Little Musgrove- Dills (KY) pre1931 Fuson
[From H. Fuson; Ballads of the Kentucky Highlands, 1931. Read a brief bio below from a stephengriffith blog. The names are so close to Child A, that it seems suspicious- as if the names were "corrected" to become the proper names. Notice that she is Lord Barnard's wife in stanzas 1 and 2 but her names is Betty Roedale (Rosedale?) in 7, 13, 14. The ending is found frequently in Child 73, Lord Thomas.
R. Matteson 2015]
H. H. Fuson was born on Little Clear Creek, in Bell County, Kentucky, August 21, 1876. He taught school, acted as Principal and Superintendent, in this eastern Kentucky community. He quit teaching in 1925, studied law and was admitted to practice in 1929. He died in 1964.
Besides his work in education and law, Fuson wrote books of local history as well as numerous books of poetry. His love of poetry, as well as his love of Kentucky history led him to collect what combined both of these interests: Kentucky ballads, published in 1931.
LITTLE MUSGROVE AND LADY BARNARD - From singing of Lizzie Dills
1. The first came down was dressed in white,
The next came down in green;
The next came down was Lord Barnard's wife
As fine as any Queen.
2. She stepped up to Little Musgrove,
Saving, "Come, go home with me."
"No, I can tell by the rings you wear
You are Lord Barnard's wife, wife,
You are Lord Barnard's wife."
3. "It makes no difference whose wife I am
To you, and I may be yours,
My husband's gone on a visiting trip,
And we'll go to a land afar, afar,
And we'll go to a land afar."
4. Little Pigeon Foot was standing by,
And heard every word was said,
"Lord Barnard shall find those words out
Before the break of day, day,
Before the break of day."
5. He had just sixteen miles to go,
And ten of them to run,
He run till he came to the broken-down bridge
He held his breath and swum, swum,
He held his breath and swum.
6. He swum where the grass was growing green
He took to the hills and run;
He run till he came to Lord Barnard's gate;
He rattled those bells a ring, ring,
He rattled those bells a ring.
7. "What news, what news, have you, Pigeon Foot
What news have you brought to me?"
"Little Musgrove and fair Betty Roedale
Have gone to the land afar, afar,
Have gone to the land afar."
8. "Now will I take it to be a lie.
A lie I believe it to be!"
"You need not make a gallows for me,
Just hang me on a tree, tree,
Just hang me on a tree."
9. Lord Barnard picked the ten best men,
And started with right good will;
He put his bugle to his mouth;
It sounded loud and shrill, shrill,
It sounded loud and shrill.
10. "I must get up, I must go home ;
Your husband is coming to-night,
For I heard him blowing his bugle horn :
He will here come here come the light, light,[1]
He will be here come the light."
11. "Lie still, lie still, Little Musgrove,
And keep the cold from me,
For that is the shepherds on the hill
A-calling for their sheep, sheep,
A-calling for their sheep."
12. They fell to hugging and kissing there,
And soon they fell asleep,
But when they woke Lord Barnard himself
Was standing by their feet, feet,
Was standing by their feet'
13. "How do you like my blanket," said she[2],
" And how do you like my sheet ?
And how do you like for fair Betty Roedale
To lie in your arms and sleep, sleep,
To lie in your arms and sleep? "
14. "I like your blanket very well," said he
"Very well I like your sheet;
But I would not have fair Betty Roedale
To lie in my arms and sleep, sleep,
To lie in my arms and sleep."[2]
15. "Now get up, put on your clothes,
And fight me like a man,
For I would not have my neighbors say
That I slew a naked man, man,
That I slew a naked man."
16. Up he got, putting his clothes on,
And begging a chance for his life,
"You have two swords hanging on your side,
And me with only a knife, knife,
And me with only a knife."
17. "Well, you may strike the very first lick,
And strike it like a man,
And I will strike the very next lick;
I'll kill you if I can, can,
I'll kill you if I can."
18. Littlc Musgrove struck the very first lick,
He struck it like a man;
Lord Barnard struck the very next lick;
Littie Musgrove drew mo more, more,
Little Musgrove drew no more.
19. He took his lady by the hand,
Saying, " Come, sit on my knee,
And tell me which you love the best,
Little Musgrove or me, me,
Little Musgrove or me."
20. "I like your rosy cheeks very well,
Very well I like your chin;
But I would not give Littte Musgrove
For you and all your kin, kin,
For you and all your kin."
21. He his lady by the hair of the head,
And drew her over the floor.
He took his sword, cut off her head,
Like he did Little Musgrove, grove,
Like he did Little Musgrove. "
22. He put the sword upon the wall,
The point was toward his breast.
Says, "You have murdered two poor souls;[3]
Now take me home to rest, rest,
Now take me home to rest."
1. come by light?
2. This is always Lord Barnard talking to Musgrove, still said she-- is possible. Much easier to change it to: said he,
3. Says, "I have murdered. . . --unless he's talking to himself!