Jenny Go Gently- Judkins (OR) c.1890s Harrison
[My title replacing the generic "Wife Wrapt." There's really no way of dating this ballad- Mrs. Judkins was born in Iowa and moved to Oregon in 1890- so I've guesstimated the 1890s. Giving the pre1952 date seems worse than guessing since many of her ballads were probably learned when she was a young girl.
R. Matteson Jr. 2013]
From: Folk Songs from Oregon
by Russell M. Harrison
Western Folklore, Vol. 11, No. 3, Oregon Number (Jul., 1952), pp. 174-184
After locating several sources and recording their songs, an informant was found who seemingly remembered every song she had ever known. She is Mrs. Clarice Judkins of Eugene, Oregon. Mrs. Judkins was born in Iowa and moved to Oregon in 1890. She attended school in Crow, Oregon, and in Springfield, Oregon. She learned some of her songs while going to school-both in the classroom and from friends who sang to each other for enjoyment. Both sides of her family were musical. Her mother's ancestors can be traced back through Illinois, New York, and the Netherlands. Her father's ancestors came from England and Scotland to Canada and thence to Illinois and Iowa before coming to Oregon. Many of her songs are typical of the English and eastern United States background of her ancestors. Mrs. Judkins' voice is ideal for singing folk songs. It is clear and true of pitch. She changes the quality and the enunciation to fit the mood of the song she is singing. When she was younger she studied voice. This probably accounts for the good tone quality. It does not, however, cause any of her singing to sound unnatural. At the present time the writer has listed titles to more than one hundred of the songs in Mrs. Judkins' repertoire.' This number is expected to reach one hundred and fifty when she has recalled all of the songs which she has learned. As yet, many of them have not been recorded. Eight Child ballads are represented. Of these, all but one have been recorded and notated. Six of Mrs. Judkins' songs which seem most interesting are presented here.
THE WIFE WRAPT IN WETHER'S SKIN (Child, 277)
The first verse of this version is similar to a combination of the first verses in versions A and B in British Ballads from Maine, by Barry, Eckstorm and Smyth, page 323: Jinny come gentle, Rose Marie. The last line is identical with version B mentioned above, with the exception of the word "as." As the dew flies over the green valee. It is also similar to version F in English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Sargent and Kittredge, page 603: Gentle Jenny cried rosemaree As the dew flies over the mulberry tree. For further references see Morris' Folksongs of Florida, page 322.
1. Oh, Billy got a wife and he brought her home,
Jenny go gently Rosamarie.
Better for him had he left her alone.
The dew flies over the green valee. [1]
2. She would not card and she would not spin,
Jenny go gently Rosamarie.
'Fraid of soiling her lily white hands,
The dew flies over the green valee.
3. Into the kitchen she would not go,
Jenny go gently Rosamarie.
'Fraid of soiling her new kid shoes, [2]
The dew flies over the green valee.
4. When Billy came home from foll'wing the plow,
Jenny go gently Rosamarie.
Have you any dinner for me just now?
The dew flies over the green valee.
5. She called him a villain and a dirty whelp,
Jenny go gently Rosamarie.
If you want any dinner just get it yourself,
The dew flies over the green valee.
6. Billy got a sheepskin out of the barn,
Jenny go gently Rosamarie.
Cut him a hick'ry long as his arm,
The dew flies over the green valee.
7. He spread the sheepskin over her back,
Jenny go gently Rosamarie.
The hickory stick went whickety whack,
The dew flies over the green valee.
8. I have brothers, one, two, three,
Jenny go gently Rosamarie.
If they were here you'd not whip me,
The dew flies over the green valee.
9. What care I for your brothers ten?
Jenny go gently Rosamarie.
Guess I'll tan my new sheepskin,
The dew flies over the green valee.
10. Now Billy leads a virtuous life,
Jenny go gently Rosamarie.
Jenny makes him a dutiful wife,
The dew flies over the green valee.
11. She cut the loaf and spread the board,
Jenny go gently Rosamarie.
Yes Sir! No Sir! every word,
The dew flies over the green valee.
My footnotes (Matteson):
1. Not sure why the spelling of valley would be valee.
2. new "cut" shoes? In some versions: new "cloth" shoes.