Lord Thomas- Williams (Mo.) pre1903 Belden B
[From Old-Country Ballads in Missouri, I by H. M. Belden; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 19, No. 74 (Jul. - Sep., 1906), pp. 231-240. In Ballads and Songs, 1940, this is the B version.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
(a) LORD THOMAS
Collected by Miss Williams. " The man who sang it learned it from a hired man years ago. He does not know of a printed copy. . . . He has forgotten the last verse, but says it contained something about roses and briars growing out of their breasts."
"O mother, O mother, come riddle my discourse,
Come riddle it o'er and o'er:
Whether I shall marry fair Eleander
Or bring the brown girl home."
(Repeat last line.)
His mother came and riddled his discourse,
She riddled it o'er and o'er:
"I beseech you with my own blessing
To bring the brown girl home."
"Go bring to me my milk-white steed,
Go bring him quick to me,
That I may go and invite
Fair Eleander to my wedding."
He rode and he rode till he came to the hall;
And lingered so long at the ring,
And none was so ready as fair Eleander herself
To rise and let him come in.
"Bad news, bad news I bring unto you,
Bad news I bring unto you;
I came to invite you to my own wedding--
Bad news, bad news to thee."
"Such news, such news, such wonderful news,
Such news, you bring unto me,
When I thought I was to have been the bride
And you to have been the groom.
"Come mother, O mother, come riddle my discourse,
Come riddle it o'er and o'er:
Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Or shall I stay at home?"
Her mother came and riddled her discourse,
She riddled it o'er and o'er:
"I beseech you, with my own blessing,
My daughter, you stay at home."
"I'll venture life, I'll venture death,
I'll venture what's to come;
I'll go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Before I'll stay at home."
She dressed herself in scarlet red,
Her waiting maid in green,
And every city that they passed through
She was taken to be the queen.
She rode and she rode till she came to the hall,
And lingered so long at the ring,
And none was so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To rise and let her come in.
"Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, is this your bride?
I think she looks wonderful brown,
When you might have had as fair a bride
As ever the sun shone on."
The brown girl had a little penknife;
It being so very keen,
She pierced into fair Eleander,
She pierced into her heart.
He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her through the hall,
And with his sword cut off her head
And shoved it against the wall.
"O mother, O mother, come dig me a grave,
Come dig it wide and deep;
And lay fair Eleander in my arms
And the brown girl at my feet."