Sweet William- Mitchell (KY) 1956 Roberts
[From Robert's In he Pine; 197 with music;8. Roberts has 12 texts in his collection.
R. Matteson 2014]
Sweet William- Sung by Elma Mitchell (Knox County, KY) 1956; Collected by Mrs. Mary Ellen Stamper.
I know nothing of little Margret's love,
I know she doesn't love me,
By tomorrow at eight o'clock,
Little Margret my bride will see.
Little Margret standing in her own hall door,
Combing back her hair,
Just then she spied Sweet William and his bride
As they the church drew nigh.
She threw away her ivory combs
And quickly did up her hair,
Out of the hall this fair lady went
Never to return again.
The day was spent and the night came on
When all men were asleep,
Sweet William he spied Little Margret's ghost
Standing at his bed's feet.
The night was spent and the day came on
When all men were awake,
And Sweet William was troubled in his head
For the dream he dreamed last night.
Sweet William he called to his merry maids all,
He called them one, two, and three,
But the last of all he called his bride:
Little Margret may I go see?
What are you going to do with little Margret, my love?
And what are you going to do with me?
I'll go see little Margret, my love
And then I'll return to thee.
He rose, he went to his own love's house
And he tingled on the ring,
No one was so ready but her brother
To rise and let him in.
Is she in the kitchen, is she in the hall?
Is she in her chamber
With her merry maids all?
She is neither in the kitchen,
She is neither in the hall
But there she lies in her coffin
That sits against the wall.
Fold up, fold up those highland sheets
That are made and lined so fine,
And let me kiss little Margret's lips,
For often she has kissed mine.
Fold down, fold down those highland sheets,
For they are lined so fine,
And today they hang over little Margret's corpse
And tomorrow they shall hang over mine.