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
OLD-COUNTRY BALLADS IN MISSOURI.-- I
THE following ballads are part of a collection made during the last three years by students or former students of the University
of Missouri. I have selected for a first instalment those that are found in Child's " English and Scottish Popular Ballads;" not because they offer anything of special value to the student of balladry, for nearly all of them have been reported as existing in America before; nor because they are the most interesting part of our collection to folk-lorists, for some pieces not found in Child will I think prove of greater interest to them ; but because, in the absence of any satisfactory scientific classification of ballads, Child's great collection forms a convenient starting-ground, and further because this instalment will thus constitute a sort of supplement to Mr. Barry's findings in New England published in recent numbers of the Journal.
I shall perhaps take occasion later to discuss the bearing of customs
and conditions found here upon the theory of ballad origin and
upon the relation existing between oral tradition, MS. records, and
print in their transmission. For the present it is only necessary
to explain that the following ballads are derived from one or the other
of two sources: oral performance, or manuscript copies. It is a custom
among the country folk in this part of the country, when they
hear a song that pleases them, to make a MS. copy of the words -
the tune being more easily and surely remembered - and even to
lend and borrow such copies for transcription. Whether copies are
also made from printed song-books I cannot say, but probably they
are. At any rate, MS. books of " song-ballads " are formed and kept.
I have two now in my possession, from one of which, compiled by
James Ashby of Holt County from 1872 to 1880, two of the ballads in
this instalment are taken.
The tune is the life of a ballad, and I regret that I am unable to give the tunes with this instalment. I have the music for one or two of them only. Later the Missouri Folk-Lore Society hopes to make records of the tunes of all the ballads found.
H. M Belden.
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI.
CHILD 4. - Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight.
THE PRETTY GOLDEN QUEEN
Collected by Miss Maude Williams, as "sung by an old lady near Kansas City. She learned it of a cousin when she was a girl, then living in South Missouri. She never saw it in print."
He followed her up and he followed her down,
Till he came to the place where she be;
"Oh rise you up, my pretty golden queen,
And go along with me,
And go along with me."
(Last line repeated in each stanza.)
She got on the pony young brown
And he got on the dapple gray,
And they rode and they rode
Till they came to the side of the sea.
And they rode and they rode
Till they came to the side of the sea.
"It 's six king's daughters I have drowned here,
And the seventh you shall be.
"Take off, take off those fine silk robes
And lay them on this land,
For they are too fine and costly here
To rot in the salt sea-sand."
"Just turn your eyes to the leaves on the trees,
And your back to the sea "--
And she picked him up
And plunged him into the sea.
"It's take hold, take hold of the skirts of my coat
And pull me out again."
"Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted wretch,
Lie there instead of me.
' You said you drowned six king's daughters here
And the seventh you shall be"
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
"It's take hold, take hold of the skirts of my coat
And pull me out again.
And I'll take you down to old Scotland
And there we 'll be maintained."
"Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted wretch,
Lie there instead of me"
. . . .
. . . .
So she got on the pony young brown
And led the dappled gray,
And she rode and she rode through the merry green woods
Till she came to her father's hall.
" Hush up, hush up, my pretty parrot dear,
And tell no tales on me:
Your cage shall be of the finest gold
And swung on a willow tree."
Her father was wakened by the noise
. . . . . .
"I woke, I woke, my pretty golden queen,
For to drive the cat away."
CHILD 10. - The Two Sisters.
(a) THE OLD MAN IN THE NORTH COUNTREE.
Collected by Miss Williams from a woman in Clinton County, who "learned it.in her
girlhood from a hired man in Kentucky."
There was an old man in the North Countree,
Bow down
There was an old man in the North Countree,
And a bow 't was unto me
There was an old man in the North Countree,
He had daughters one, two, three.
I '11 be true to my love if my love be true to me.
(Refrain so in each stanza.)
There was a young man came a-courting
And he made choice of the youngest one.
He gave his love a beaver cape:
The second she thought much of that.
"Sister, 0 sister, let us go down
And see the ships go sailing by."
As they was a-walking by the saucy brimside
The oldest pushed the youngest in.
