Little Massie Grove- MacAlexander (VA) 1979 Rec
[From: Far in the Mountains : Volumes 1 & 2 of Mike Yates' 1979-83 Appalachian Collection; Musical Traditions' second CD release of 2002: Far in the Mountains: Vols 1 & 2 (MTCD321-2). This ballad was also known by Yeatts schoolmate Rudy Bowman and was collected from Bowman (married name is Plemmons) in 1932. Yates notes follow.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
Eunice Yeatts MacAlexander
Cecil Sharp visited Meadows of Dan (so-called because it is the headwater of the Dan River) in Patrick County, on the 27th August, 1918, and noted a number of songs from Dad Blackard, the local 'banjer-man'. Eunice Yeatts MacAlexander's parents knew Dad Blackard and some of her ballads, inherited from her father, were similar to those sung by Blackard to Sharp. Eunice had worked in the mountains as a teacher in a one-room, log-cabin school, and told me, with some embarrassment, how she had entertained the school children by singing to them, their favourite song apparently being The Preacher and the Bear, which was originally from the minstrel-stage. Some of Eunice's ballads were recorded in 1932 by Arthur Kyle Davis, on behalf of the Virginia Folklore Society.
22. Little Massie Grove (Child 81, Roud 52)
(Sung by Eunice Yeatts MacAlexander at her home in Meadows of Dan, Patrick County, VA. 7.8.79)
Spoken: This song, in this area, was called Little Massie Grove
My high, my high, my high holiday,
And the very first day in the year.
Little Massie Grove to the church did go,
The Gospel for to hear, to hear,
The Gospel for to hear.
The first one in was a lady fair,
And the next one was a girl.
The next one was Lord Barnard's wife,
The fairest of them all. etc.
Little Massie Grove was standing near,
To him she cast an eye.
Saying, 'You must go home with me today,
All night in my arms to lie' etc.
'Oh no, no,' said little Massie Grove,
'I dare not for my life.
For I see by the ring that you wear on your hand,
That you are Lord Barnard's wife.' etc.
'Why should I hold those vows sacred,
When he's so far away?
He's gone on the top of King's Mountain,
Prince Henry for to see.' etc.
So they went home, a-hugging and kissing,
And then they fell asleep.
And when they awoke on the next day's morning,
Lord Barnard stood at their feet. etc.
Saying, 'How do you like my new coverlid?
And how do you like my sheet?
And how do you like my fair young wife
Who lies in your arms and sleeps?' etc.
'Very well do I like your new coverlid.
Very well do I like your sheet.
Much better do I like your fair young wife
Who lies in my arms and sleeps.' etc.
'Rise up, rise up little Massie Grove,
Put on your clothes as quick as you can.
It shall never be said in this wide world,
That I slew a naked man.' etc.
'Oh no, no,' said little Massie Grove.
'I dare not for my life.
For around your waist you have two swords,
And me not so much as a knife.' etc.
'If around my waist I have two swords,
And you not so much as a knife.
You may take the best of them,
And then I'll take your life. etc.
'You may strike the first blow,
Now strike it like a man.
And I will strike the second blow,
And I'll kill you if I can.' etc.
Little Massie struck the first blow,
It wounded deep and sore.
Lord Barnard struck the second blow,
Little Massie couldn't fight no more. etc.
Lord Barnard took his fair young wife,
And he set her on his knee.
'Now which one did you love the best?
Little Massie Grove or me?' etc.
'Very well do I like your deep blue eyes.
Very well do I like your chin.
Much better did I like little Massie Grove,
Than you and all of your kin.' etc
According to Professor Child, who lists fourteen versions of this ballad, there is a 1630 entry for the ballad in the records of the Stationers' Registers. He also mentions that the ballad can be found in several blackletter broadside collections from the middle of the 17th century. Most British versions have the Mattie Groves/Musgrave title, whilst a good number of North American ones use Lord Daniel/Banner.
I wonder if other listeners have noticed the similarities in this story with those in the legends of King Arthur. Arthur, like Lord Daniel, carried two swords ( Excalibur and Caliburnus) and, again like Lord Daniel, discovered his wife Guinevere to be having an affair, in this case with Lancelot. Arthur did not, of course, kill Lancelot, but did, nevertheless, send other knights to kill him in what is now France. I am sure that this is coincidence... well, almost sure!
While still quite popular with American singers (Cas Wallin sings his version - titled Lord Daniel - on Volume 3, track 29, of this set, and Dillard Chandler, one of Cas Wallin's neighbours, sings his version of the ballad on Folkways LP 2309), this is one of the ballads that has all but disappeared from the British tradition - although the late Jeannie Robertson had not one, but two versions! (For one of these, see volume one of Classic Ballads of Britain and Ireland - Rounder 1775). According to Mark Wilson, many American singers who had heard the song in their youth - such as Buell Kazee and Almeda Riddle - refused to learn the piece because of its perceived 'smutty' content.