Lamkin- Hopkins (IN) 1935 Brewster A
[From Ballads and Songs of Indiana by Paul G. Brewster; Indiana University Publications Folklore Series 1940. His notes follow. This almost seems composed from Child A.
R. Matteson 2015]
16 LAMKIN (Child, No. 93)
This ballad is rare in Indiana. Only two variants have been recovered, one of eight stanzas, the other of three. Both appear to belong to the F version of Child, stanzas 21, 22, and 23 of the latter being almost identical with corresponding stanzas of Indiana A. Much has been lost from the Indiana texts. They lack the lord's parting injunction to his lady to beware of Lamkin, "who lives in the wood," the planning of Lamkin and the nurse for revenge, the torturing of the baby, the attempt of the lady to "buy off" Lamkin, the scouring of the basin to catch the lady's blood, the question of Lamkin as to whether he shall kill the lady, and the nurse's reply: "Kill her, dear Lammikin, she was never gude to me."
For American texts, see Brown, p. 9; Campbell and Sharp, No. 23; Jones, p. 301 (fragment); Journal, XIII, 117; XXIX, 162; XXX, 318; XXXV, 344 (fragment and melody); XLIV, 61; Sandburg, pp. 72, 385; Henry, Folk-Songs from the Southern Highlands, p. 91; Henry, Songs Sung in the Southern Appalachians, p. 62.
British: JFSS, I, 212; II, 111; V, 81; Christie, Traditional Ballad Airs, I, 61. Additional references are to be found in Journal, XXX, 318.
A. "Lamkin." Contributed by Mrs. A. J. Hopkins, of Boonville, Indiana. Warrick County. July 16, 1935. With music.
1. Oh, Lamkin was a mason,
And he built well with stone;
And he built my lord's castle,
But payment he got none.
2. "O pay me, O pay me;
Come pay me my fee!"
"I cannot pay you, Lamkin,
Until I sail o'er the sea."
3. Then his young son in the castle
Was murdered one day
By Falseness[1] and Lamkin
While the servants were away.
4. Then out spoke my lady:
"Have mercy on me;
Though you've taken my young son's life,
O have mercy upon me!"
5. Lady Betty was lying
In her chamber so high,
When she heard her dear daddy
Come riding hard by.
6. "O Daddy, O Daddy,
You need not blame me,
For Falseness and Lamkin
Have killed your lady!"
7. Then Lamkin was hanged
On yon gallows so high,
And Falseness was burned
In a fire hard by.
8. Then sweetly sang the wild birds
As they soared upon high,
For Falseness and Lamkin
Deserved well to die.
1 For false nurse.