The Rantin Laddie- Danley (WV) pre1975 Gainer
[From "Folk Songs from the west Virginia Hills" by Patrick Gainer, 1975. His notes follow.
Gainer's West Virginia version is the same, with only one or two words changed, from the 1924 version "collected" by his friend Carey Woofter, but he reports his version is from a different source, Alpheus Danley of Gilmer County, WV, which is very suspicious. Once, when I checked some of Gainer's informants, I found out- many of them didn't exist.
It is certain that Gainer knew about the 1924 Combs version but he doesn't even mention it, instead he says, "This ballad is rare in West Virginia tradition" which is also misleading because it's not found in the US at all. Whether Gainer had a hand in securing the original text which, according to Wilgus, was Allan Cunningham's The Songs of Scotland (p. 208) 1825 (no edition named) is unknown.
This is further proof that Gainer has used a ballad in print and attributed it to a fictitious local informant.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
THE RANTIN' LADDIE
(CHILD 240, "THE RANTIN LADDIE")
This ballad is rare in West Virginia tradition. This version is closely related to Child version B. sung by Alpheus Danley, Gilmer county.
The Rantin Laddie- sung by Alpheus Danley, Gilmer county, (WV) pre1975, "collected" Gainer.
1 Oft I have played at cards and dice,
Because they were so enticing;
But this is a sad and sorrowful day
To see my apron rising.
2 "My father he does but slight me,
And my mother she does scorn me,
And all my friends make light of me,
And all the servants sneer at me.
3 "Oft have I played at cards and dice,
For the love of my laddie,
But now I must sit at my father's fireboard
And rock my bastard baby.
4 "But had I one of my father's servants,
For he has so many,
That will go to the eastern shore
With a letter to the rantin' laddie."
5 "Here is one of your father's servants,
For he has so many,
That will go to the eastern shore
With a letter to the rantin' laddie."
6 "When you get there to the house,
To the eastern shore so bonnie,
With your hat in your hand bow low down to the ground
Before the company of the rantin' laddie."
7 When he got there to the house,
To the eastern shore so bonnie,
With his hat in his hand he bowed down to the ground,
Before the company of the rantin' laddie.
8 When he looked the letter o'er,
So loud he burst out laughing,
But before he read it to the end,
The tears they were down dropping.
9 "O who is this, O who is that,
Who has been so ill to my Maggie?
O who is this has been so bold,
So cruel to treat my lassie?,'
10 "Her father will not know her,
And her mother she does but scorn her,
And all her friends do make light of her,
And all the servants they do sneer at her."
11 "Four-and-twenty milk-white steeds,
Go quick and make them ready,
As many gay lads to ride on them
To go and bring home my Maggie.
12 "Four-and-twenty bright brown steeds,
Go quick and make them ready,
As many bold knights to ride on them
To go and bring home my Maggie."
13 Ye lasses all where'er ye be,
If ye lie with an eastern shore laddie,
Ye'll happy be, ye'll happy be,
For they are fresh and free.