The King's Daughter Fair; Hubbard A; Bronson No. 59
[From the article: Traditional Ballads from Utah, by Lester A. Hubbard and LeRoy J. Robertson; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 64, No. 251 (Jan. - Mar., 1951), pp. 37-53. Dated c. 1883 by Bronson.
R. Matteson 2014]
I. "Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight" (Child No. 4)
"The King's Daughter Fair." Sung by Mrs. Lottie Marsh Heed of Ogden, who learned it about 67 years ago from her mother, Jane Marsh, in Willard, Box Elder County. Two texts of this widely known ballad have been recovered in Utah. The version given below corresponds closely to Child E. For history and references see Paul Brewster, Ballads and Songs of Indiana (Bloomington, 1940), p. 31, and H. M. Belden, Ballads and Songs Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society (The University of Missouri Studies, XV, Columbia, Mo., 1940), pp. 5-6.
There was a noble English lad,
Who courted a King'sd augh-ter fair.
He promised to take her to the north coun-tree,
And they would be married there.
"Now you must get some of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee
And two of the finest horses in these stables
Where there are thirty and three."
She mounted on her milk-white steed;
He rode the dappled gray.
They rode till they came to the seaside
Two hours before it was day.
"Flight of, flight off from your milk-white steed,
Flight off, flight off," I say,
"For six pretty fair maids I've drowned here
And the seventh one you shall be.
"Now you must take off this silken dress
And give it unto me,
For I think it looks too rich and too rare
To rot in the salty sea."
"Well, if I must take off this silken dress,
You must turn your back unto me,
For I don't think it fit for a roughen like thee
An undressed lady to see."
He wheeled himself around about
While bitterly she did weep.
She caught him by the coat collar
And plunged him into the deep.
"Take hold, take hold of my finger, love,
Take hold with your lily-white hand,
And I will make you my own true love
And the fairest in the land."
"Lie there, lie there, lie there," said she,
"Lie there instead of me,
For if six pretty, fair maids you've drowned here,
The seventh one drownded thee."
She mounted on her milk-white steed,
She led the dappled gray.
She rode till she came to her father's house;
The chickens were crowing for day.
The parrot rose up in the garret so high
And unto Polly did say,
"Where have you been, my pretty Polly?
You tarry so long before day."
"Oh hush, oh hush, oh hush," said she,
"Don't you tell no tales on me,
And your cage shall be lined with a glittering gold
And hang in the green willow tree."
The king rose up in the castle so high
And unto the parrot did say,
"Oh what is the matter, my pretty parrot?
You prattle so long before day."
"Nothing's the matter with me, kind sir,
Nothing's the matter, I say,
But there were two white kittens that bothered me so
I called Polly to drive them away."
"Well done, well done, well done," said she,
"Well done, well done," said she,
Now your cage shall be lined with the glittering gold
And hang in the green willow tree."