[Nine Kings Daughters] Lady Isabel & the Elf-Knight- Bowyer (VA) 1918 ; Sharp MS
[My title. From Bronson "Traditional Tunes" no. 115; Sharp MS]
[Nine Kings Daughters] Sung by Mrs. Bowyer, Villamont, Bedford County, Va., June 4, 1918.
He followed her up, he followed her down,
He followed her to the room where she lay.
She had not the power to flee from his arms,
Nor the tongue to answer Nay.
She got on her little pony brown,
And he got on his grey.
They rode till they came to the broad water side,
The length of a long summer day.
Get down, get down, my pretty little Miss,
Get down, get down, these words I say,
For there's nine kings' daughters I've drownded here,
And you the tenth shall be.
Pull off, pull off that fine silken gown,
And lay it on yonders stone,
For it's cost your father too much money
To rot in the salt sea foam.
Pull off, pull off your silken veil
And lay it on yonders stone,
For it's cost your father too much money
To rot in the salt sea foam.
Turn yourself around and about,
Your face to the leaves of the trees,
For I don't think that any such a wretch,
A nice a-lady might see.
He turned himself around and about,
His face to the leaves of the trees.
She gave him a plunge, she plunged him in
To lie in the salt water sea.
O hand me down your soft silken hands,
O hand them down to me,
O hand me down your soft silken hands,
And married we will be.
O no, O no, you false-hearted man,
It's lie there instead of poor me.
It's nine kings' daughters are drownded here,
And you the last shall be.
She got on her little pony brown,
She led the dapple grey;
She rode till she came to her father's gate,
It were not two hours before day.
Where have you been, my pretty little Miss?
Where have you been? I say.
Where have you been, my pretty little Miss,
So long before day?
O hush, O hush, my pretty little parrot,
Don't tell no tales on me.
Your cage shall be made of yellow beaten gold
And hung in yonders willow tree.
-----------------
X:115
T:Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
C:Trad
B:Bronson
O:Sharp MSS., 43I9/3085-86. Sung by Mrs. Bowyer,
O:Villamont, Bedford County, Va., June 4, I9I8.
M:C|
L:1/8
K:Gmix % Pentatonic ( -4 -7) Lydian/Ionian/Mixolydian [Pi 1]
G2 | A2 BB d2 d2 | B2 AB G2 G2 |
w:He fol-lowed her up, he fol-lowed her down, He
A/A/A AB d2 BB | A6 G2 | A2 AB d2 dd |
w:fol-lowed her to the room where she lay. She had not the pow-er to
B2 AA G2 BB | A2 AB G2 E2 | D6 |]
w:flee from his arms, Nor the tongue to* an-swer Nay.
W:
W:He followed her up, he followed her down,
W:He followed her to the room where she lay.
W:She had not the power to flee from his arms,
W:Nor the tongue to answer Nay.
W:
W:She got on her little pony brown,
W:And he got on his grey.
W:They rode till they came to the broad water side,
W:The length of a long summer day.
W:
W:Get down, get down, my pretty little Miss,
W:Get down, get down, these words I say,
W:For there's nine kings' daughters I've drownded here,
W:And you the tenth shall be.
W:
W:Pull off, pull off that fine silken gown,
W:And lay it on yonders stone,
W:For it's cost your father too much money
W:To rot in the salt sea foam.
W:
W:Pull off, pull off your silken veil
W:And lay it on yonders stone,
W:For it's cost your father too much money
W:To rot in the salt sea foam.
W:
W:Turn yourself around and about,
W:Your face to the leaves of the trees,
W:For I don't think that any such a wretch,
W:A nice a-lady might see.
W:
W:He turned himself around and about,
W:His face to the leaves of the trees.
W:She gave him a plunge, she plunged him in
W:To lie in the salt water sea.
W:
W:O hand me down your soft silken hands,
W:O hand them down to me,
W:O hand me down your soft silken hands,
W:And married we will be.
W:
W:O no, O no, you false-hearted man,
W:It's lie there instead of poor me.
W:It's nine kings' daughters are drownded here,
W:And you the last shall be.
W:
W:She got on her little pony brown,
W:She led the dapple grey;
W:She rode till she came to her father's gate,
W:It were not two hours before day.
W:
W:Where have you been, my pretty little Miss?
W:Where have you been? I say.
W:Where have you been, my pretty little Miss,
W:So long before day?
W:
W:O hush, O hush, my pretty little parrot,
W:Don't tell no tales on me.
W:Your cage shall be made of yellow beaten gold
W:And hung in yonders willow tree.