The Brown Girl- Bethel (Mo.) 1930 Randolph A
[From Vance Randolph's Ozark Folksongs, vol. 1- Ballads, 1946. This uses the Lord Lovel form (with the extended ending lines) of the ballad.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
A. The Brown Girl- Sung by Mrs. M. P. Bethel, Pineville, Mo., Oct. 1, 1930. Mrs. Bethel was in possession of a manuscript copy of the words, and the word "brown" was written with a capital B throughout. Mrs. Bethel obviously regarded "Brown" as the bride's surname. Randolph A
Oh mother, oh mother come riddle me this,
come riddle it all to one,
Whether I shall marry fair Ellender dear,
Or bring the brown girl home, home, home,
Or bring the brown girl home.
The brown girl she has horses an' land,
Fair Ellender she has none,
If I were at the all of my blessings
I'd bring the brown girl home, home, home,
I'd bring the brown girl home.
He mounted on his coal black steed,
An' rode within the ring,
An' there being none so ready as she
To rise an' let him in, in, in,
To rise an' let him in.
Good news, good news, good news, cried she,
Sad news, sad news, said he,
I've come to invite you to my wedding dinner,
Ain't that sad news for thee, thee, thee,
Ain't that sad news for thee?
She mounted on her milk white steed,
They rode within the ring,
An' there being none so ready as she
To rise an' let them in, in, in,
To rise an' let them in.
He took her by her lily-white hand
An' led her through the hall,
An' seated her there at the head of the table
Among the quality all, all, ail,
Among the quality all.
The brown girl she had a little pen-knife,
The edge was keen an' sharp,
She pierced it through fair Ellender,
It entered near the heart, heart, heart,
It entered near the heart.
Oh Thomas, Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, she cried,
Oh Thomas, Lord Thomas, cried she,
Oh don't you see the blood of my heart
Come trickling down by me, me, me,'
Come trickling down by me.
He took the brown girl by the hair
An' drug her across the floor,
He took out his sword an' cut off her head,
An' kicked it against the door, door, door,
An' kicked it against the door.
He placed a dagger against his breast,
His heels against the wall,
Saying this is the end of three true loves
An' I am the last of all, all, all,
An' I am the last of all.
Oh mother, oh mother, go dig my grave,
Go dig it both wide an' deep,
An' bury fair Ellender in my arms
An' the brown girl at my feet, feet, feet,
An' the brown girl at my feet.