The Brown Girl- Pine Mountain (KY) 1916 Wells
[From Wells; The Ballad Tree, 1950. Several unusual characteristics: stanza 10 - "willful bride" and stanza 6 line 2.
R. Matteson 2014]
THE BROWN GIRL
(Lord Thomas and Fair Annet, 73)
The Brown Girl- As sung by children in the Pine Mountain Settlement School, Pine Mountain, Harlan County, Kentucky, to E. K. Wells, 1916.
1. Oh Mother, Oh Mother, come riddle to me,
Come riddle me three in one-
Oh, must I marry fair Ellender, say,
Or bring the brown girl home?
2. The brown girl, she has money and lands,
Fair Ellender she has none,
My blessing on you, my own dear son,
If you bring the brown girl home.
3. He rode till he came to Fair Ellender's gate,
He tingled the bell on the ring,
No one so ready as Fair Ellender,
To rise and bid him come in.
4. What news, what news, Lord Thomas, she cried;
What news have you brought to me?
I've come to bid you to my wedding,
For tomorrow it may be.
5. She dressed herself in a scarlet robe,
Her waiting maid dressed in green,
And every town that she rode through,
They took her to be some queen.
6. She rode till she came to Lord Thomas's gate,
She pulled all up her rein,
No one so ready as Lord Thomas himself,
To rise and bid her come in.
7. He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her through the hall,
And seated her down in a rocking-chair
Among the ladies all.
8. Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, is this your bride?
I'm sure she's very brown;
You once could have had as fair a girl
As ever the sun shone on.
9. The brown girl drew a knife from her belt,
The blade being keen and sharp,
Between the long ribs and the short
Stabbed Fair Ellender to the heart.
10. Lord Thomas he drew his sword from his side,
As he came in from the hall,
He cut off the head of his willful bride
And threw it against the wall.
11. Then placing the handle against the wall,
And the blade against his heart,
Says, did you ever see three lovers meet,
That had so soon to part?
12. Oh Mother, Oh Mother, go dig my grave,
Go dig it long and deep,
And bury Fair Ellender in my arms,
And the brown girl at my feet.
13. And by my side plant a willow tree,
And on its branch a dove,
To testify to all the world
That I have died for love.