The Jew's Lady- McCourt (WV) 1916 Cox E
[From: Folk-Songs of the South by John Harrington Cox- 1925; his notes follow. The date is much older.
R. Matteson 2013, 2015]
19. SIR HUGH, OR, THE JEW'S DAUGHTER (Child, No. 155)
Fourteen variants have been found in West Virginia, under various titles (cf. Cox, xlv, 160). They all tell the same brief story and differ in trifling details only. The version agrees closely with Child G and H. Child K of the English versions is very similar. Stanza A 6 and the corresponding stanzas in other variants are most like Child F 4 and N 6.
For American texts see Child, 111, 248, 249 (Philadelphia and Baltimore); Newell, Games and Songs of American Children, p. 75 (New York; reprinted by Child, in, 251); Krehbiel, New York Tribune, August 17, 1902 (see Journal, xv, 195); Belden, Journal, xrx, 293 (Missouri; Kentucky); Tolman, Journal, xxrx, 164 (Indiana; reprinted by Pound, No. 5 A); Kittredge, Journal, xxix, 166 (probably from Connecticut); Tolman and Eddy, Journal, xxxv, 344 (Ohio); Focus, in, 396, 399 (Virginia); Steger and Morrow, The University of Virginia Magazine, December, 191 2, p. 115 (Alabama; the same in Smith, p. 16, and Pound, No. 5B); Campbell and Sharp, No. 26 (North Carolina). For further references see Journal, xxix, 164; xxx, 322; xxxv, 344. Add Bulletin, No. 7, p. 6; No. 9, p. 7; No. 11, p. 5.
E. "The Jew's Lady." Contributed by Miss Snoah McCourt, Orndoff, Webster County, May, 1916, who learned it from her mother.
1 It rains our mist, [1] it rains,
It rains all o'er the town;
And all the boys that were therein,
Went out to toss their ball and play, play, play,
To toss their ball and play.
2 First they tossed their ball too high,
And then again too low;
Then over into the Jew's garden it went,
Where no man dared to go.
3 Out came a Jew's lady all dressed, all dressed,
All dressed in riches gay:
"Come in, my little lad," she said,
"And you shall have your ball, and play."
4 "I can't come in nor I won't come in,
Unless my schoolmates do;
For it is said that he that goes in,
Can never come out again."
5 First she showed him a nice mellow apple,
And next a gay gold ring;
And next a cherry as red as blood,
To entice this little boy in.
6 She took him by his little white hand,
And through the castle went,
And placed him in a cellar beneath,
Where no one could hear him lament.
7 "Go place my prayer-book at my head,
My Bible at my feet;
And if my schoolmates call for me,
Pray tell that I'm asleep.
8 "Go place my prayer-book at my feet,
My Bible at my head;
And if my schoolmates ask for me,
Pray tell them that I am dead."
Footnote: 1. Cf. A 1 for correct reading.