"Sister, O sister, lend me your hand, a
And I '11 give you my house and land."
234 7ournal of American Folk-Lore.
"What care I for house and lands ?
All that I want is your true love's hand."
Down she sunk, and away she swam
Till she came to the miller's mill-dam.
The miller ran out with his fish-hook
And fished this maiden out of the brook.
"The miller shall be hung on his own mill-gate
For drownding my poor sister Kate."
(b) A version of this ballad taken down by Mr. W. S. Johnson of Tuscumbia, Miller
County,f rom the singingo f a local fiddlera nd ballad-singern amedW aters,d iffersb ut
slightlyf rom the ClintonC ountyv ersion; insteado f the archaic," saucyb rimside" of the
fifth stanzai t has " As they went roundt he riverb end,"a nd it preservesa stanzat hat has
dropped out of the Clinton County version, closing thus:--
He robbed her of her golden ring
And plunged her in the brook again.
They hung him on his own mill-gate
For drownding of poor sister Kate.
(c) From James Ashby's MS. ballad-book. No title is given. It was copied into the
book,F ebruary2 2, 1874. Theres eemst o be no point here in preservingt he peculiaro rthographya
ndv erse-liningo f Ashby'sM S., exceptw heret he formert hrowsl ight on the rime,
and I have accordinglys tandardizedth e spelling,p unctuationa, nd use of capitals.
There was an old woman lived on the sea-shore,
Bow down
There was an old woman lived on the sea-shore,
Bow was bent to me
There was an old woman lived on the sea-shore,
And daughters she had three or four.
I 'll be true to my love if my love will be true to me.
The youngest one she caught her bow (read beau),
Her bow he bought her a new beaver hat.
" O sister, O sister, come walk to the sea-shore
And see the ships as they sail o'er."
As they were walking all on the sea-brim
The oldest shoved the youngest [in].
First she sunk and then she swum,
She swam into the miller's mill-pond.
"O miller, O miller, yonder swims some swan,
Or else some true and loving one."
The miller threw out his great grab-hook
And brought this lady from the brook.
Old-Country Ballads in Missouri. 235
" O miller, O miller, I've gold rings ten,
If you'll take me to my mother again."
The miller he took the gold rings ten
And shoved her back in the brook again.
First she swam and then she sank
Into her eternal home.
The miller was hanged all on his mill-gate
For drownding of our sister Kate.
CHILD I8. - Sir Lionel.
OLD BANGUM AND THE BOAR.
Fragmentsr ecalledb y Prof. H. A. Smitho f a song that was sung in his home (in Missouri)
when he was a child.
Old Bangum drew his wooden knife
To rob this wild boar of his life.
Come I cuttle down kill him carry corn.
They fought four hours in the day
And then this wild boar stole away.
Old Bangum followed him to his den
And there found the bones of a thousand men.
CHILD 73. - Lord Thomas and Fair Annet.
(a) LORD THOMAS.
Collected by Miss Williams. " The man who sang it learned it from a hired man years
ago. HIe 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."
236 7ournal of American Folk-Lore.
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 '11 venture life, I '11 venture death,
I'll venture what's to come;
I'11 go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Before I '11 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.
Old-Country Ballads in Missouri. 237
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."
(b) Taken downb y Mr. Vaughan,p rincipalo f the Tuscumbias chool,f romt he singing
of a servant girl. No title given.
" Come mother, come mother, come riddle your sword,
Come riddle to me as one,
Whether to marry fair Ellender
Or bring the brown girl home."
" The brown girl has a house and land,
Fair Ellender has none;
So this is the blessing I give unto you,
Go bring the brown girl home."
" Come mother, come mother, come riddle your sword,
Come tell to me as one,
Whether to go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Or whether to stay at home."
"There may be many there your friends
And as many be your foes;
So this is the blessing I give unto you,
Dear daughter, to tarry at home."
"There may be many there my friends
And as many be my foes,
But life betide or death betide
To Lord Thomas's wedding I '11 go."
She dressed herself in scarlet red,
Her waiting maid in green,
And every town that they passed through
They took her to be some queen.
