The Brown Girl- Pettit (KY) pre1907 Kittredge ; version A
[From: Ballads and Rhymes from Kentucky by G. L. Kittredge; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 20, No. 79 (Oct. - Dec., 1907), pp. 251-277. Two versions were given by Kittredge- the changes to make the B version have been made and appear as a separate version.
R. Matteson 2014]
BALLADS AND RHYMES FROM KENTUCKY EDITED BY G. L. KITTREDGE
The following ballads and rhymes from the mountains of Kentucky were collected recently by Miss Katherine Pettit of Hindman, Knott County, in that State. Miss Pettit has had the kindness to send the material to the Journal for publication.
THE BROWN GIRL
This version of "Lord Thomas and Fair Annet" (Child, No. 73) should be compared with the Virginian copy communicated to the Folk-Lore Journal by Mr. W. H. Babcock (vii, 33) and printed by Child, iii, 509. A few readings from another version furnished by Miss Pettit are given in the footnotes (marked B).
1. "Mother, O mother, go riddle my sport;
Go riddle it all as one:
Must I go marry fair Alender,
Or bring the brown girl home?"
2. "The brown girl she has house and land,
Fair Alender has none;
Therefore I warn you as a blessing,
Go bring the brown girl home."
3. "Go saddle up my milk-white steed,
Go saddle him up for me;
I'll go invite fair Alender
All to my wedding meal."
4. He rode, he rode till he came to the hall;
He tingled on the ring;
Nobody so ready as Fair Alender
To rise and let him in.
5. "What news? what news?" Fair Alender cried,
"What news have you brought to me?"
"I've come to invite you to my wedding,
Is that good news to thee?"
6. "Bad news, bad news," Fair Alender cried,
" Mad news you have brought to me;
I once did think I would be your bride,
And you my bridegroom be.
7. "Mother, mother, go riddle my sport;
Go riddle it all as one;
Must I go to Lord Thomas's wedding,
Or tarry with thee at home?"
8. She dressed herself in scarlet red,
Her maidens they dressed in green,
And every town that they rode through,
They took her to be some queen.
9. She rode, she rode, till she came to the hall;
She tingled on the ring;
Nobody so ready as Lord Thomas himself,
To rise and let her in.
10. He took her by the lily-white hand,
And led her across the hall;
And led her up to the head of the table,
Amongst the fair maids all.
11. "Is this your bride," Fair Alender cried,
"That looks so wonderful brown?
You once could of got as fair a lady
As ever the sun shone on."
12. The brown girl had a little penknife,
It was both keen and sharp;
Between the long ribs and the short,
She entered Fair Alender's heart.
13. "What's the matter? what's the matter?" Lord Thomas he cried.
" O don't you plainly see?
O don't you see my own heart's blood
A-trickling down by me?"
14. He took the brown girl by the hand,
He led her across the hall;
He drew [his] bright sword, he cut her head off,
And threw it against the wall.
15. He put the butt against the ground,
The point against his breast;
Here three young lovers all died to-day,
God send them all to rest!