Jobal Hunter- Rena Hicks (NC) c.1920
[This version from Rena Hicks was included in Thomas G. Burton's 1978 book, Some Ballad Folks. Rena Hicks was married to Nathan Hicks and the immediate source of Rena's ballad was her aunt Buna and uncle Roby Monroe (it was Roby Monroe's version, Buna recorded it for Folk Legacy). My grandfather collected a few ballads and songs from Nathan in 1933. I've played Hick's dulcimer and done a recording of several folk songs and ballads. Frank and Anne Warner also collected from the Hicks family and their son-in-law Frank Proffitt. Burton did not record Rena Hicks singing this song, since she could no longer sing. Burton goes on to give a "composite of Rena Hicks' written and recited version" as follows (p. 62).
Rena Hicks (b. 1899) learned her version from her aunt Buna and uncle Roby Monroe Hicks (b. 1882). It's a version of Child C, a rare and old version. Rena learned it some time after she was married in 1912 when she was just thirteen (I'm dating it c.1920). The source of this ballad is Roby Monroe, who was the son of Samuel (1848-1929) Hicks and Council Harmon's daughter Rebecca (1842-1919). The same version was sung by Samuel Harmon who learned the Harmon/Hicks version in NC before moving to Cades Cove, Tennessee c. 1880. This version clearly dates back to pre-1880 and older through the family line (the Hicks came from England to Virginia in 1636 and moved to Beech Mountain in the late 1700s.)
Thanks also to Thomas Burton has been helping me with this ballad project.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
JOBAL HUNTER- Rena Hicks c. 1930s
Abe and Bailey had three sons;
The youngest was called Center.[1]
He's gone to the Green's woods hunting
Just like a jobal[2] hunter.
As he walked up the Green Brier Ridge,
Blow your horn, Center,
There he met a Gaily-Dee,[3]
Just like a jobal hunter.
She says, "There is a wild boar in these woods;
Blow your horn, Center,
For he has killed my lord and forty men,
As you are the jobal hunter.
He says, "Oh, how am I to know?"
Blow your horn, Center,
Blow your horn north, east, west and south,
As you are the jobal hunter."
He blowed his horn north, east, west, and south,
Blow your horn, Center.
The wild boar hear him unto his den,
Just like a jobal hunter.
And as they crossed the White Oak Mountain,
Blow your horn, Center,
On their way they went again,
Just like a jobal hunter.
As he slayed the wild boar,
Blow your horn, Center,
The oak and ash they did bend,
As he was a jobal hunter.
As they passed the wild boar's den,
Blow your horn, Center,
There lay the bones of ten thousand men,
As he was a jobal hunter.
They met the old witch wife on a bridge,
Blow your horn, Center,
"Begone, you rogue; you've killed my pig,
As you are the jobal hunter.
She says, "These three things I crave of yourn,
Blow your horn, Center,
'S your 'hawk, your hound, and your Gaily-Dee,[3]
As you are the jobal hunter."
He says, "These three things you can't have of mine."
Blow your horn, Center.
"Is my 'hawk, my hound, and my Gaily-Dee,"[3]
Just like a jobal hunter.
He split the old witch wife through the chin,
Blow your horn, Center.
And on their way they went again,
As you are the jobal hunter.
1. Center appears to refer to Center Hicks, a cousin. I believe this is a personalized creation by Rena Hicks. Another version from NC (Marshall) also has that stanza.
2 jobal=jovial
3. gay lady