In Transport Town- Broghton (KY) 1917 Sharp F
[Single stanza with music from Sharp and Campbell's English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians I, 1917 and 1932. Additional stanzas from Sharp's MS. The 1932 notes follow.
R. Matteson 2016]
No. 48. In Seaport Town.
Texts without tunes :—Journal of American Folk-Lore, xx. 259; xxix 168. Cox's Folk Songs of the South, p. 305 (see also further references). Texts with tunes:—Journal of the Folk-Song Society, i. 160; ii. 42; v. 123. Miss Broadwood's Traditional Songs and Carols, p. 28. Folk Songs from Somerset, No. 12 (also published in English Folk-Songs, Selected Edition, i. 4, and One Hundred English Folk-Songs, p. 4). Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxxv. 359.
F. In Transport Town-- Sung by Mrs. MOLLIE BROGHTON at Barbourville, Knox Co., Ky., May 8, 1917
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
1. In Transport Town there lived merchant,
There were two sons and a daughter fair,
She courted [the] man who ploughed the ocean,
It was their mind to be strong[1] the same.
2. One evening as they sat silent[ly] courting,
Her brothers had a chance to overhear[2];
"Your courtship shall be shortly ended,
We'll send him headlong to his grave."
3. To begin this bloody murder,
The two young men must a-hunting go,
Along with with him they both did flatter,
Along with him they both did go.
4. They traveled over hills and mountains,
And to some valleys [that] was unknown,
Until they came to a patch of briars,
And there they killed him and had him thrown.
5. In the evening [when] they returned,
Their sister inquired for the servant man,
"We lost him in the woods a-hunting,
Never more will you find him."
6. One evening as she lay silently weeping,
Her true-love came to her bedside,
All wallowed over, ghastly looking,
All scored over [in] a gores of blood.
7. "What weeps you here, my little fair one?"
O that just a folly for you to find,
Your poor-hearted wicked brothers,
Which I please you may find me."
8. They[She] traveled over hills and mountains,
And to some valleys [that] was unknown,
Until they[she] came to the patch of briars,
Where they had killed him and had him thrown.
9. Three days and nights she did stay by him,
All bending on her bended knees.
She kissed him over [and] over crying:
"You are the dearest one to me."
10. "My love, I did not intend to stay by you,
Until my heart does break with woe,
I feel sharp hunger come creeping on me,
Will cause me back home to go.
11. In the evening she returned,
Her brothers asked where she had been.
You poor hard-hearted deceitful villains,
On the gallows you shall both hang.
12. To get shed of that bloody murder,
On the sea they both did go.
By a tall wave they were tossed under,
By the tall waves they both did go.
1. "bestow the same," this is probably close to the original: She was resolved to bestow the same.
2. over-chanced to hear