The Bamboo Brier- Harmon (TN-NC) pre1880 Henry
[From: Folk Songs from the Southern Highlands by Mellinger Edward Henry, 1938. This short version (missing the opening and the revenant visitation) probably dates back to the early 1800's. It comes from Council Harmon (1806-1890) through his granddaughter-in-law. "Old Counce" is part of the Hicks/Harmon families in Watuaga County NC. There's also a fragment from Jane Hicks Gentry, another granddaughter, collected by Sharp in 1916. Counce learned his ballads from Big Sammy Hicks who came to the Watuaga region with his father David before the Revolutionary War. This version is missing the first stanza(s) and the dream.
The Harmon's moved to Tennessee before 1880 when Sam was a child. Sam's version was recorded for the LOC. I have not obtained a copy.
The stanzas are out of place- for example, clearly the last two lines of stanza 1 begin the stanza with the first two lines of stanza 2 (same with 4 and 5). I've reworked the stanzas at the bottom of this page.
R. Matteson 2016]
"The Bamboo Brier." Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August, 1930, who learned it from Grandfather [Council] Harmon (1806-1890).
1. It was early, early in the morning
When those young men became a-hunting,
They hunted over hills and lonesome valleys
And through such places as was quite unknown.
2. Till at last they came to the Bamboo Brier
And then her true-love was killed and thrown.
It was getting late when they was turning.
"O brother dear, where my servant man can be?"
3. "Among my hunt and all our rambles
We have lost your servant man there."
4. It was early, early the next morning,
This young damsel became a-hunting.
She traveled over hills and through lonesome valleys
And through such places as was quite unknown.
5. At last she came to the Bamboo Brier,
There her true-love was killed and thrown;
The blood on his cheeks was just a-drying;
His feeble lips was salt as brine.
6. She kissed him o'er and over a-crying:
"I have lost a bosom friend of mine."
It was getting late when she was returning:
"Sister, dear, where have you been?"
7. "Oh, ye, oh, ye, ye cruel villians!
For my true-love you both shall hang."
They started to the sea for to drown all sin and sorrow.
The top of the ship became in a totter
And in the bottom of the sea their graves lie low.
____________________________
1. It was early, early in the morning
When those young men became a-hunting,
2. They hunted over hills and lonesome valleys
And through such places as was quite unknown.
Till at last they came to the Bamboo Brier
And then her true-love was killed and thrown.
3. It was getting late when they was turning.
"O brother dear, where my servant man can be?"
"Among my hunt and all our rambles
We have lost your servant man there."
4. It was early, early the next morning,
This young damsel became a-hunting.
5. She traveled over hills and through lonesome valleys
And through such places as was quite unknown.
At last she came to the Bamboo Brier,
There her true-love was killed and thrown;
6. The blood on his cheeks was just a-drying;
His feeble lips was salt as brine.
She kissed him o'er and over a-crying:
"I have lost a bosom friend of mine."
7. It was getting late when she was returning:
"Sister, dear, where have you been?"
"Oh, ye, oh, ye, ye cruel villians!
For my true-love you both shall hang."
8. They started to the sea,
For to drown all sin and sorrow.
The top of the ship became in a totter
And in the bottom of the sea their graves lie low.