Johnnie o' Cockleslee- Kilpatrick (ON) 1950 Creighton
[From Creighton and Senior, Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia; 1950; Notes by Creighton follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
Johnie Cock
[Child 114 ]
Child says that "the first notice in print of this precious specimen of the unspoiled traditional ballad is in Ritson's Scottish Song, I794, I, XXXVI, note 25." Scott, 1802, was the first to publish the ballad. It is rarely found today. Although this variant is incomplete, it is extremely interesting. One or two points differ from the Child copies. For instance, Mrs. Kilpatrick recalled that Johnie rested because he had outstripped[1] his companions. Other variants attribute it to too much feasting of a deer he had slain. Also verse 6 is different, as Johnnie usually kills all but one. It is quite unusual for the bird to inform his mother of his plight, but verses 9 and 11 are different. Stanza 7 is like the one verse given in Child, 114 K. I took this song down in Toronto. Mrs. Kilpatrick was over ninety at the time. and I regret I was unable to note the music. As far as I can learn, none of my Nova Scotian singers knows the ballad.
See Motherwell's Minstrelsy, pp. 17-22; Gerould quotes it many times in his study of the ballad; Ord, pp. 467-469; Davis pp. 385-387; Gummere, pp. 123-126.
Johnnie o' Cockleslee- Sung by Mrs. Kilpatrick, Toronto.
(Johnie outstripped[1] his companions in hunting and lay down to rest.)
1, And bye there came a silly old man
An' a silly old man was he,
An' he's awa' to the seven foresters
As fast as he can flee'
2. "What news hae ye got, ye silly old man,
What news hae ye got for me?"
3. " Oh! the bonniest man that ever I saw
Was lying beneath a bush o' scrog,
An' the bonniest man that ever I saw
Was lying in the midst o' a' his dogs.
4. "His coat was o' light lincoln green,
His hose was o' the same,
His shoes were of bright 'Merican,
Gold buckles standin' in them."
5. "Oh that must be Johnie o' Cockleslee. "
(So the foresters run to Johnie and shoot at him')
6. The first shot they shot at Johnie
They wounded him in the bree',
But the first shot Johnie shot at them
He killed them a' but three.
(They ran away, Johnie sighs,)
7. "Is there no a bird in a' this wood
Would do as much for me
As dip its wing in the river Clyde
And straik it along ma' bree?
8. "Is there no a bird in a' this wood
Would do as much for me
As go home to Cockleslee
Tell my mother bring her son Johnie home?"
9. He took a horn from his belt
And he the blew it loud and shrill,
An' there came four and twenty knights
A-riding o'er the hill.
10. They lifted Johnie frae the sod
An' they placed him on his steed
An' they carried him hame to Cockleslee
Wi' the maist they had o' speed.
11. An' Johnie's mother nursed him weel
An' plastered him up so fast
That Johnie was after the three foresters
E'er ever three days were past.
1. outran