The Jealous Brothers- Hammontree (AR) 1890s Randolph
[From: Randolph's Ozark Folksongs I, p.380, 1946. His notes follow. Also in Ozark Folksong Collection online.
R. Matteson 2016]
Sung by Mr. Doney Hammontree, Farmington, Ark., Dec. 28, 1941. He learned it near Farmington in the 90's. He said he thought there was another name for this song, besides "The Jealous Brothers," but couldn't recall it. I asked him if he had ever heard of "The Bamboo Briars" or "The Bramble Briars," but he said no.
The Jealous Brothers, sung by Mr. Doney Hammontree of Farmington, Ark; from Randolph, Ozark Folksongs dated 1890s
There sets a fair couple courting,
Two brothers for to overhear,
They were determ'd all in their mind,
To put stop to their design,
They were determ'd all in their mind,
To put stop to their design
So they arose the very next morning
A game of hunting for to go,
The brothers saying they were both insisting
That this young man should go along,
The brothers saying they were both insisting,
That this young man should go along.
They traveled over hills and mountains
And many other places where they were unknown,
Until they came to the lonesome valley,
And there they killed him and left him alone
Until they came to the lonesome valley,
And there they killed him and left him alone.
And when the brothers were returning
The sister asked where her lover were,
We lost him in the game of hunting,
No more of him we ne'er could find,
We lost him in the game of hunting,
No more of him we ne'er could find.
That night the sister lay early dreaming,
Her true love appeared by her bedside,
Saying your brothers killed me both rash and cruel
And wallowed me in a gore of blood.
Your brothers killed me both rash and cruel,
And wallowed me in a gore of blood.
So she arose the very next morning,
And dressed as fine as she could be,
Says I'll go hunt for my own true lover,
He's a darling bosom friend to me,
Saying I'll go hunt for my own true lover,
He's a darling bosom friend to me.
She travelled over hills and mountains
And many other places where she were unknown,
Until she came to the lonesome valley
And there she found him all alone,
Until she came to the lonesome valley
And there she found him all alone.
His rosy cheeks they had all faded,
His lips were white as any snow,
She kissed them over and over crying,
You're a darling friend to me, I know.
She kissed them over and over crying,
You're a darling friend to me, I know.
And when the sister were returning,
The brothers asked where she had been,
Hush your tongues, hush your tongues, you deceitful villyans,
Not one alone, you both shall hang.
Hush your tongues, hush your tongues, you deceitful villyans,
Not one alone, you both shall hang.
So they arose the very next morning,
A trip across the raging sea,
It rained and it hailed and a storm o'ercame them,
Both a watery grave all in the sea,
It rained and it hailed and a storm o'ercame them,
Both a watery grave all in the sea.