The Brown Girl- (TN-VA) 1934 Cambiaire B
[No informant, date, or specific location given. From Eastern Tennessee and Western Virginia Mountain Ballads by Cambiaire, 1934.
R. Matteson 2014]
68. THE BROWN GIRL.
Or, father and mother, come yield[1] to me
And bid me as your own
Which had you rather that I'd bring home,
Fair Ellen or the Brown girl.
Well, then, I'll bid you, oh, my boy,
To bring the Brown girl home;
For the Brown girl she has a house and home,
Fair Ellen she has none.
He rode till he came to fair Ellen's hall
Knocked slowly on the ring;
There was none so ready as fair Ellen
To rise and let him in.
Sad news, sad news I bring to you
Sad news I have to say;
I have come to ask you to my wedding
On the fourth of May.
She dressed herself in clothing white;
She robed her head in green,
And every city that she rode through
She was taken for a queen.
She rode till she came to Lord Thomas' hall
Knocked slowly on the ring
None was so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To rise and let her in.
He took her by her lily-white hand
He marched her across the hall,
He marched her through a crowd of girls;
She was the fairest of all.
The Brown girl then had a little knife
So very keen and sharp,
She stole from her right hand to her left
And pierced fair Ellen's heart
Lord Thomas then had a little sword
So very sharp and small
He then cut off the Brown girl's head
And kicked it against the wall.
1. probably mondegreen for 'rede' for riddle