She rode, she rode till she came to the gate,
To the gate with a mighty din;
And who was so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To arise and bid her come in ?
He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her to the hall,
238 7ournal of American Folk-Lore.
And seated her there at the table
Among the ladies all.
"Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, is this your bride ?
I think she is very brown,
When you could have married as fine a lady
As ever the sun shone on."
The brown girl having a knife in her hand,
It being keen and sharp,
She pierced it into fair Ellender's breast
So deep it entered her heart.
Lord Thomas took her by the hand
And led her to the hall;
He took his sword and cut off her head
And kicked it against the wall.
Then placing the handle against the wall,
The point against his breast,
Saying " This is the ending of three true lovers,
God send their souls to rest !
(Some lines are evidently lost here.)
"Go dig my grave both wide and long,
Go dig it wide and deep.
And bury fair Ellender in my arms
And the brown girl at my feet."
(c) Collected by Miss Emma Gertrude Simmons of Berryville, Arkansas. No title
given.
" O mother, come riddle to me,
Come riddle both one or two;
Must I go marry fair Ellender
Or bring the brown girl home ?"
"I '11 say with all my blessing
Go bring the brown girl home;
The brown girl she has house and lands
And fair Ellender she has none."
He mounted on his milk-white steed
So plainly to be seen,
And every city that he passed through
They took him to be some king.
He rode up to fair Ellender's gate
And jingled at the ring;
There was no other but fair Ellender herself
To rise and let him in.
Old-Country Ballads in Missouri. 239
" What news, what news, Lord Thomas ?" she said,
" What 's the news for me ? "
"I 've come to invite you to my wedding,
And that 's the news for thee."
" 0 mother, come riddle to me,
Come riddle both one or two:
Must I go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Or stay at home with you? "
" I '11 riddle both two as one :
If you go to Lord Thomas's wedding
There 'll be some murderin' done."
She dressed herself in lily-white,
Her cumbrance all in green,
And every city that she passed through
They took her to be a queen.
She rode up to Lord Thomas's gate
And jingled at the ring;
There was no other as willing as he
For to rise and let her in.
He took her by her lily-white hand
And led her through the hall;
He set her down at the head of the table
Amongst those ladies all.
"Is this your bride, Lord Thomas ? " she said;
" I think she 's most wonderful brown,
When you could have got as fair a lady
As ever the sun shined on."
The brown girl having a knife in her hand,
It a-being most wonderful sharp,
She put it to fair Ellender's breast
And pierced her to the heart.
" Oh, what's the matter ?" Lord Thomas he said,
" Oh, what's the matter ? " said he.
" Oh, don't you see my own heart's blood
Come twinkling down by me? "
He took the brown girl by the hand
And led her across the hall:
Drew out his sabre, cut off her head,
And kicked it against the wall.
240 7ournal of American Folk-Lore.
The point against his breast:
"Here 's the end to three true lovers -
God take their souls to rest!
" O father, O father, go dig my grave,
Go dig it wide and deep,
And bury fair Ellender in my arms
And the brown girl at my feet.
"And on my breast a turtle dove
To show the world we died for love."
THE BROWN GIRL.
(d) From a MS. collection of " song-ballads" compiledb y a school-teacherin Gentry
Countyi n the '70'sa nd contributedto this collectionb y Mr. Harry Fore.
" Come mother, come mother, come riddle your sport,
Come riddle [your sport] as one,
Whether I shall marry fair Ellender
Or bring the brown girl home."
"The brown girl she has house and land,
Fair Ellender she has none;
Therefore I charge you with my blessing
Go bring the brown girl home."
"Go saddle up my milk-white steed,
My clothing bring to me,
That I may go and invite fair Ellender
To come to my wedding day."
" He rode up to fair Ellender's door
And rattled at the ring;
There could be none so ready as she
To rise and let him in.
"Oh, what is the matter my own true love,
What can the matter be ? "
"Oh, I 've come to invite you to my wedding:
Aint that sad news to thee ?"
'" Come mother, come mother, come riddle your sport,
Come riddle your sport as one;
Whether I shall go to Sir Thomas's
(MS. incomplete.)