Lady Gay- Creech (KY) 1917 Sharp MS
[Apparently titled in MS(Bronson). Version with music from Bronson TTCB, II No. 37, 1962. Sharp MSS, 4190/3020. See Sharp's diary notes below.
Sharp collected at least three version from the Fitzgerald family (See version M and MS).
R. Matteson 2015]
Sharp diary 1918 page 121. Sunday 28 April 1918 - Afton:
Trudged up to Royal Orchard for the 4th time directly after breakfast and called on the Fitzgeralds who both sang to us. Mr Fitzgerald sang me several very good songs including two very beautiful tunes of his father’s one to Earl Brand and the other to The Lady and the Dragoon. He told us a lot about Rockfish and the Tye river valley to both of which places we ought to go sometime. Got back to lunch.
"The Three Babes" - Sung by Clinton Fitzgerald, Royal Orchard, Afton, Va., April 28, 1918.
1. There was a lady gay
And children she had three;
She sent them away to the far country
To learn their grammaree.
2. They hadn't been gone very long,
Scarcely three weeks and a day,
Before grim death came a-hastening along,
And stole those babes away.
3 As Christmas time were drawing nigh
And the nights growing long and cold,
To see those babes come a-hastening along,
On down to their mother's home.
4 She spread a bed all in the back room,
And on it she spread a fine sheet,
And on it she spread a golden spread
That the better they might sleep.
5. Rise up, rise up, said the oldest one,
The chickens soon will crow,
And woe be to this wicked world,
And from it we must go.
6. Rise up, rise up, said the next oldest one,
Rise up, it's almost day;
O woe be to this wicked world,
And from it hence away.
7. She spread the table all in the front room,
And on it she spread bread and wine.
Come eat, come drink, my sweet little babes,
Come eat, come drink of mine.
8. We do not want your bread, mother,
Neither do we want your wine,
For yonder stands our sweet Saviour,
Who is always our design.