I'm Scarce Sixteen Come Sunday- Duncan (NS) 1950 Creighton
[Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia by Creighton/Senior, pp. 164-165, 1950. This has the opening and text from of the 2nd and 3rd revisions. The line "And she was her mama's darling," is similarly found in the first revision.
R. Matteson 2018]
I'm Scarce Sixteen Come Sunday- sung by Mrs. R. W. Duncan of Dartsmouth, NS before 1950.
1. As I rode out one morning in May
Just as the day was dawning,
There I espied a pretty fair maid
And she was her mama's darling.
CHORUS: With my rue die ay, fall the diddle day,
Fall the diddle, diddle die do.
2 Where are you going, my pretty fair maid?
Oh, where are you going, my honey?
She answered me, most modestly,
On an errand for my mama.
3. If I down to your mama's house,
And the moon shines bright and clearly,
Will you get up and let me in,
And your mama will not hear me?
4 "How old are you, my pretty fair maid,
How old are you, my honey?"
She answered me, most modestly,
"I'm scare sixteen come Sunday."
5. I stayed with her that livelong night
Till the break of day next morning.
She arose and let me out
And the mama did not hear me.
6. For she says, "Young man you must marry me,
For now's you time or never,
[And if you do not marry me,][1]
For you have ruined my mama's darling.
1. standard broadside text.