Three Babes- Griffin (GA-FL) pre1887 Morris A
[My adjusted title. From Folksongs of Florida; Morris, 1950. G.A. Griffin was one Morris's best informants. She learned her ballads from her father in Georgia when she was young.
R. Matteson 2015]
Three Babes- as sung by Mrs. G. A. Griffin, learned in Georgia before 1887
A lady, a lady fair
She had but three small children dear;
She sent them away to some merry-go land
To learn some grammaree.
They hadn't been there but a very short time,
Yet scarcely three months and a day,
Before a sickness fell all over the land
And takened her three babes away.
"O, is there any Lord in the heaven so kind
To send my babes back home?
O, is there any heaven and Lord so fine
To send my babes back home?"
She set her table both forth, both white,
And covered it with bread and wine,
To see if her babes would come and eat,
Yes, eat and drink of mine.
"I can't come in, my own dear Mother,
Nor eat and drink of yours;
For our Savior is standing, calling for us,
And we must go and join."
"Rise up, rise up," said the oldest one;
"Rise up all on your feet;
For our Savior is standing, calling for us,
And we must go and join."
She spread her beds all in the back room,
And there she put three white sheets;
And one of these was a golden one
To see if her babes could rest.
"I can't come in, my own dear Mother,
Nor stay this night with thee;
For our Savior is standing, calling for us,
And we must go and join.
"Green, green grass grows at our feet,
Cold clouds roll over our heads,
And the tears you've shed for us
Have wet our winding sheet."
"Go away, my own dear Mother,
Don't weep no more for us.
If you stay here till the day you're dead,
You'll see no more of us.
"Rise up, rise up," said the oldest one,
"Rise up and let us in,
For our Savior is standing, calling for us,
And we must go and join."