Barbry Allen- (NC) c. 1930 Lunsford B
[No informant named. My date, corrected title, and designation: version B (there are 7 versions in this collection; one version by Beatrice Dorsey was obviously copied from print and will not be included)). Fragmented version from the Southern Appalachian Archives, Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies, Mars Hill University; Bascom Lamar Lunsford Collection, Box 69, Folder B;
The Lunsford Collection is from c. 1925-1935. Minor editing for spelling, capitalization and punctuation.
R. Matteson 2015]
"Barbry Allen" [1]
In the early month of May
when the rose buds are swelling
My master's sick and sends for you
. . . .
Slowly she rose up
and slowly she rose over
The very first words when she got there
"Young Man I think you're dying".
He turned his pale face to the wall
And softly he went to crying
Do you remember last Saturday "nite"
When we were at the supper
You treated all them girls so kind
And slighted Barbry Allen.
She hadn't got far from the house
When she heard the death bells ringing
She turned and looked from her father's door
And saw the cold corpse coming.
Dear mother, dear mother make down me a bed
Make it both long and narrow
Sweet William died on Saturday night
Barbry died on Monday.
Mother died on Easter Sunday.
They carried Sweet William to a new church yard
Barbre Allen burried by the side of him
[From] Sweet William's sprang a red rose bud
And Barbry's sprang a brier
Here they both tied in a love knot. . .
1. Barbary= Barbre