John Collins- Shaffir (VA) 1920 Davis A
[From Traditional Ballads of Virginia, 1929, Kyle Davis Jr. His notes follow. Similar to Cox's E version: "John Collins" which was communicated by Mr. C. R. Bishop, Green Bank, Pocahontas County and obtained from Miss Valera Ervine.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
LADY ALICE
(Child, No. 85)
The eighteen items belonging to this ballad in the Virginia collection may be quite adequately represented by the eight here given since the most widespread version of the song represented by C, D, E, F, and G shows an unusual constant and standard text, and there is no need of reprinting the identity or near-identity. The eighteen variants belong to two quite distinct versions, both of which differ widely from any Child version. One version, represented by A and B and known as "John Collins" or "Johnny Collins," has been found in only one county of the state, Highland. The other version, represented by all the other variants and known as " George Collins," "Giles Colin," " George Collin," or " George Collie," is quite widely known and sung. Some exceptionally fine melodies are the four which belong to the more popular version (see C, D, and E). The editor can personally testify to the special effectiveness of the second melody to D, as it is sung in the Blue Ridge mountains. The air is poignant and dirge-like, conforming to the mournful quality of the story, not mitigating it as the lilting air of this ballad's counterpart, "Lord Lovel," mitigates the-tragedy of that ballad. Reed Smith reports the ballad from a young man who frequently heard it sung in the Dismal swamp region of Virginia." It would be appropriate to that region! The other air given with B, clearly belongs to a different version. The appendix shows that this ballad, like "Lord Lovel," is easily parodied.
A. "John Collins." Collected by Mr. John Stone. Sung by Miss Shaffir, Highland County. November 3, 1920.
1 Johnny Collins rode out in the field one day,
When the flowers were in full bloom,
It what he did spy but his own true love,
A-washing a white marble tomb.
2 She screamed, she cried,
She threw up her lily-white hand,
"Come here, come here, Young Collins, my dear,
For fear your life is at hand."
3 He swam, he swam,
Until he came to his own father's door,
"O father, dear father, get up I pray,
And let me in once more.
4 "And if I die this very night,
Which I think in my heart I will,
Go bury me at foot of the white marble tomb,
At the foot of Fair Ellen's green hill."
5 Fair Ellen was sitting in her door one morn,
All dressed in her silk so fine,
What did she spy but a coffin a-coming,
As far as her eyes could adorn.
6 "Whose coffin, whose coffin,
"Whose coffin so neat and so fine?
"It's Young Johnny Collins' coffin a-coming,
An old true lover of mine."
7 She ordered the coffin to be opened
When it landed on Dublin shore,
That she may kiss his cold clay lips
Which ofttimes had kissed them before.
8 She ordered a shroud to be brought to her
That she may trim it so fine.
"Today it waves over Collins' grave,
And tomorrow it shall wave over mine.
9 "O send the news up, O send the news down,
O send the news all around,
That six fair maidens all died last night,
All died for young Collins' sake."