It Rained a Mist- Wright (OH) c. 1959 Grimes REC, Bronson 33
[From LC/AAFS rec. No. 11,453 (A15). Folklorist and dulcimer player Anne Grimes collected over 1,000 ballads and folk songs from her native Buckeye State (from liner notes). She recorded an album "Ohio State Ballads" for Folkways in 1957.
R. Matteson 2015]
It Rained a Mist- sung by Mrs. Bertha Basham Wright. Franklin County Ohio, c. 1959. Collected by Anne Grimes, p. 30 in her book.
1. It rained a mist, it rained a mist,
rained all over this town
When two little children went our to play,
To toss the ball around, 'round,
To toss the ball around
2. At first too low and then too high.
And then up over the wall,
And then into the allowed to go,
Where no one was allowed to go, to go,
Where no one allowed to go.
3. Then at the door the maiden came,
All dressed in silk so fine,
Saying, "Come in, come in, you shall have your ball,
You shall have your ball again, again,
You shall have your ball again."
4. "I can't come in, I won't come in.
Unless my playmates comes too,
I've often heard of little ones coming in,
And never corning out again, again,
And never coming out again."
5. At first she showed. them- a red rosy apple
And then she showed them a chain,
And then she showed them a diamond ring,
To entice the little ones in, ay in,
To entice the little ones in.
6. She tuck him by the lily-white hand.
And led him through the hall.
And taken him into the dining room,
Where no one could hear his call, his call,
Where no one could hear his call.
7. She placed a napkin o'er his face-
And pinned it with a pin,
And then she taken a little penknife
And taken his little heart in, ay -in,
And taken his little heart in.
8. "O spare my life, O spare my life,
O spare my life," he cried.
"And if I live to be a man,
My treasures shall be ay-thine, ay-thine,
My treasures shall be ay-thine."
9. "Please place a prayer-book at my feet,
The Bible at my head.
And if my playmates call for me,
You can tell them that I am dead, am dead,
You can tell them that I am dead."