Little Matthy Groves- Norton (TN) 1916 Sharp C
[My title. From Sharp/Campbell English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians I. Also in Sharp/Karpeles 1932, p. 161-182, versions A-Q. Notes from 1932 edition and notes from Sharp's diary follow.
The verses are sung with the Lord Lovel Form: last word repeated, then the last line sung again, as in verse 1 and 2. The last verses is sung by Lord Dannel's wife and is reminiscent of Lord Thomas.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
1932 Edition Notes: No. 23. Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard.
Texts without tunes:— Child s English and Scottish Popular Ballads, No. 81. Reed Smith's South Carolina Ballads, p. 125. Cox's Folk Songs of the South, p. 94. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxiii. 371; xxv. 182.
Texts with tunes:—Rimbault's Musical Illustrations of Percy's Reliques, p. 92. Chappel's Popular Music of the Olden Times, i. 170. MotherwelJ's Minstrelsy,
Appendix, tune No. 21. W. R. Mackenzie's Ballads and Sea Songs of Nova Scotia, No. 8. Wyman and Brockway's Twenty Kentucky Mountain Songs, pp. 22 and 62. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxx. 309. British Ballads from Maine, p. 150. Davis's Traditional Ballads of Virginia, pp. 289 and 577.
Sharp diary 1916 page 263. Thursday 31 August 1917 - Rocky Fork: Directly after our 6.30 breakfast went toward Flag Pond collecting from Mr Alfred H. Norton on the way from whom I got a few songs. Then up Higgins’s Creek on Mrs Tony Shelton’s track. She couldn’t sing anything but met a Mrs Crane in her house from whom I got one good song & several moderate ones. Back again home about 2.30 & made ourselves some lunch — the teachers at school. Later on the 3 Norton boys came in & sang & their elder brother afterwards gave me 3 or 4 more. In the evening Mr Bolch showed cinematograph pictures in the schoolroom.
1. The next came down was dressed in red,
The next came down in green,
The next came down was a pretty little miss,
Dress'd finer than any queen, queen,
Dress'd finer than any queen.
2 She stepped up to little Matthy Groves
And says: Come and go with me.
I know by the rings that is on your hand
You are Lord Dannel's wife, [wife],
That you are Lord Dannel's wife.
3 It makes no difference by the rings on my hand,
Nor whose wife I am.
My husband he's not at home,
He's in some foreign land.
4 Little foot Dannel (page?) was standing by,
And he heard every word they were saying.
If I live till broad daylight
Lord Dannel shall know of this.
5 He had about fifteen miles to go
And ten of them he run;
He swum till he came to the river
And he held his breath and swum.
6 He swum till he came to the grassy green grove,
He sprang to his feet and he run;
He run till he came to Lord Dannel's gate
And he rang his bells and rung.
7 Is my castle burning down,
Or what is a-going to be done?
No, your wife's with another man
And both of their hearts are one.
8 He gathered him up about fifty good men,
And done it with a good will.
He put his bugle to his mouth
And blowed it with a shrill.
9 How do you like my pillow, sir,
How do you like my sheet,
And how do you like the pretty little girl
That lies in your arms asleep?
10 Very well do I like your pillow, sir,
Very well do I like your sheet,
But very much better do I like the pretty little girl
That lies in my arms asleep.
11 Little Matthy Groves struck the very first lick,
Which made Lord Dannel sore.
Lord Dannel struck the very next lick
And killed little Matthy on the floor.
12 He took his wife by the lily-white hand
And he sat her upon his knee.
Said: Which one do you love best,
Little Matthy Groves or me?
13 He took his wife by the lily-white hand
And he led her through the hall.
He jobbed the pistol in her breast
And she fell with a special ball.
14 Go bury me on yonder church hill
With Matthy in my arms asleep,
. . . . . .
And bury Lord Dannel at my feet.