Little Saloo- Overson (UT) pre1948 Hubbard
[From: Traditional Ballads from Utah by Lester A. Hubbard and LeRoy J. Robertson; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 64, No. 251 (Jan. - Mar., 1951), pp. 37-53. This is a somewhat rare version of the McCabe's School Group II.i.
The aunt replaces the Jew's daughter in this version.
R. Matteson 2013, 2015]
5. "Sir Hugh, or, The Jew's Daughter" (Child No. 155)
"Little Saloo." Sung by Mrs. Mable J. Overson, who learned it "a long time ago" from Mrs. Anna McKellar in Leamington, Millard County [collected Aug. 20, 1948]. The text and title have undergone several changes through oral transmission. The ritual murder and the catching blood in a basin have disappeared. The Jew's daughter has become a cruel aunt whose motive is spite. The addition of the boy's request not to have his rest disturbed seems somewhat incongruous. For references see John H. Cox, Folk-Songs of the South (Harvard University Press, 1925); Belden, pp. 69-70; Brewster, p. 128.
Yesterday was a holiday,
A holiday in the year;
And all the school boys had leave to play,
And little Saloo was there, was there,
And little Saloo was there.
He had an aunt who held him spite;
She lived in castle hall.
She said, "Come here, my little Saloo,
To you I will give this ball, this ball,
To you I will give this ball."
She took a ball out of her pocket
And threw it in the hall.
And little Saloo he picked it up,
The prettiest one of all, of all,
The prettiest one of all.
She took him by his little white hand
And led him through the hall,
And led him into a cold dark room
Where none could hear him call, call,
Where none could hear him call.
She took a penknife out of her pocket
And pointed it to his breast.
"Oh aunt, oh aunt, oh cruel aunt,
Please don't disturb my rest, my rest,
Please don't disturb my rest."
She cut and cut through thick and thin
Until she came to skin,
Until she came to his little heart's blood,
Where life it lies within, within,
Where life it lies within.
Then she wrapped him up in a sheet of lead,
Which weighed a many a pound,
And threw him into a dark, cold well
Way down deep under ground, ground,
Way down deep under ground.