Pretty Polly- (TN-VA) 1934 Cambiaire BK
[My title. No informant named, no location named. From Eastern Tennessee and Western Virginia Mountain Ballads by Cambiaire, 1934. The texts were taken from Cambiaire's students.
The text is somewhat unusual: Willie kills her with a revolver then is put in jail.
R. Matteson 2016]
38. THE CRUEL SHIP CARPENTER
(Pretty Polly)
Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, would you think it unkind,
For me to sit by you and tell you my mind?
"My mind is to marry and never to part,
For the first time I saw you it wounded my heart.
"Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, come go along with me,
Before we get married some pleasure to see."
He led her over mountains and valleys deep,
To a new dug grave. Pretty Polly did weep.
"O Willie, O Willie, I fear of your way,
I fear you will lead my poor body astray."
"Pretty Polly, Pretty Polly, you are thinking about right,
Because I dug on your grave the best half of last night."
They went on a little farther and what did she spy?
A new dug grave and a spade lying by.
She knelt down before him. "Oh! spare my dear life,
Let me be a single girl if I can not be your wife."
"Pretty Polly, pretty Polly, that never can be,
For your reputation has been trouble to me."
No time for to study, no time for to stand,
With a big revolver in his lily white hand.
He shot her through the heart and the blood began to flow.
In the new dug grave pretty Polly did go.
He threw some dirt over her and started for home,
"I am leaving Pretty Polly and the birds alone.[1]"
He went to the jail house and what did he say?
"I've murdered pretty Polly and trying to get away."
"O, Daddy, O, Daddy, they have got me here in jail,
No friends nor relation, no one to go my bail."
His daddy came and went his bail,
And bonded him out of old Frankfort jail.
He got on a ship with his heart full of sin,
The ship hit a rock, to the bottom she went.
A debt to the devil poor Willie did pay
For murdering pretty Polly and trying to get away.
1. birds to mourn.