There Was a Woman- Tucker (GA) 1929 Henry
From: More Songs from the Southern Highlands
by Mellinger E. Henry
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 44, No. 171 (Jan. - Mar., 1931), pp. 61-115
2. THE WIFE OF USHER'S WELL (Child, No. 79).
No local title. Obtained from Mrs. Mary Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, 1929. Cox (No. 14) gives five texts recoverd in West Virginia and mentions two others. The present text resembles most B. See also Campbell and Sharp, No. 19; Josephine McGill, "Folk Songs of the Kentucky Mountains", p. 5; Pound, No. 7; Journal, XIII, 119; XXIII, 429; XXX, 305; XXXIX, 96; Shearin and Combs, p. 9.
1. There was a woman lived in Ardell,
And babies, she had three;
She sent them away to the North country
To learn their granerlee. [1]
2. They had not been gone two week -
I am sure it was not three
Till old grim Death come knocking at the door,
And tuck these babies away.
3. When their mother heard of that,
She wrung her hands full sore;
"Alas! alas!" their mother said,
"I will see my babes no more."
4. "There is a King in Heaven, I know,
Who I know wears a crown.
Oh, pray, Lord, do send my babies down."
5. Christmas time was drawing near;
The night drew long and cold;
These three babies come running down the hill,
Into their mother's hall.
6. The table was spread with bread and wine;
"Come, eat and drink, my sweet little babies,
Come, eat and drink, it is mine."
7. "I do not want your bread, dear mare,[2]
Or neither want your wine,
For yander stands our Saviour dear,
And to Him we now must go.
8. She put them in the back room to sleep,
Spread over with clean sheet,
And over the top spread a golden sheet,
To make them venture sleep.
9. "Wake up, wake up," said the oldest one,
"The chickens will soon crow for day,
And yander stands our Saviour dear,
And to Him we now must go.
10. "Farewell, dear father, farewell, dear mother,
Farewell to Aunt Kate and Kane,
For mander[3] stands our Saviour dear,
And to Him we now must remain."
1. [My footnote: Grammaree]
2. For mother
3. Error for yander, yonder