The Green Willow Tree- Goodwin (VA) 1914 Davis A
[From Davis, Traditional Ballads Of Virginia 1929, his notes are below.
R. Matteson 2014]
THE SWEET TRINITY (THE GOLDEN VANITY)
(Child, No. 286)
Our complete text, A, and five more or less fragmentary ones, with one tune, have been found in Virginia. The titles are 'The Lowlands Low," "The Green Willow Tree," "The Golden Vanity," "Turkeyrogherlee and the Yellow Golden Tree," and "Sailing in the Lowlands Low." All the Virginia items are printed here. They are all closely related to the Child C version, as shown especially by the final death of the cabin boy, either from exhaustion in the sea, as in A, or on deck, as in B. But there are verbal suggestions of other versions; for instance stanza 1 of the Virginia E fragment suggests child B 9. Several Virginia texts of a later "Lowlands low" song, also known in Virginia as "Young Edmund," which belong to the English song of "Younq Edwin in the Lowlands Low" have of course been excluded as out of place here. The story of the ballad is given with fair completemess in Virginia A.
"The Green Willow Tree." collected by Miss Eunice Harris, of the Farmville Ballad club. Sung by Mrs. Goodwin, Prince Edward County. March 23, 1914 printed in The Focus for April, 1914, p. 158.
1 There was a ship that sailed from South America
Known by the name of The Green Willow Tree,
As she sailed in the lowlands, lowlands, lowey,
As she sailed in the lowlands low.
2 Short time had she been sailing, dauntless and free,
When there hove in sight a Turkish robery, [1]
As she sailed in the lowlands, lowlands lowey,
As she sailed in the lowlands low.
3. Up steps the captain, saying, what shall we do?
Yonder is a Turkish robery;
She will sink us in the lowlands, lowlands lowey,
Sink us in the lowlands low.
4. Forward there came one of the captain's boys,
Saying, "What will you give to me
If I sink them in the lowlands lowey,
Sink them in the lowlands low?"
5. "I will give you gold and will then set you free,
Besides my youngest daughter your wedded wife to be,
If you will sink them in the lowlands lowey,
Sink them in the lowlands low."
6. At once he took the task and away swam he,
And soon reached the Turkish robery.
Where they had anchored in the lowlands lowey,
Anchored in the lowlands low.
6. He had a little instrument just fitted for the use,
With which he cut some gashes and let in a sluice,
As they lay at anchor in the lowlands lowey,
At anchor in the lowlands low.
7. Some with their hats and some with their caps,
All tried their best to stop those water gaps
As they were sinking in the lowlands lowey,
Sinking in the lowlands low.
8. His task being accomplished, back swam he,
And soon regained the Green Willow Tree,
Where she was sailing in the lowlands lowey,
Sailing in the lowlands low.
9. He hailed the captain, "Will you keep your word?
Will you lay to and take me on board?
Or will you sink me in the lowlands lowey,
Sink me in the lowlands low?"
10. "No, I will not be as good as my word,
I will not lay to and take you on board,
But I will sink you in the lowlands lowey,
Sink you in the lowlands low."
11. "If it were not for the guards you have on board,
I'd leave you just the same, I would upon my word,
I would sink you in the lowlands lowey,
Sink you in the lowlands low."
12. His appeals were useless and away swam he,
Bidding an adieu to the Green Willow Tree,
As he was sinking in the lowlands lowey,
Sinking in the lowlands low.
1. robbery; for robber