Silver Dagger- Tuthill MS (MI) pre1939 Gardner
[From: Ballads and Songs of Michigan by Emelyn- Elizabeth Gardner and Geraldine Jencks Chickering, Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press London: Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press: 1939. Their notes follow.
R. Matteson 2016]
23 THE SILVER DAGGER
For the fusion of this song and "The Drowsy Sleeper" and for a similar version see Kittredge, JAFL, XXX, 338, 361-363. For texts and references see Cox, pp. 350-352 See also Barbour, JAFL, XLIX, 211-213; Eddy, Nos. 86a and 127; Hudson, JAFL, XXXIX, 129-132; and Sharp, II, 229-230. The present version is from the Tuthill manuscript. [Spelling from the MS kept]
1 Come people, young and old, come listen to my tragety;
'Twill make your blood run cold.
'Tis as crule an af are as ever mentioned
Concerning a fare and a beauty bride.
A young man he courted her to be his darling,
Loved her as he loved his life,
And many the time he loved her, he vowed,
Promising to make her his lawful wife.
2 As soon as this old man came to here this,
He stroved to part them night and day,
Parting from his own dear jewel.
"She's poor, she's poor," he would ofttimes say.
Down on his bended knees he bowed,
Saying, "Father, pity me,
To her, to her my love I vowed,
What would this world be without her to me?"
3 As soon as this young girl came to hear this,
She quickly thought what she might do.
She wandered forth and left the city,
No more its plesent walks to view.
She wandered down by a flowing river,
There for death she did prepare,
Saying, "Here I am in my youthful mourning,
I am sank in deep despare."
4 Out she drew a silver dager,
Pearced it through her snowey white breast.
First she reeled and then she staggered,
Saying, "Oh my dear, I am going to rest."
He being nigh her in the thicket
Thought he heard his trew love's voice-
He ran and ran like one distracted,
Saying, "Oh my dear, I fear your lost."
5 Her coal-black eyes she gently opened,
Saying, "Oh my dear, you've come to late,
Prepare to meet me on Mt. Zian
Where our joyes will be compleat."
Up he picked the bloody weapon,
Pearced it through his own dear heart,
Saying, "Now let this be one woeful warning
To all who try true lovers to part."