Fair Eleanor- McDonald (Indiana) 1935 Brewster E
[[From Brewster: Ballads and Songs of Indiana; 1940. His notes follow. Brewster also published this version with music in The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 48, No. 190 (Oct. - Dec., 1935), pp. 295-317. See below. The text is apparently wed to the melody sung by another informant, a Mrs. Johnson (Brewster G).
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
10. LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET (Child, No. 73)
Eight texts of this ballad have been recovered in Indiana under the following titles: "Lord Thomas," "The Brown Girl," "Fair Eleanor," "Lord Thomas's Wedding," and "Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor." All belong to the D group of Child, and tell substantially the same story. The hero is in a quandary as to which he shall wed, Fair Eleanor or the brown girl, and takes the problem to his mother. As the brown girl has house and land and Fair Eleanor has none, the advice of the mother is for him to marry the former. He dresses himself in gorgeous attire and with his attendants rides to the home of Fair Eleanor, whom he invites to his wedding. After his departure she asks her mother's advice about attending. The mother advises her to stay at home where she will be among friends, but Fair Eleanor is determined to go. She dresses in fine array, takes her maids with her, and goes to Lord Thomas's hall. He himself admits her, leads her through the hall, and gives her the seat of honor. During the festivities she comments scornfully upon the brown complexion of the bride-to-be. The brown girl overhears her, and stabs Fair Eleanor with a penknife. After a time Lord Thomas notices the pallor of the latter, inquires as to the reason for it, and is told that he must be blind not to see the heart's blood trickling down her knee. When he realizes what has happened, he draws his sword and cuts off the brown girl's head, throws it against the wall, and then uses the sword to kill himself. Dying, he requests that Fair Eleanor be buried in his arms and the brown girl at his feet.
For American texts, see Barry, No. 2; Belden, No. 4 (fragment); Brown, p. 9; Campbell and Sharp, No. 16; Hudson, No. 10; Hudson, Folksongs, p. 78; Journal, XVIII, 128; XIX, 235; XX, 254; XXVII, 71 (melody only) ; XXVIII, 152; XXIX, 159; XXXIX, 94; XLII, 262; Cox, p. 45; Pound, Ballads, p. 27; Barry, Eckstorm, and Smyth, p. 139; Davis, p. 240 (fifteen variants, including fragments) and p. 573 (airs); Greenleaf and Mansfield, p. 18; Mackenzie, Ballads, p. 20; McGill, p. 28; Sandburg, p. 157; Shoemaker, p. 155; Scarborough, Song Catcher, p. 106; Shearin, p. 3; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Thomas, p. 88; Wyman and Brockway, Songs, p. 14; Flanders and Brown, p. 209; Fuson, p. 49; Mackenzie, p. 97; Folk-Iaore Journal, VII, 33; Smith and Rufty, American Anthology of Old-World Ballads, p. 17; PTFLS, X, 144; Henry, Folk-Songs from the Southern Highlands, p. 60; Henry, Songs Sung in the Southern Appalachians, p. 41; Neely, Tales and Songs of Southern Illinois, pp. 136-37; Cambiaire, East Tennessee and Western Virginia Mountain Ballads, pp. 34-36, 115-16.
E. "Fair Eleanor." Contributed by Mrs. Ralph McDonald, of Oakland City, Indiana. Gibson County. March 27, 1935.
1. "Unriddle it, Father; unriddle it, Mother; [1]
Unriddle it unto me,
Whether I should marry Fair Eleanor
Or bring the brown girl home."
2. "The brown girl she has house and lands;
Fair Eleanor she has none;
Before I'd marry Fair Eleanor
I'd bring the brown girl home."
3. "Go saddle my horse, go bridle him quick,
And bring him unto me
That I may ask her..................
To my blest wedding day."
4. He rode and he rode till he came to the gate;
He rattled low on the rein;[2]
And none was so ready as Fair Eleanor
To rise and welcome him in.
5. "What news, what news?" said she to him;
"Sad news, sad news," said he.
"I come to ask you................
To my blest wedding day."
6. "Unriddle it, Father; unriddle it, Mother;
Unriddle it unto me,
Whether I should go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Or shall I stay at home?"
