And pierced it through his aching heart,
Saying, "Farewell, Mary, my old true lover,
After this night I guess we'll part."
9. Mary picked up the bloodied dagger
And pierced it through her own dear heart,
Saying, "Farewell, mother, farewell, papa;
After this I guess we'll part."