A Gentle Young Lady- Richter (Penn.) 1946 Bayard
[From Pennsylvania Songs and Legends; Korson 1949, collected and recorded by Bayard. "Gentle" in this case means "genteel."
R. Matteson 2014]
A Gentle Young Lady- Albert E. Richter (Penn.) South Connellsville, PA; 1946 Bayard
1. Oh a gentee young lady 'way down in yonders lane,
She met Mister Woodbury, the keeper of the game,
Said Mister Woodbury to her, if it wasn't for the law and all,
I would take this fair maid in my arms and roll her from the wall.
2 Oh go away you foolish man and don't bother me,
Before you and I in one bed lie, you cook me dishes three,
Three dishes you will cook for me and I will eat them all,
Before you and I lie in one bed and I lie next to the wall.
3. For my breakfast you cook for me a cherry without a stone,
For my dinner you will cook for me a bird that has no bone;
for my supper you will fry for me a bird that has no gall,
Before you and I in one bed lie, and I lie next to the wall.
4. Oh, a cherry when in its blossom, it hasn't any stone;
A chicken when in a egg, I know it has no bone.
The dove she is a gentle bird, she flies without a gall-
So jump into my arms, my love, and I roll you from the wall!
5. Oh, go away, you foolish man, before you me perplex;
Before you and I in one bed lie, you answer questions six.
Six questions you will give to me, and I will name them all,
Before you and I in one bed lie, and I'll lie next to the wall.
6. What rounder is than my gold ring, what's deeper than the sea,
What is worse than a woman's tongue, what's higher than the tree?
What bird sings first, and which one best, and where does the dew first fall,
Before you and I in one bed lie, and I lie next the wall.
7. Oh, this globe is rounder than your gold ring, hell's deeper than the sea,
The devil is worse than a woman's tongue, heaven's higher than the tree;
The lark sings first to which one best, and on the treetops dew first falls,
So jump into my arms, my love, and I roll you from the wall!
8 Oh, So away, you foolish man, and don't you bother me;
Before you and I in one bed lie, you get me articles three.
Three articles you will get for me, and I will use them all,
Before you and I in one bed lie, and I'll lie next to the wall.
9. First I want some farren fruit that in Car'lina grew;
Next I want a silk dallman[1] that never a warm male threw;
Next I want a sparrow's horn, it will do us one and all,
Before you and I in one bed lie, and I'll lie next the wall.
10. Oh my father has some farren fruit that in Car'lina grew;
My mother has a silk dallman that never a warm male threw;
The sparrow's horns are easy found, there's one for every call (claw);
Saint Patrick is the preece and swarm[2] so I'll roll you from the wall.
11. Oh it's now to finish and conclude all these funny things,
This couple now is married, and happy as can be.
She's not so very handsome, nor not so very tall.
But still he takes her in his arms and roils her from the wall.
1. This is possibly a perversion of. man-dall, i.e ., mantle. But perhaps for dolman.
2. Originally, priest wnborn.