Silver Dagger- Mrs. Easley (MS) 1926 Hudson A
[From: Ballads and Songs from Mississippi- Arthur Palmer Hudson; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 39, No. 152 (Apr. - Jun., 1926), pp. 93-194. Hudson collected six version of the "composed Silver Dagger" of which he published three. He reprinted the A version in Folksongs of Mississippi in 1936. His notes follow.
The version of composed version (not the original which is still missing) was published in 1849 in a NY publication.
R. Matteson 2016]
21. THE SILVER DAGGER
A. [The Silver Dagger]- From Mrs. G. V. Easley, Tula, Mississippi, who states that though this must be the title of the ballad, it has no local title. See Cox, No. 109.
1. Come, young men, pray lend attention
To these few lines I'm about to write,
For it is as true as ever was mentioned
Concerning a fair one beauty bright.
2. A young man courted her to be his darling;
He loved her as he loved his life,
And oftentimes he vowed to her
He'd make her his lawful wife.
3. When his parents came to know this,
They strove to part them night and day,
To part him from his own dear jewel.
"She is poor," they would often say.
4. When this fair lady came to know this
She quick resolved what she would do:
She wandered far and left the city,
The pleasant grove no more to view.
5. She wandered down by the flowing rivers;
There for death she did prepare,
Saying, "Here I'll lay my youthful mourning,
For I am sunk in deep despair."
6. He, being near her in a thicket,
Thought he heard his true love's voice.
He ran, he ran like one distracted,
Saying, O my dear, I fear you're lost."
7. He then picked up the bleeding body,
Rolled it over in his arms:
"Is there no friend nor gold can save you?
Must you die with all your charms?"
8. Her coal-black eyes like stars she opened,
Saying, "O my dear, you've come too late!
Prepare to meet me on Mount Zion,
Where all our joys will conquer fate."
9. He then pulled out the silver dagger,
Pierced it through his own dear heart,
Saying, "Let this be an awful warning
To all that does true lovers part!"