The Jailer's Daughter- Morris (VA) 1936 Scarborough
[From Scarborough; A Song Catcher in the Southern Mountains; 1937. Her notes follow. Scarborough did not edit the MS that was sent in, I've made two minor spelling changes- there are more. This Brown's Cove version was collected Wilkinson (his B version) in 1936--see at bottom.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
Young Bekie and the Turkish Lady survive in Virginia under various names and titles. The version that I captured was from Polly Morris, who had learned it from her father, Uncle Billy Morris, a great singer of old songs in his day. I give it from Miss Polly's written copy. Ballads suffer curious changes sometimes in being transported from one land to another, for here we see---a sea voyage being essential to the original story-a reference to Kentucky shore.
The Jailer's Daughter- Morris (VA)1936 Scarborough
I sailed east I sailed west,
I sailed on to Kentucky shore.
There I was taken and put in prison,
And never expected freedom no more.
The jailer had as fairer daughter
as ever my too eyes did see.
She stold the keys of her father's treasure
and said lord Bateman she would set free.
She taken him to her father's seller,
and there they drinked of the wine so strong,
And every health she drinked unto him
And wished lord Bateman he was her own.
She taken him to her father's closet
and bargains made was one, two, three,
That he was to marry no other lady
nor she was to marry no other man.
For seven long years he stayed away,
For seven long years was one, two, three.
She picked up her gold and diamonds,
and said lord Bateman she would go see.
she rode till she came to lord Bateman's castle,
And there so loud she rapted the ring,
There was none so ready as lord bateman waiten
to arise and let her in.
Is this here where lord Batemen lives,
Or is he now at home?
He is just now sitting at his table,
He is just now brought his new bride home.
O tell him to send me a slice of his bread,
And tell him a glass of wine so strong;
And tell him not to forget the lady
that freed him of his prison strong.
O yonder stands as fair a lily
As ever my two eyes did see
She has more gold around her neck
that would buy the bride of your company.
Said tell you to send her a slice of your bread,
And tell you a glass of your wine so strong;
And tell you not to forget the lady
that freed you of your prison strong.
He sent her a glass of his wine so strong,
and sliced his bread in peaces three.
Said, Come on, porter and take your daughter,
for she is none of the worse by me.
She came here on a horse and saddle
She will come and go away in a coach with me [1].
So fare you well to the land of the living
since my Susie now have crossed the sea.
1. coach and three
_________________________
Wilkinson MSS; 1935-1936, pp. 44-45(8). Sung by Polly Morris, Pinkey, Va. April 23, 1936. [Clearly the order of the verses is mixed up and verse 4 should be verse 2. The text here is better- maybe edited- than the text sent in by Morris above.]
1. I sailed East, I sailed West,
I sailed on to Kentucky shore.
There I was taken and put in prison,
And never expected freedom [no] more.
2. She taken him to her father's cellar,
And there they drank of the very strong wine,
And every health she drinked unto him
And wished lord Bateman he was her mine.
3. She taken him to her father's closet
And bargains they made was one, two, three,
That he was to marry no other lady
And she was to marry no other man.
4. The jailer had as fair daughter
As ever my too eyes did see.
She stole the keys of her father's treasure
And said Lord Bateman she would go see.
5. For seven long years he stayed away,
For seven long years was one, two, three.
She pick[ed] up her gold and diamonds,
And said Lord Bateman she would go see.
6. She rode until she came to Lord Bateman's castle,
And there so loud she rapped at the ring.
There was none so ready as Lord Bateman's waiter,
To rise and let her in.
7. Is this here where Lord Bateman lives?
Or is he now at home?
He's just now sitting at his table,
He's just now brought his new bride home.
8. Go tell him to send me a slice of his bread,
And tell him a glass of his wine so strong.
And tell him never to forget his lady,
That freed him of his prison strong.
9. Yonder stands as fair a lady
As ever my two eyes did see.
She has more gold about her middle,
Than will buy your bride and your company.
10. Say, tell you to send her a slice of your bread,
And tell you a glass of your wine so strong.
And tell you n€ever to forget the lady,
That freed you of your prison so strong.
11. He sent her a glass of his wine so strong,
And sliced his bread in pieces three.
Say, come on porter and take your daughter,
For she is none the less by me.
12. She came here on a horse and saddle,
She'll go away in a coach with me.
So fare you well to the land of living,
Since my Susanna has crossed the sea.