The Brown Girl- Harriman (AR) 1959 Parler
[From Ozark Folksong Collection- Reel 287-288, Item 6. Collected by Mrs. Dessie Harriman for Mary Celestia Parler. Transcribed by Mrs. Dessie Harriman
R. Matteson 2014]
The Brown Girl- Sung by Mrs. Dessie Harriman Japton, Arkansas August 14, 1959
Dear mother, dear mother come riddle me,
Come riddle me all alone.
Whether I shall marry Fair Ellen dear,
Or bring the Brown girl home, home, home,
Or bring the Brown girl home.
The Brown girl she has house and land,
Fair Ellen dear she has none.
Before I warn you to my blessings,
Go bring the Brown girl home, home, home,
Go bring the Brown girl home.
He dressed himself in scarlet red,
His weight was made in green.
And ever town that he rode through,
They took him to be some king, king, king,
They took him to be some king.
He rode and he rode till he came to the hall,
He ringled and jingled at the gate.[1]
But none was so ready as Fair Ellen,
To ri3e and let him in, in, in,
To rise and let him in.
What news have you for me she cried,
What news what news? cried she.
I’ve come to warn you to my wedding,
Bad news, bad news, said she, she, she,
Bad news, bad news, said she.
She dressed herself in scarlet red,
Her weight was made in green.
And ever town that she rode through,
They took her to be some queen, queen, queen,
They took her to be some queen.
They rode and they rode till they came to the hall,
They ringled and jingled at the gate.
But none was so ready as Lord Thomas,
To rise and let them in, in, in,
To rise and let them in.
He took her by the lily white hand,
And led her through the hall.
He led her up to the head of the table,
Among the ladies all, all, all,
Among the ladies all.
Lord Thomas Lord Thomas is this your bride,
I see she's mighty brown,
And you could have got as fair a lady,
As ever the sun shined on, on, on,
As ever the sun shined on.
The brown girl sitting with a knife in her hand,
The point being sharp and keen.
Between Fair Ellen's dear lungs and ribs,
I'm sure she reached her heart, heart, heart,
I'm sure she reached her heart.
He took the Brown Girl by the hand,
And led her through the hall.
And with a bright sword cut off her head,
And slung it against the wall, wall, wall,
And slung it against the wall.
He turned the sword against the wall,
The point against his breast.
Saying here is the end of three true lovers,
God send them home to rest, rest, rest,
God send them home to rest.
Go dig my grave, go dig my grave,
Dig it both wide and deep.
And bury Fair Ellen dear in my arms,
And the Brown Girl at my feet, feet, feet,
And the Brown Girl at my feet.