The Unquiet Grave- Ritchie (KY) 1961 Recording
[This is from Jean Ritchie's 1961 recording for Folkways which has been reissued. It's nearly identical to Child A and the liner notes say Ritchie learned from her Uncle Jason. In her book published in 1968 she writes: This is Uncle Jason's version of "The Unquiet Grave." He would often recite the words, sadly and reverently, and when he came to the lines, "the fairest flower that ever grew is whiter to a stalk," he would murmer almost to himself, "It's so true, so true!"
This is likely an arrangement taken from print sources.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
The Unquiet Grave- Ritchie (KY) 1961 Recording
1 The wind doth blow today, my love,
With a few small drops of rain;
I never had but one true love,
And she in cold grave has lain.
2 "I'll do as much for my true-love
As any young man may;
I'll sit and mourn all at her grave
For a twelvemonth and a day."
3 The twelve months and a day being up,
The dead began to speak:
"Oh who is there sits on my grave,
And will not let me sleep?"
4 " 'Tis I, my love, sits on your grave,
And will not let you sleep;
I crave one kiss of your cold sweet lip,
And that is all I seek."
5 'You crave one kiss from my clay-cold lip;
But my breath smells earthy strong;
If you had one kiss of my clay-cold lips,
Your time would not be long.
6 Oh down in yonder garden green,
Love, where we used to walk,
The finest flower that ever bloomed
Is withered to a stalk.
7 "The stalk is withered dry, my love,
So must our hearts decay;
So make yourself content, my love,
Till God calls you away."