Butcher Boy- Mrs. Ira Rothrock (IN) 1935 Brewster A
[From Brewster, Ballads and Songs of Indiana, 1940. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2017]
34 THE BUTCHER'S BOY
Nine variants have been found in Indiana, most of them badly corrupted. For other American texts, see Barry, No. 41; Belden, No. 21; Campbell and Sharp, II, 76; Cox, p. 430; Hudson, Folksongs, p. 160; Journal, XXIX, 169; XXXI, 73; XXXV, 157; XLIV, 76; XLV, 72; Mackenzie, p. 9; Mackenzie, Ballads, p. 157; Pound, p. 60; Scarborough, Song Catcher, p. 282; Shearin and Combs, p. 24; Fauset, Folk-Lore from Nova Scotia, p. 110; Creighton, Songs and Ballads from Nova Scotia, p. 33; Neely, Tales and Songs of Southern Illinois, pp. 146-49; Henry, Folk-Songs from the Southern Highlands, p. 195. British: JFSS, I, 252; V, 181. For the composition of "The Butcher's Boy," see Cox, headnote, p, 430.
A. "The Butcher Boy," Contributed by Mrs. Ira V. Rothrock, of Mount Vernon, Indiana. Posey County. May 20, 1935.
1. In Jersey City where I did dwell
A butcher boy I loved so well;
He courted me my life away;
In Jersey City I cannot stay.
2. There is an inn in yonder town;
There my love goes and sits him down.
He takes a strange girl on his knee,
And tells to her what he won't tell me.
3. 'Tis grief for me, Til[1] tell you why;
Because she has more gold than I.
But her gold will melt and silver fly,
And such true love will always die.
4. She went upstairs to make her bed,
And nothing to her mother said;
"O Mother, O Mother, you do not know
What pain and grief and sorrow and woe!"
5. And when her father he came home,
He said, "Where has my daughter gone?"
He went upstairs; the door he broke,
And found her hanging upon a rope.
6. He took his knife and cut her down,
And on her breast these lines he found:
"O what a silly girl am I,
To hang myself for a butcher boy!
7. "Go dig my grave both wide and deep;
Place a marble stone at my head and feet,
And on my breast a turtle dove
To show this world I died for love."
1. I'll