The Brown Girl- Baird (NC) 1971 Burton
[From: Some Ballad Folks; Burton 1978. Partially remembered.
R. Matteson 2014]
The Brown Girl (Child 73) - Sung by Bertha Baird; 6 March, 1971.
"Oh, Mother, oh, Mother, come riddle my riddle,
come riddle it all in one:
Whether I must many Fair Ellingter
Or bring the brown girl home?"
"The brown girl, she has house and land,
Fair Ellingter, she has none.
Therefore, Lord Thomas, my only son,
Go bring the brown girl bome."
He rode, he rode to Fair Ellingter's gate
and knocked upon the ring;
No one so ready as Fair Ellingter
to rise and let him in.
["Now there's Somethin' about ' "I've come to aSk you to my weddin'." ' I can't get that verse in there. Hain't you glad? 'N' she comes to her mother."]
"Mother, oh, Mother, come riddle my riddle,
come riddle it all in one:
Whether I must go to Lord Thomas's weddin'
or whether I must let it alone?"
. . . .
. . . .
"My only advice is to my daughter:
you better stay at home."
She dressed herself in silk so fine
and boldly she did go;
No one so ready as Lord Thomas himself
to rise and let her in.
He took her by the lily-white hand
and led her through the hall
And set her down at the head of the table
Among the gentlemen all.
"Oh, Lord Thomas, is this your bride?
she looks most wonderful brown
When you might have and as fair a young lady,
As ever the sun shined on."
["Then the brown-girl had a penknife and plunged her heart; I never could get that verse to it:
So he took her by the hand
And led her through the hall;
and with a sword he cut her head off
and threw it ag'in the wall.]
. . . .
. . . .
Lord, have mercy on three true lovers;
God send their soul to rest.
Father, oh Father, go dig my grave,
go dig it both wide and deep;
Place Fair Ellingter in my arms,
and the brown girl at mv feet."
["That's all I could get; I don't ---"
[Mrs' Baird's daughter:
"The brown girl had a little penknife;
she carried it most wonderfully sharp.
And with an oath she drew it out
and plunged Fair Ellender's heart. ]
["Yes' I know, but there's somethin' comes before that. Lord Thomas noticed her and she looked so wonderful pale, he didn't know what was wrong with her; somethin' about,
Don't you see my own heart's blood
come trinkling down my knees,
[I had it there in one of them books but I never did learn it