Barbry Ellen- Williams (AR) 1960 Parler C
[My title. From Ozark Collection (No. 3); collected by Mary Celestia Parler; Reel 334, Item 5.
Part of a group of versions related to Child B.
R. Matteson 2015]
Barbry Ellen- Sung by Mrs. Hattie Wynne Williams of Beech Grove, Ark. January 30, 1960
Way down, way down in Stony town,
Where Willie got his learning,
He fell in love with a truthful girl,
And her name was Barbry Allen.
He courted her for seven long years,
She told him she would not have him,
Poor Willie went home and taken sick,
And was very much like dying.
He sent his servants to the town,
He sent them to her dwelling,
My master is sick and he sends for you,
If your name be Barbry Ellen.
So slowly slowly she got up
And slowly she went to him,
And all she said when she got there,
Young man, I think you're dying.
Oh, yes, I'm sick and very sick,
And death is on me dwelling,
No better, no better I never can be
If I can't have Barbry Allen.
Oh, don't you remember in yonders town,
In yonders town a-drinking
You gave a health to the ladies all around
And slighted Barbry Ellen.
Oh, yes, I remember in yonders town,
In yonders town a-drinking,
I gave a health to the ladies all around
But my heart to Barbry Allen.
He turned his pale face to the wall,
And bursted out a-crying,
Adieu, adieu, to this whole world,
Be kind to Barbry Allen.
And when she was on her highway home,
She heard the death-bell toning,
And every tone would seem to say,
Be kind to Barbry Allen.
She turned to the east, she turned to the west,
She saw a cold corpse coming,
Lay down, lay down, that corpse, she said,
And let me look upon him.
O Mama, O Mama, go make my bed,
And make it soft and easy,
Poor willie died for me today,
I will die for him tomorrow.
O Papa, O Papa, go make my grave,
Make it long and narrow,
Poor willie died for pure, pure love,
And I shall die for sorrow.
They buried Willie in the old churchyard,
And Barbara was buried beside him,
A rose bush came upon Willie's grave,
A briar on Barbey Allen's.
They grew and they grew to the old church top,
Where they could grow no higher,
They looped and they tucked in a true-lover's knot,
And the rose grew around the briar.