Lord Dannel's Wife- Sloan (KY) 1917 Sharp K
[My title. From English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians I; Sharp/Karpeles 1932, p. 161-182, versions A-Q. Notes from 1932 edition and notes from Sharp's diary follow.
R. Matteson 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 1917 page 134. Sunday 6 May 1917 - Pineville - Barbourville, Kentucky
Left Pineville at 9.37 and arrived at Barbourville & the Hotel Jones at 10.45. Prospected at once and found omens much more favourable. After lunch I rested while Maud explored in another direction but brought back unfavourable news. After tea we went out again and tried a third direction and about _ a mile from the Hotel struck a nest of singers of the right sort from whom in an hour and a half we take down 11 songs. Delighted at this turn in our luck. Arranged to call again at same place at noon tomorrow. Wrote up book in the evening and wrote long letters to Mrs Storrow & Constance. Hotel fairly comfortable Bath rooms but no hot water! Rather grubby and bed clothes distinctly "off". However, might be worse and so long as we get some songs we can put up with this amount of discomfort.
K. [Lord Dannel's Wife] Sung by Mrs. SUDIE SLOAN at Barbourville, Knox Co., Ky., May 6, 1917
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
1. One day, one day, one holi, whole day,
The very first day in the year
Lord Dannel's wife went to church that day,
She went both holy to hear,
She went both holy to hear.
2 The very first man she saw that day
Was little Matthy Grove.
Rise up, rise up, little Matthy Grove
And you go home with me.
3 Hark from the gold that's on your fingers
And from your golden cage,
Hark from the milk-white horses you have,
You are Lord Dannel's new wedding wife.
4 Now if I am Lord Dannel's wife,
Which you suppose me to be,
Lord Dannel's gone to the ship
For to sail upon the sea.
5 This little footy-page was a-standing around,
And he heard this bargain made.
He wheeled, he wheeled all around and around,
Fell to his feet and he run.
6 He run till he came to the broken-down bridge,
He leaned to his breast and he swum,
He swum unto the other side,
And he fell to his feet and he run.
7 He swum unto the other side,
He rattled that bell and it rung.
It rung, it rung both south and west,
And it rung both north and east.
8 What news, what news, my little footy-page?
What news have you brought to me?
There is a man in old England town
In the bed with your new wedded wife.
9 Now if this a lie, my little footy-page,
Which I expose it to be,
I have a gallows in old England town;
A-hanged you shall be.
10 Now if this the truth, my little footy-page,
Which I expect it to be,
I have a daughter in old England town,
Your new wedded wife shall be.
11 He called up his army of men
And told them for to go,
No narey word to speak,
Nor narey horn to blow.
12 Little Matthy had one friend in the flock,
He gave his horn a blow.
Then up spoke little Matthy Grove:
It's I must arise and go.
13 Lie still, lie still, little Matthy Grove,
And go to sleep with me,
It is just my father's shepherd
A-driving his sheep to fold.
14 Then they fell to hugging and kissing,
And then they fell to sleep.
The very next thing little Matthy knowed
Lord Dannel stood at his feet.
15 Says: How do you like my new feather-bed?
And how do you like my sheet?
And how do you like my new wedded wife
Lies in your arms asleep?
16 Very well I like your new feather-bed,
Very well I like your sheet,
Much better I like your new wedded wife
Lies in my arms asleep.
17 Rise up, rise up, little Matthy Grove,
And put your clothing on.
It shan't be said in old England town,
I slew a naked man.
18 Now I have two mighty sharp swords;
You may have the sharpest of them all;
You may have the very first lick
And I will take the next.
19 The very first lick little Matthy struck,
He hit a wounded blow;
The very next lick Lord Dannel hit,
Little Matthy hit to the floor;
Little Matthy can't hit no more.