The Bride's Murder- Gainer (WV) text 1924
[From West Virginia University online c. late 1960s; Also in Folk Songs from the West Virginia Hills, by Patrick Gainer, 1975. Text from Carey Woofter 1924.
Patrick Gainer's text is similar and nearly identical to the text attributed to David Chenoweth (Minorra, Calhoun Co., West Virginia) 1924 which was collected by Carey Woofter. Woofter's version appears to be a clumsy recreation of Child G. Woofter and Gainer were student collecting friends in the 1920s at the University of West Virginia. On the West Virginia University online site, Gainer offers no source for his ballad, even though he knows it and title's it something else.
In 1975 Gainer published virtually the same version as Woofter's 1924 version under the title "The Brides Murder" in his Folk Songs from the West Virginia Hills. He says, "This tragic ballad has not been reported previously as surviving in West Virginia. This complete version was found in Calhoun County. It was an old family custom that permission of the parents and all older brothers and sisters had to be obtained if a younger member of the family wished to marry. In this case brother Harry was not asked. Sung by Samuel Bennett."
Here Gainer is giving us the same ballad but by a completely different informant, a Samuel Bennett. The "old family custom" isn't known in West Virginia but Gainer knew this from the Child ballads. Gainer surely also knew about the earlier version given by Woofter but says, "This tragic ballad has not been reported previously as surviving in West Virginia."
In my opinion Gainer is perpetuating a recreation of Child G made by Woofter in 1924.
R. Matteson 2011, 2014]
See also: Cruel Brother- David Chenoweth (Minorra, Calhoun Co., West Virginia) 1924 Collected by Carey Woofter; In the Josiah Combs collection.
The Bride's Murder- Patrick Gainer, no date given. Text from The Cruel Brother- David Chenoweth (West Virginia) 1924 Collected by Carey Woofter; Text appears in 2nd edition (edited Wilgus) of Combs Folk-Songs of the Southern United States- 1967.
Listen to Gainer:
http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/wvconline/patrickgainer/Sng11TheBridesMurder.mp3
There's three fair maids went out to beach the cloth,
All along the *shipyard so clean,
There's three men came to court them all,
As plainly can be seen.
The first rich man was dressed in red,
All along the shipyard so clean,
He asked if the oldest could him wed.
As plainly can be seen.
The second rich man was dressed in yellow,
He asked the next if he wasn't a proper fellow.
The third rich man was dressed in white,
He asked the youngest to be his wife.
But you must ask of my father so dear,
And of my mother who will be near.
And you must ask of my sister Sue,
Or else your favor you will rue.
And don't forget my brother Harry,
Of all men he's the most contrary.
The rich man asked of her father dear,
And sought of her mother fairly.
He asked the favor of her sister Sue.
But forgot her brother so contrary.
And all the neighbors far and near,
Came to wish the bride good cheer.
Her father led her through his hall,
Her mother dashed before them all.
Her sister Sue at her gown did pluck,
And wished her all of the best good luck.
Her brother Harry waited by the stile,
To greet her for a long, long while.
He had a knife both sharp and stout,
With it he cut her fair white throat.
The blood ran down upon her breast,
She knew that hour would be her last.
They carried her back to her father's hall,
And there she made her will before them all.
"And I leave to my father so dear,
All the lands that I hold here.
"And I leave to my old mother there,
All the clothes I have to wear.
"And I leave to my sweet sister Sue,
My rich husband for her to view.
"And I leave to my brother Harry's wife,
Shame and disgrace the rest of her life.
"And I leave to brother Harry's son,
To pay the debt his father has won.
"And I leave to my brother Harry,
The gallows in payment for his deed.
"And may my husband throw the trap,
Before he stops his tears to shed.
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*Wilgus has chip-yard in Combs' text.