Tulsey Brim- Sigmund (AR) 1955 Parler
[Fragment of The Two Sisters from Ozark Folksong Collection, Reel 230, Item 2. Collected by Mary Celestia Parler. Transcribed by Neil Byer.
Curiously this title is a mondegreen for "Salty Brim." It's not known if the collector or informant knew this but I assume this is what the informant sang, not what was heard by the collector. The beginning and ending stanzas are missing.
R. Matteson 2014]
Brief bio on the collector: Mary Celestia Parler married Vance Randolph in 1962 after working with him for over 12 years. She was born in South Carolina in 1904, the daughter of a country doctor and farmer, Marvin Lamar Parler, and a local historian, writer, and teacher, Josie Platt Parler. A Chaucer scholar she move to Arkansas in 1948 and launched the Arkansas Folklore Research Project through her Arkansas Folklore courses at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. From 1949-1965, Parler, her research assistants, who included Max Hunter and students made 3,640 audio folklore and folksong recordings.
Tulsey Brim - Sung by Kendall Sigmund; Butler's Ford, Ark., September 17, 1955
As they went walking over Tulsey Brim,
Bow down, bow down,
As they went walking over Tulsey Brim,
Most dear to me,
As they went walking over Tulsey Brim
The old one pushed the young one in,
I'll be true to my love, my love'll be true to me.
First she sunk and then she swum,
Bow down, bow down,
First she sunk and then she swum,
Most dear to me,
First she sunk and then she swum
Into the willow tree she dumb,[1]
I'll be true to my love, my love'll be true to me.
Sister, oh, Sister, hand down your hand,
Bow down, bow down,
Sister, oh, Sister, hand down your hand,
Most dear to me,
Sister, oh, Sister, hand down your hand
And you shall have my house and land,
I'll be true to my love, and my love'll be true to me.
I shall not hand you down my hand,
Bow down, bow down,
I shall not hand you down my hand,
Most dear to me,
I shall not hand you down my hand,
Nor I don't want your house and land,
I'll be true to my love, and my love'll be true to me.
Sister, oh, Sister, hand down your glove,
Bow down, bow down,
Sister, oh, Sister, hand down your glove,
Most dear to me,
Sister, oh, Sister, hand down your glove,
And you shall have my own true love,
I'll be true to my love, and my love'll be true to me.
I shall hand you down my glove,
Bow down, bow down,
I shall hand you down my glove,
Most dear to me,
I shall hand you down my glove,
And I shall have your own true love,
I'll be true to my love, and my love'll be true to me.
1. This almost matches the title! It's usually "she swam" which rhymes with "dam" so this has "she swum" which rhymes with --you guessed it-- "dumb." Is that dumb or just plain "dumb"?