Fair Ellen- Welch (ME) 1907 Barry A
[My title, derived from the similar Songster version titled, Fair Eleanor. From British Ballads From Maine, 1929, Barry Eckstorm and Smyth. Barry's notes follow.
As the B version Barry reprints the Black-Bird Songster version titled Fair Eleanor, which this seems to be derived.
R. Matteson 2015]
Child's text is based on three copies of an English broadside, the oldest dating to 1660-75, which "may reasonably be believed to be formed upon a predecessor in the popular style" (II, 430). Our texts are independent of the broadside, which names the lady "Elise," and is more prolix, but are closer to a fragmentary text sent to Percy in 1776 by the Dean of Derry, reprinted by Child, II, 429. This text, which names the lady "Eleanor," and agrees with our texts against the broadside in making the mother (i.e., stepmother) send the robbers as agents of her spite, was regarded by Percy as a "fragment of an older copy than that printed of "The Lady turnd Serving-Man" (Child, II, 429, note).
Our B-text must have been derived from tradition; a printer's ignorance may account for the misspelled words, but not for the absurdity of the second line of stanza 12, which corresponds to A7 line 2.
THE FAMOUS FLOWER OF SERVING-MEN
(Child 106)
[Fair Ellen]. Recited by Mrs. A. Welch, native of County Clare, Ireland, at Brunswick, September 4, 1907. MS collection of Phillips Barry, in Harvard University Library.
1. My father married me unto a knight,
My stepmother owed me a woful spite--
She sent five robbers to me one night,
To rob my court, and slay my knight.
2. I cut my hair and changed my name,
From Ellen fair unto Sir William,
And horse and saddle I did ride,
With a sword and scarf down by my side.
3 I rode along to the King's hall,
And loud for service I did call,--
I gave the butler a diamond ring,
To deliver my message up to the King.
4 When the King came down, he made a bower,
Saying,--"Put on your hat, my girl and flower,
Put on your hat,--my girl and true,
And tell to me what you can do."
5 "I can be your stable-groom,
Or I can be your kitchen cook,
Or I can stand in your grandest hall,
To wait on your nobles when they do call."
6 "You'll not be my kitchen cook,
Nor you'll not be my stable groom,
But you may stand in my grandest hall,
To wait on nobles when they do call.
7 The King went out one day to hunt,
She got it'" flute, and played a tune,--
Saying,--"I was once at my father's hall,
And twenty servants was at my call."
8 When the King came home from being at the hunt,
"What news, what news, my good old man?"
"Good news, good news, kind sir," said he,
"Your serving boy is a fine lady."
9 "If that be true you are telling me,
Lord of manor I'll make of thee,--
If that be a lie you are telling me,
That tree yonder is your dying tree.
10 "Come bring me down that suit above,
And dress this lady to be my love."
"Oh, no, no, no, kind Sir," said she,
"Pay me my wages and set me free."
11. "Come bring me down that suit of white,
And I'll dress this fair maid to be my bride."
"Oh, yes, oh yes, kind Sir," said she,
"In marriage bonds I do agree."
To this may be added the following emendations. Miss M. M. Welch recalled an additional stanza, forgotten by her grandmother, which should follow stanza 1:
She could do me no worse harm,--
She killed my baby, lay on my arm,--
She left me nothing to roll it on,
But the Holland sheets my love lay on.
Three weeks after first having sung the song, Mrs. A. Welch made the following changes, Stanza 4:
When the king came down he made a bow,
Saying, "Put on your hat, my gallant flower,
Put on your hat, my gallant youth,
And tell me what you can do.',
Stanza 12 (additional):
"Go bring me down that suit of green,
And I'll dress this fair maid to be my queen,"-
"Oh yes, oh yes, kind sir," said she,
"In marriage bonds I do agree."