Molly Bawn- Mr. Condon (ME) 1928 Barry D
[From British Ballads from Maine (Second Series), Barry, Eckstorm, Smyth.
This volume has additional ballads not found in BBM, 1929 from outside the Child canon.
R. Matteson 2016]
D. "Molly Bawn." Sent in, March, 1928, by Miss Doris Condon, Presque Isle, Maine, who wrote it down at the dictation of her father.
A story, a story to you I will relate,
Concerning a fair maid whose fortunes they were great;
As she walked out one evening she walked all alone,
She sat underneath a green tree the rain all for to shun.
Young Jimmie being a-fowling with his dog and his gun,
Young Jimmie being a-fowling, till evening did come on,
And he shot his lovely Molly and he took her for a swan,
Then home to his father he quickly did run.
Saying, "Father, dearest father, if you knew what I had done,
I being out a-fowling, till evening did come on;
.................
And I shot lovely Molly, and I took her for a swan.
Then up speaks his aged father, with his locks all being of gray
Saying, "Son, oh dearest son, oh, it's do not run away;
Stay here in this country till your trial it comes on,
And it's then I will free you of shooting Molly Bawn."
The day of Mollie's funeral it was a dreadful sight,
Four and twenty maids all dressed out in white;
They carried her to St. Mary's Church, and there they laid her down,
She was shot by lovely Jimmie at the setting of the sun.
In two or three weeks after, to her uncle she appeared,
Saying, "Uncle, dearest Uncle, do not hang my dear;
My apron being around me, he mistook me for a swan,
But alas! to his grief, it was his own dear Molly Bawn.