The Salt-Water Sea- Gregg (WV) pre1916 Cox G
[From Folk-Songs of the South; Cox, 1925; The stanza numbers begin with Stanza 12 instead of 1, I've left the stanza numbers. Cox's notes follow.
R. Matteson 2014]
LADY ISABEL AND THE ELF KNIGHT (Child, No. 4)
This ballad is known in West Virginia as "Pretty Polly," "Six Kings' Daughters," "The King's Daughter," "The False Lover," and "The Salt-Water Sea." Nine variants have been recovered.
For American variants see Child, M, 496 (Virginia; from Babcock, Folk-Lore Journal, VIII, 28) ; Journal, XVIII, 132 (Barry; Massachusetts) ; XIX, 232 (Belden; Missouri); XXII, 65 (Beatty; Wisconsin), 76 (Barry; New Jersey, tune only), 374 (Barry; Massachusetts; from Ireland; also readings from other texts); XXVI, 374 (Mackenzie; Nova Scotia; cf. Quest of the Ballad, pp. 93, 174, 183); xxiv, 2)33, 344 (Barry; Massachusetts and Illinois; from Irish sources); XXXVII, 90 (Gardner; Michigan); xxviii, 148 (Perrow; North Carolina); xxxv, (Tolman and Eddy; Ohio); Wyman and Brockway, p. 82 (Kentucky); Campbell and Sharp, No. 2 (Massachusetts, North Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia); Focus, IV, 161, 212 (Virginia); Child MSS., xxi, 4 (4, 6); Minish MS. (North Carolina). In Charley Fox's Minstrel's Companion (Philadelphia, Turner & Fisher), p. 52, may be found "Tell-Tale Polly. Comic Ballad. (As sung by Charley Fox.) "
For references to American versions, see Journal, xxix, 156, note, 157; xxx, 286. Add Shearin and Combs, p. 7; Bulletin, Nos. 6-10. For recent British references see Journal, xxxv, 338; Campbell and Sharp, p. 323.
G. "The Salt-Water Sea." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fairmont, Marion County, December, 1916; obtained from Mr. George Gregg, Durbin, Pocahontas County. He got it from his mother, who learned it when a child.
12 She rode upon her bonny, bonny brown,[1]
And he on the dapple gray;
They rode till they came to the salt-water sea.
13 "It is here, it is here," said he,
"It is here I have drowned six kings' daughters,
And the seventh one you shall be, be, be,
And the seventh one you shall be.
14 "Pull off that costly robe of yours,
And hang it on yonder tree,
For such a costly robe," said he,
"Cannot be rot in the salt-water sea, sea, sea,
Cannot be rot in the salt-water sea."
15 "Turn, turn your back to the salt-water sea,
For to gaze on yonder throne;
For such a villain as you never can see,
A handsome lady for to see, see, see."
16 He turned his back to the salt-water sea,
For to gaze on yonder throne;
She picked him up in her arms so strong,
And she threw him into the sea, sea, sea.
17 "Some help, some help, my pretty Polly,
Some help, some help!" said he,
"And if I get on shore again,
I sure will marry thee."
18 "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted lover,
Lie there, lie there!" said she;
"For it is here you have drowned six kings' daughters,
And the seventh one you shall be, be, be,
And the seventh one you shall be."
19 She mounted upon her bonny, bonny brown,
And she led the dapple gray;
She rode all along the most lonesome road,
Three hours before it was day, day, day.
20 She rode till she came to her father's house,
Which was in sight of town,
And down she jumped and in she slipped
And shut the gates all round, round, round,
And shut the gates all round.
1. Stanza 1, I assume; this stanza is incomplete.