Lord Thomas- Hall (VA) 1937 Wilkinson C
[My title. From Bronson TTCB, II, 1962, No. 18, taken from Wilkinson MSS., 1936-37, p. 7.
Winston Wilkinson worked with Arthur Kyle Davis, Jr. collecting and transcribing ballads, fiddle tunes and songs in the 1930s. "In March of 1934 Davis was able to obtain some funding from the Civil Works Administration, one of the Depression-generated New Deal programs. With that assistance he hired John Stone to collect folksongs and Winston Wilkinson to transcribe music." Wilkinson also contributed his article “Virginia Dance Tunes” to Southern Folklore Quarterly in March 1942. Davis also published More Traditional Ballads of Virginia in 1960 with Winston Wilkinson's transcriptions. Wilkinson also illustrated "Virginia Fiddle Tunes."
R. Matteson 2014]
18. [Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender] Sung by W. G. Hall, Buena
Vista, Va., May 9, 1937.
1. O mother, dear mother, come riddle my sport,
Come riddle it all as one:
Whether I shall marry fair Ellender,
Or bring the brown girl home.
Whether I shall marry fair Ellender,
Or bring the brown girl home.
2. Go saddle me up my milky-white beast,
Go saddle him up in haste;
I'm going to invite fair Ellender
To my wedding, wedding.
I'm going, &c.
3. He rode and he rode till he came to the hall;
He tingled on the ring.
There was none so ready as fair Ellender
To rise and let him in.
There was, &c.
4. What news, what news, Lord Thomas? she cries,
What news you bring to me ?
I've come to invite you to my wedding.
Isn't that good news to thee?
I've come, &c.
5. What news, sad news, Lord Thomas, she cried,
Sad news you bring to me;
I thought that I was to be the bride,
And you the bridegroom be.
I thought, &c.
6. O mother, O mother, come riddle my sport,
Come riddle me all as one:
Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas' wedding,
Or tarry with you at home.
Whether I, &c.
7. She rode and she rode till she came to the hall,
She tingled on the ring.
There was none so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To rise and let her in, &c.
8. He taken her by the lily,white hand,
And led her across the hall.
He seated her- down at the head of the ring,
Amongst the ladies all.
He seated, &c.
9. Is this your bride, Lord Thomas? they cried,
She looks most wondrous brown!
You once could have married as fair a lady
As ever the sun shined on.
You once, &c.
10. The brown girl having a little penknife,
The point being keen Ind sharp,
She pierced it into fair Ellender's side,
Which entered near her heart.
She pierced, &c.
11. He taken the brown girl by the hand,
And led her across the hall,
He drew a bright sword and cut off her head,
And stove it against the wall.
He drew, &c.
12. [Recited]
Then he drew his own bright sword;
He placed the handle against the wall,
The point towards his breast,
Saying, this is the death of three fair lovers,
God send them home to rest.