Constant Farmer's Son- Tom Lenihan (Knock) 1977
[From: Jim Carroll and Pat Mackenzie Collection, their notes follow:
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/songs/cmc/constant_farmers_son_tlenihan.htm
The notes show a lack of understanding of the broadside attributed to George Brown of London in c. 1832, which is likely not traditional and for that reason Sharp would not include the original song. It is based on The Bramble Briar (not directly on Boccaccio's old story).
R. Matteson 2016]
This story of social misalliance and murder was probably old in the 14th century when Boccaccio used it for the plot of the fifth tale told on the fourth day in The Decameron. It has persisted in one form or another down the ages, and appeared in the tradition as Bruton Town, or The Bramble Briar, a song which F J Child rejected when compiling his ballad collection.
According to one writer who described it as 'a doggerel version of Bruton Town', The Constant Farmer's Son was a re-modelling of that song by mid-19th century broadside printers which, he claimed, completely dislodged the earlier forms.
Tom learned the song from a written text supplied by Joe Gilligan, a native of Crusheen, and fitted his own tune to it.
Ref: The Wanton Seed, Frank Purslow, EFDSS Publications 1968. Other recordings: Josie Connors, From Puck to Appleby, Musical Traditions, MTCD235-6
Constant Farmer's Son - sung by Tom Lenihan, Knockbrack, Miltown Malbay on September, 1977. Tom learned the song from a written text supplied by Joe Gilligan, a native of Crusheen, and fitted his own tune to it.
There was a rich farmer's daughter
Near Limerick Town did dwell,
She was modest, fair and handsome
And her parents loved her well,
She was admired by lords and squires,
But all their hopes were vain;
She had but one, a farmer's son,
Young Mary's heart would gain.
A long time young Willie courted her
And appointed the wedding day.
Her parents, they did give consent,
But the brothers they did say;
"There is a lord who pledged his word,
And him yous will not shun,
For we'll betray and we will slay
Your constant farmer's son."
There was a fair not far from there,
The brothers went straightway.
And asked young Willie's company
With them to pass the day.
The day being gone, the night came on,
They said his race was ran,
And 'twas with two sticks the life did take
Of the constant farmer's son.
As on her pillows Mary lay,
She had a dreadful dream,
She dreamt she saw her own true love
Lying in yon crystal stream.
Mary arose, put on her clothes,
To seek her love she ran,
But 'twas dead and cold she did behold
Her constant farmer's son.
The tears rolled down her ruby cheeks,
All mingled with his gore;
And to relieve her troubled heart
She kissed him o'er and o'er.
She gathered green leaves from the trees
To shade him from the sun.
Since that night and day she passed away
With her constant farmer's son.
Hunger it came on her
And she wept with bitter woe,
And to find out the murderer
She straightway home did go.
"Oh parents dear, you soon will hear
Of this dreadful deed that's done,
For in yonder vale lies cold and pale
My constant farmer's son."
Up comes the eldest brother
And swore it was not he,
The same reply the youngest gave,
But swore more bitterly.
But Mary said, "Now don't ye run
Or shun the deed that's done,
You have done the deed and you will swing
For my constant farmer's son."
Those villains soon, they owned the guilt
And for the same did die.
The doctors got their bodies
For to practice by.
But Mary's thoughts both night and day
On her dead love did run;
In the madhouse cell poor Mary dwells
For her constant farmer's son.