Lord Donald's Wife- Potter(NC) 1936 Scarborough B
[No date given. From: Scarborough's "A Song Catcher"; pre 1936, the year Scarborough died. Bronson dates her versions c. 1934. Her notes follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
There is a rather complete story with some dramatic details given in The Percy Society Publications, XVII, 2I. The refrain comes in hauntingly again and again, of the warning that went unheeded,
Away, Musgraue, away!
There is an interesting conclusion giving the vengeful husband's emotions after the double murder, that shows a suggestion of a custom found in old Spain, of closing a house permanently where a loved one has died. This does not appear in any American version that I have seen.
Ye'll darken my window up secure,
Wi' staunchions round about;
An' there is nae a livin' man
Shall e'er see me walk out.
Nae mair fine clothes my body deck,
Nae kame gangs in my hair;
Nor burnin' coal nor candle licht
Shine in my douir mair.
Granny Potter, of Dark Ridge, North Carolina, knew this spirited ballad, too, and sang it for Miss Lillian Craig, of Roanoke, Virginia, who took it down from her singing and gave it to me.
(B) Lord Donald's Wife
The first come down in raving white,[1]
And the next come down in a pall,
And the next come down was Lord Donald's wife,
And she was the fairest of them all.
Little Mattie Grove was standing by,
He placed his eyes upon her,
Saying, You are the darling of my eyes,
The darling of my life.
The little foot page was standing by,
And heard what he did say.
He took to his heels and he run and he run,
And he come to a broken down bridge,
And he bared his breast and he swum and he swum,
And he bared his breast and he swum.
Come to dry land he buckled
On his shoes and he run;
He run till he came to Lord Donald's gate
And he rattled on the bell til it rung.
What news, what news have you brought to me,
My little foot-page, said he.
Little Mattie Grove is in your house now
In the bed of your Lady Dee-Dee,[2]
In the bed of your Lady Dee-Dee.
If that is a lie as I expect
As I expect it shall be,
If ary[3] a green tree is in the woods,
Hang-ed You shall be,
If ary a green-tree is in the woods,
Hang-ed you shall be.
Next morning when they awak-ed
Lord Donald was standing at their feet.
How do you like my blankets?
How do You like my sheets?
How do you like my Lady Dee-Dee
Ali in your arms asleep?
How do you like my Lady Dee-Dee
All in your arms asleep?
Well do I like your blankets,
And well do I like your sheets,
Better do I like your Lady Dee
While in my arms asleep, asleep,
Better do I like your Lady Dee
While in my arms asleep.
Rise up, rise up, little Mattie Grove,
Clothing to put on,
Never shall it be said in old England
That I slew you a naked man.
How can I rise up when you have two broad-swords
And I have nary a knife?
True, I have got two broadswords,
And they cost me deep in the Purse,
And You may have the very best one,
And I will take the worse, worse,
And you may have the very best one,
And I will take the worse.
And you may have the very first lick,
And strike it like a man,
And the very first lick that I do strike
I'll kill you if I can.
And the very first lick that Mattie Grove struck
He found Lord Donald's sword[4].
And the very first lick Lord Donald struck
Mattie Grove didn't fight any more.
He took his lady up by the hand,
And he set her on his knee,
And he said, Which do you like best now,
Little Mattie Grove or me?
Well do I like your leather lips,
And well do I like your chin,
But I like little Mattie Groves finger,
Better than you and all your kin.
He took his lady by the hand,
And he led her up and down,
He took one of his gold broad swords
And split her head in twong[5],
He took one of his good broad swords
And split her head in twong.
---------------
1. arrayed in white
2. corruption of "gay lady"
3. nary
4. Found Lord Donald sore.
5. in twain