Saw You My True Love John?- Couch (OK) c.1900
[From: BALLADS AND FOLK SONGS OF THE SOUTHWEST (Moores; pub. 1964); no date given, informant was 26 in 1900, I'm guestimating she had learned the ballad at that time.
R. Matteson 2013]
Saw You My True Love John?- Sung by Mrs. Hallie Barnes Couch of Mangum. Mrs. Couch was born in Texas and came to Oklahoma in 1892 when she was eighteen years old.
"Saw you my father, saw you my mother,
Or saw you my true love John?"
"I saw not your father, I saw not your mother,
But I did see your true love John.
"It's not ten at night and the stars give no light
And the bells ring ding, dong, dong;
He met with delay which caused him to stay
But he'll be here before very long."
The sulky old carl did nothing but snarl,
And Johnny's face it grew red.
Yet though he often sighed, he ne'er word replied
Till all were asleep in their bed.
Up Johnny sprang, to the door he did gang,
And gently twilled the pin.
The lassie took a hint; to the door she went,
And she opened and bade him come in.
"Is it you that's here at last, and do I hold you fast?
And is my Johnny true?"
"I have no time to tell, but as long as I love myself,
So long will I love you."
"Fly up, fly up, my bonny grey cock,
And crow when it is day;
Your neck shall be of the bonny beaten gold
And your wings of the silver gray."
The cock proved false, and untrue he was,
For he crew an hour o'er soon;
The lassie thought it day, when she sent her lover away,
And it was but a blink of the moon.