Silver Dagger- E. Davidson (MO) 1927 Randolph
[Final stanza from Ozark Folksongs II, by Randolph 1946, version E1. This is one six versions (designated A1-F1) Randolph collected of an eleven stanza "composed ballad" usually titled The Silver Dagger. This ballad is based on the traditional ballad story, a collected variant of Silver Dagger was published in 1849, the original (circa 1820) has not been found. Only stanza seven and half of eleven are taken from the traditional versions of North America.
Randolph also published six versions (A-F) of Drowsy Sleeper, the traditional version.
R. Matteson 2016]
E1. "Silver Dagger." Mrs. W. E. Jones, of Pineville, Mo., Sept. 14, 1928, sings the final stanza as follows:
Come all ye friends and mourn around,
For they are dead and in the ground,
And o'er their graves flew a turtle dove,
To show the world that they died for love.