Fair Ellender- Phillips (AR) 1954 Parler
[From Ozark Folksong Collection- Reel Item 2. Collected by Mary Celestia Parler. There are several irregular stanzas.
R. Matteson 2014]
Fair Ellender- Sung by Mrs. Clara Phillips Dover, Ark. April 4, 1954
"Oh, Mother, come rede me two by three,
Whether to marry fair Ellender dear,
Or bring the Brown Girl home?"
"The Brown Girl she has house and lands,
Fair Ellender she has none,
Before I grant you all my blessings
Go bring the Brown Girl home."
He rode and he rode till he came to the place,
He tangled up his ring,
There's none so ready as fair Ellender dear,
To arise and let him in.
"What news, what news, what news?" says she.
"Very bad, very bad," says he,
I've come to invite you, fair Ellender dear,
To my wedding dinner today."
She dressed herself in scarlet red,
And dressed her hair in green,
And every city that they went through,
They took her to be some queen.
They rode and they rode till they came to the place,
They tingled at the ring,
There's none so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To arise and let them in.
"Is this your bride, is this your bride,
Is this your bride?" says she,
"I think she looks most brown;
When you could have married as fair a girl
As ever the sun shined on."
The Brown Girl having a knife made a start,
Put the point against fair Ellender's breast
And pressed it through her heart.
"What makes you smile at me?" says he.
"To see my own heart's blood
A-trinkling down by me."
He took the Brown Girl by the hand
And led her cross the hall,
And with his sword cut off her head
And kicked it against the wall.
He waved his sword around and about,
Put the point against his breast,
Saying, "This is the death of three constant lovers;
God send them all to rest.
"Oh, Mother, oh, Mother, go dig my grave,
Go dig it both wide and deep;
Bury fair Ellender in my arms,
And the Brown Girl at my feet."