Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight, originally sung by Mrs. O. Mobley, Illinois, circa 1923; Published in Sandburg; Folk Legacy 1976
[This is from Joe Hickerson, who now lives in Oregon, on "Drive Dull Care Away, II," 1976, Folk Legacy. This is not a traditional version but it is unique (read Patton's notes). Hickerson obviously changes the text some (see Sandburg 1927) and added a first verse. I'm including it as a non-traditional version, which is rare.
Sandy Patton 2000: Sung by Joe Hickerson on "Drive Dull Care Away, II". Hickerson got it from Carl Sandburg, who got it from Robert Gordon, who get it from Mrs. O. Mobley. It turns out that the version Joe Hickerson recorded for us on Drive Dull Care Away, Volume 2 was learned from Carl Sandburg's The American Songbag, but Joe mislearned the tune, switching it from Myxolidian to Aeolian. Sandburg has obtained a number of songs (without the tunes) from Robert W. Gordon who was the first head of the Archive of American Folksong at the Library of Congress, a position Joe Hickerson later held for a number of years. Gordon had the text from Mrs. O. Mobley of Springfield, Illinois. Joe thinks that Sandburg may have taken the tune he used from Kidson's Traditional Tunes (1891), but notes that it was in 4/4 rather than 3/4 there. Thus, kids, is the tradition modified.
R. Matteson 2011; 2114]
LADY ISOBEL AND THE ELF KNIGHT- Mrs. O. Mobley
It's of a false knight from the North
Who came a-courting me
He promised he'd take me unto the North land
And there his bride would be
Go fetch me some of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee
And two of the finest horses they have in the stable
For they have ten and thirty and three
So she fetched some of her father's gold
And some of her mother's fee
And two of the finest horses they had in the stable
For they had ten and thirty and three
Then she got up on the noble brown
And he on the dappled gray
And they rode till they came to a broad waterside
Two long hours before it was day
Lie down, lie down, my Pretty Polly
Lie down, lie down, said he
For it's six king's daughters I have drowned here
And it's you the seventh will be
Now strip yourself, my Pretty Polly
Now strip yourself, said he
For your clothing's too rich and ever-costly
For to rot in the salt of the sea
Well turn your back to the leaves on the tree
And face the salt water sea
For it's not very right such a false-hearted youth
A naked woman should see
So he turned his back to the leaves on the tree
And faced the salt-water sea
And with all the strength pretty Polly she had
She pushed him into the sea
Oh help me, oh help me, my pretty Polly
Oh help me, oh help me, cried he
And I shall become your waiting man
I shall wait on you night and day
Oh no, oh no, you false-hearted youth
Oh no, that never can be
If it's six king's daughters you've drowned here
You can rule o'er your company
Then she got up on the noble brown
And led the dappled gray
And she rode till she came to her father's hall
Two long hours before it was day
Then up bespoke her poll parrot
All from its cage so gay
Why do you travel, my pretty Polly
So long before it is day
Then up bespoke her old father
All from his room so grey
Why do you chatter, my poll parrot
So long before it is day
The cat was up and about my cage
And I could not get away
So I called unto Miss Pretty Polly
For to drive the cat away
Well turned, well turned, my poll parrot
Well turned, well turned, cried she
For your cage I will make of the finest gold
And your door, fine ivory
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