Little Margaret- Lunsford (NC) 1929 published in Lunsford's short book. 1953 Recording
[From: Smoky Mountain Ballads; Bascom Lamar Lunsford; FW02040; 1953. Collected from the singing of nine-year-old Alice Payne of the Roaring Fork area in Madison Co. NC. She learned it from her mother and grandmother. No date given, but I would estimate the date as circa 1925- below is an exact transcription (bottom of this page) of the original ballad from Payne. According to Lunsford, the tune is the minor modal tune of "Little Betty Ann" which is more familiar as the tune for the minor version of "Shady Grove."
Lunsford published this (or a very similar text) in 1929 in his "30 and 1 Folk Songs from the Southern Mountains."
Apparently this version has spawned a number of covers including the version in Lyle Lofgrin's 1997 article, Betty Smith's version and most certainly, Obray Ramsey's version. Ramsey was a friend of Lunsford's and learned to play on a banjo given to him by Lunsford.
Rarely is the name pronounced Margaret- it's usually Mar'gret, Marget or some abbreviated form in two syllables. The title appears in Lunsford's album notes as "Little Marget," which is the way her heard it sung.
R. Matteson 2014]
Little Margaret [Little Marget]- Lunsford (NC) 1953 Recording
Little Margaret*, sitting at her high hall door,
Combing back her long, yellow hair,
So Sweet William met a new-made bride
A-riding up the road so near.
She throwed down her iv'ry comb,
She throwed back her long yellow hair,
Said, "I'll go out and bid him farewell,
And never more go there."
Twas so late, late in the night
When they were fast asleep,
Little Margaret appeared, all dressed in white,
Standing at their bed feet.
"How do you like that snow-white pillow
"How do you like that sheet?
How do you like that fair young lady
That lies in your arms asleep?"
"O well do I like my snow-white pillow,
"O well do I like my sheet,
Much better do I like that fair young lady
That stands at my bed feet."
He called on his serving man to go,
And saddle the dapple roan.
He went to her father's house at night,
And knocked on the door alone.
"Is Lady Margaret in her house,
Or is she in the farm?"
"Little Margaret's in her coal-black coffin,
With her face turned to the wall."
Unfold, infold these snow- white robes,
Be they ever so fine.
Let me kiss them cold corpsy lips,
For I know they will never kiss mine.
Once he kissed her lily-white hand,
And twice he kissed her cheeks,
Three times he kissed her cold corpsy lips
And fell in her arms asleep.
*Marget
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69. "Little Marget" Lunsford and Stringficld, 1929, p. 2. From 30 and 1 Folk Songs from the Southcrn Mountains. Compilcd and arranged by Bascom Lamar Lunsford and Lamar Stringfield.
1. Little Marget sittin' in a high hall door,
A combin' back 'er long yeller hair;
Shc spied sweet William and 'is new made bride,
A ridin' from the church so near.
2. Down she throwed 'er iv'ry comb,
She throwed back 'er long yeller hair,
Said "I'll go out an' bid 'em farewell,
And never more go there."
3. It was all lately in the night,
When they were fast asleep,
Littlc Marget 'peared all dressed in white,
A standin' at his bed feet.
4. "How do you like your piller?" said she,
"And how do you like your sheet,
And how do you like that gay young lady,
That lies in your arms asleep?"
5. "Very well do I like my pillow," said he,
"Very well do I like my sheet,
Much better do I like that gay young lady
That's standin' at my feet.
6. "Is little Marget in 'er room
Or is she in the hall?"
"Littlc Marget, Little Marget's in her cold black coffin,
With 'er pale face to the wall."
7. "Unfold, unfold them lily white sheets
That's made ever so fine,
And let me kiss them cold corpsy lips
For oft times they've kissed mine."
8. Once 'e kissed 'er lily white hand.
Twice 'e kissed her cheek,
Three times 'e kissed 'er cold corpsy lips,
And fell in 'er arms asleep.
-------------------------------------
Little Margaret
Contributor Alice Payne
Roaring Fork School, Bluff, Madison County, North Carolina
Southern Appalachian Archives, Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies, Mars Hill University
Source Bascom Lamar Lunsford Collection, Box 71, Folder L
Madison Co Little Margret seny by Alice Payne, Bluff, N.C.
Little Marget sitting in the high Parlor Door
combing back her Long yellow hair
she spied sweet William in his only Bride
go riding up the road on high
Down she threw her ivory comb
Back she threw her Long yellow hair
said I'll go out and Bid him fairwell
and I'll go there no more
was all Lately in the night
when they were fast asleep
Little Margret appeared all dressed in white
standing at his Bed feet
how do you Like your pillow said she
and how do you Like your sheet
and how do you like that gay
that Lies in your arms asleep.
Very well do I like my pillow said he
Very well do I like my sheet
Much better do I like that gay young Lady
that stands at my bed feet
he called on servent men
to go catch the Mills white stay [milk-white steed]
he rode to his father house
Knocked at the door alone
he said is Little Margret in her room
are[or] is she in her hall
Little Margret is her coal Black coffin
with her pale face turned to the wall
unfold unfold them Lily White sheets
that's made ever as fine
and Let me Kiss them cold corpy Lips
for oftimes they've Kiss Mine
once he Kissed her Lily White hand
twice she Kissed Rosy red cheeks
three times he Kissed her cold corpy Lips
and fell in her arms asleep
End Written By Alice Payne Roaring fork school aged 10, Madison Co.