Young Hunting- Hall (Georgia) 1914 Sharp F
[Sharp's generic title. From English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, I, 1917 (Sharp/Campbell) and 1932 (Sharp/Karpeles). Notes from the 1932 edition follow.
This version was not collected by Sharp but was sent to him from Mrs. Campbell's collection which was in a collaboration with other members of the Council of Southern Mountain Workers, especially Katherine Pettit of the Hindman Settlement School and Isabel Rawn of the Martha Berry School, neither of whom were credited in either the 1917 or the 1932 edition of EFSSA. (ref. In the world of my ancestors: The Olive Dame Campbell Collection of Appalachian folk song, 1908-1916; Turner).
It's possible this ballad was collected by Rawn and sent to Campbell. Bronson, however, says Sharp got it from Campbell who got it from Mrs. Hall. Several ballads from Georgia were obtained by Rawn for Campbell, need to check Sharps diary.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
Notes from the 1932 Edition: No. 18. Young Hunting.
Texts without tunes: — Child's English and Scottish Popular Ballads, No. 68. Cox's Folk Songs of the South, p. 42 (see also further references). Journal of American Folk-Lore, XX. 252.
Texts with tunes: — Child, v. 416. Reed Smith's South Carolina Ballads, p. 107. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xviii. 295 (tune only); XXX. 289. British Ballads from Maine, p. 122. Davis's Traditional Ballads of Virginia, pp. 182 and 566. Sandburg's American Songbag, p. 64. Compare And you shall have the cheers of the cheer cold girl' of D. 4 with 'Ye shall hae cheer, an charcoal clear' in Child's version K 4. Tune H, with text of version G, is published with pianoforte accompaniment in Folk Songs of English Origin, 1st Series.
F. Young Hunting- Sung by Mrs. Hall, GA 1914.
1. Come in, come in, loving Henry, said she,
And stay all night with me.
For it's been almost one quarter of a year,
Since I spake one word unto thee.
2 I can't come in, Lady Margaret, said he,
Nor stay all night with thee,
For the girl that I left in the Arkansas land
Will think long of my return.
3 Then stooping over the great high fence
And kissing all so sweet,
She had a penknife in her hand
And she plunged it into the deep
4 Some taken him by his lily-white hands,
Some taken him by his feet,
And they carried him to the broad water side
And plunged him into the deep.
5 Lay there, lay there, loving Henry, said she,
Till the meat drops off your bones,
And the girl you left in the Arkansas land
Will think long of your return.
6 Come in, come in, pretty parrot, said she,
And sing all on my knee;
Your cage shall be made of ivory beaten gold
And the doors of ivory.
7 I can't come in, Lady Margaret, said he,
Nor sing all on your knee,
For you are the girl that killed loving Henry,
And surely you might kill me.
8 I wish I had a bow and arrow,
And it all in its prime,
I'd shoot yon yonders pretty little bird
That sits on that tall pine.
9 Who cares I for your bow and arrow,
And it all in its prime,
I fly away to some lonesome valley
And light on some high pine.