7. "At home, at home you know you have friends,
And there you know you have none;
Before I would go to Lord Thomas's wedding
I'd rather stay at home."
8. She dressed herself in the finest of silk ;
Her waist was amazing green;[3]
And every city that she rode through
She was taken to be some queen.
9. She rode and she rode till she came to the gate;
She rattled low on the rein.
None was so ready as Lord Thomas
To rise and welcome her in.
10. He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her through the hall,
Where four-and-twenty fine ladies sat,
The fairest one of them all.
11. "Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, is this your bride?
I think she's a very dark brown,
When once you might have had as fair a lady
As ever the sun shone on."
12. The brown girl she had a knife in her hand
Both long and keen and sharp,
And with its long sharp blade she pierced
Fair Eleanor to the heart.
13. "Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, it's are you blind,
Or can't you very well see?[4]
...................my own life's blood
Come trickling down by me."[5]
14. Lord Thomas he had a knife in his hand
Both long and keen and sharp;
He cut off the brown girl's head
And threw it against the wall.
15. He placed the handle against the wall
And the blade against his breast:
"Here goes three true lovers;
God send our souls to rest!"
16. "Go dig my grave, and dig it quick;
Dig it wide and deep.
Bury Fair Eleanor in my arms
And the brown girl at my feet."
Footnotes:
1. Unriddle =Come riddle
2. He rattled loud at the ring.
3. For arrayed her maids in green ?
4. This line had been altered to Or can't you see very well?
5. For Come trickling down my knee.
_________________
Traditional Ballads from Indiana
by Paul G. Brewster
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 48, No. 190 (Oct. - Dec., 1935), pp. 295-317
LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ELEANOR
(Child, No. 73)
Five variants of this ballad have been contributed. It is commonly known in this section of the country as "Fair Eleanor" or "The Brown Girl." Communicated by Mrs. Ralph McDonald, Oakland City, who learned it from her mother, Mrs. Frank Corne. Melody: As sung by Mrs. Inez Lysle Johnson.
Lord Thomas he was a bold forester,
A chaser of the king's deer.
Fair Eleanor was a fine woman,
Lord Thomas he loved her dear.
"Come riddle y riddle, dear mother," said he,
"Come riddle us both in one,
Whether I shall marry with Fair Eleanor,
Or bring the Brown Girl home."
"The Brown Girl has money.
Fair Eleanor has none.
Therefore I bid thee, Lord Thomas,
Go bring the Brown Girl home."
"Go saddle my horse, go bridle him quick,
And bring him unto me
That I may ask her ....................
To my blest wedding day."
He rode and he rode till he came to the gate;
He rattled low on the rein (ring),
And none was so ready as Fair Eleanor
To rise and welcome him in.
"What news, what news ?" said she to him;
"Sad news, sad news," said he.
"I come to ask you.....................
To my blest wedding day."
"Unriddle it, father; unriddle it, mother;
Unriddle it unto me,
Whether I should go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Or shall I stay at home."
"At home, at home you know you have friends,
And there you know you have none;
Before I would go to Lord Thomas's wedding
I'd rather stay at home."
She dressed herself in the finest of silk;
Her waist was amazing green,
And every city that she rode through,
She was taken to be some queen.
She rode and she rode till she came to the gate;
She rattled low on the rein;
None was so ready as Lord Thomas
To rise and welcome her in.
He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her through the hall
Where four-and-twenty fine ladies sat,
The fairest one of them all.
"Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, is this your bride?
I think she's a very dark brown,
When once you might have had as fair a lady
As ever the sun shone on."
The Brown Girl she had a knife in her hand,
Both long and keen and sharp,
And with its long sharp blade she pierced
Fair Eleanor to the heart.
"Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, it's are you blind,
Or can't you very well see
...................... my own life's blood
Come trickling down my knee?"
Lord Thomas he had a knife in his hand,
Both long and keen and sharp;
He cut off the Brown Girl's head
And threw it against the wall.
He placed the handle against the wall
And the blade against his breast:
"Here goes three true lovers;
God send our souls to rest."
"Go dig my grave and dig it quick;
Dig it wide and deep;
Bury Fair Eleanor in my arms
And the Brown Girl at my feet."