The Cruel Mother- Harmon (TN) 1930 Henry
[From Folk Songs from the Southern Highlands - A Collection Of Traditional Folk Songs & Ballads, Collected & Edited By Mellinger Edward Henry, c 1933. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
THE CRUEL MOTHER
(Child, No. 20)
See Barry-Eckstorm-Smyth, p. 80; Campbell and Sharp, No. 9; Cox, No. 5; Davis, No. 9; Mackenzie, Quest, p. 104; Mackenzie, Ballads, No. 3; McGill, p. 83; Sharp, Folk-Songs of English Origin Collected in the Appalachian Mountains, Second Series, No. 1; Shearin, p. 4; Shearin and Combs, p. 7; Journal, XXV, 183 (Mackenzie); Randolph, p. 185; Jones, p. 13; Fuson, p. 59. For additional references set Journal, XXX, 293.
This song was recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon at Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August, 1930. A visit to the home of the Harmons in Georgia in the summer of 1931 resulted in the recording of still more ballads and a number of tunes. The interesting thing in connection with all these visits is the emphatic pronouncement from every member of the family that no more songs are known by any of them; yet a later visit is sure to bring forth more.
1. A mother had two little babes,
All along in the lone- e -O.
2. She carried them down in the greenwood sides,
All along in the lone e O.
3. She tuk her knife and cut their throats,
All along in the lone e 0.
4. She buried them under a marble stone,
All along in the lone e 0.
5. She covered them up with a marble ball,
All along in the lone e 0.
6. She went to the river for to wash her hands,
All along in the lone e 0.
7. The more she washed the bloodier they got,
All along in the lone e 0.
8. She went to the house for to dry her hands,
All along in the lone e o.
9. She seen her two litte babes under the marble stone,
All along in the lone e 0.
10. Playing with that marble ball,
All along in the lone e 0.
11. "Babes, O babes, if you were mine,
All along in the lone e 0.
12. I'd dress you in the silks so fine,"
All along in the lone e 0.
13. "Mama, O mama, we onct was yourn,
All along in the lone e 0.
14. You neither dressed us coarse nor fine,"
All along in the lone e 0.