Pretty Mary- Fleet (NS) pre1950 Creighton D
[My title. From Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia by Creighton and Senior; 1950. No date given, no music. A stanza (which would be stanza 8) about the naked girl is missing and the end appears to be a conversation with her father (not the parrot haha). Perhaps the "young Henry" reference shows a blending of Child 68 which have some common stanzas/themes and have been blended (see Wilkinson 1935).
R. Matteson 2014]
Sung by Mrs. James Fleet, Jr. Ecum Secum. This is an unusual variant with its seven-line stanzas and changes in the opening and closing verses. Singers of these variants are from widely separated parts of the Province and have learned their songs from different sources. Mrs. Fleet lives perhaps in the most isolated district of all.
[Pretty Mary] Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight [D]- Sung by Mrs. James Fleet, Jr. Ecum Secum.
1. As I walked past a rich man's door
Pretty Mary I did spy,
She had red rosy cheeks and coal black hair,
There were diamonds in her eyes,
There were diamonds in her eyes,
She had red rosy cheeks and coal black hair,
There were diamonds in her eyes.
2. "Come out, come out my pretty Mary,
Come out, come out, " cried he,
" Away we'll go to Scotland bridge
And there you my bride shall be, etc.
3. "Dismount, dismount, my pretty Mary,
Dismount, dismount, " cried he,
"Away we shall go to Scotland bridge
And there you my bride shall be. - etc.
4, "Take all of your father's gold,
Likewise your mother's fee,
Take two of the best horses from your father's stable
For there stand thirty and three," etc.
5. She mounted upon a milk white steed
And he upon the grey,
And away they set off for Scotland's bridge
One hour before it was day. etc.
6. "Dismount, dismount my pretty Mary.
Dismount, dismount," "cried he,
"For six pretty maids I have drownded here
And you the seventh shall be." etc.
7. "Take all of the clothes you have on
And hang on that willow tree,
For they are all too costly and nice
For to lie and rot under the sea. " etc,
8. He turned himself around and round,
Kept his eye on the willow tree,
She put both her arms around his waist
And she tumbled him into the sea. etc.
9. "Lie there, lie there, you false young man,
Lie there instead of me,
If it's six pretty maidens you've drownded there
Go keep them company. " etc.
10. She mounted upon the milk white steed
And led the dapple grey,
And away she set off for her father's stable
Three hours before it was day. etc.
11. "Oh where have you been my pretty Mary,
Oh where have you been?" cried he.
"I've been away to Scotland's bridge
"Young Henry he lies under the sea." etc.
12. " Well done, well done, my pretty Mary,
Well done, well done," cried he.
" Your skirt shall be lined with the finest of silk
And hung on the willow tree." etc.