King John and the Bishop
by Phillips Barry
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 21, No. 80 (Jan. - Mar., 1908), pp. 57-59
KING JOHN AND THE BISHOP
BY PHILLIPS BARRY
THIS fine old English ballad, still current among the plain folk of England, is by no means lost to popular tradition in the New World. The following version, sung to a sterling British folk-melody in the AEolian mode, is well worthy of preservation as a treasured relic of the good old days.
[Music]
For he did great wrong, and maintained little right.
Chorus. - With my derry-i-down,
Heigh-down,
Derry-der-ray!
2. . ... "in this stead,
With my crown of gold so fair on my head,"
...... "in such (your) despite,
Your head shall be taken from your body quite."
4. "My first question is, without any doubt,
How long I'd be travelling this wide world about?"
"You rise with the sun, go down with the same,
In twenty-four hours you will it obtain."
5....... .......
. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ?
58 7ournal of American Folk-Lore.
6. "Our Savior for thirty pieces was sold
Unto the Jews, both wicked and bold,
I think twenty-nine must be your just due,
For I'm sure He was one piece better than you!"
7. "And from my third question you must not shrink,
But tell me truly what I do think!"
"My answer, here 't is, 't will make you quite merry,
You think I'm the Bishop of old Canterbury!"
8. "But I'm his poor shepherd, as now you do seel"
"You bring him a pardon from good King John."
Ballad themes not infrequently are preserved in the form of a parallel
prose tradition, sometimes derived from the ballad, sometimes clearly
independent of it, and older. In connection with the theme of King
John and the Bishop, the following humorous tale may well be recorded
here.
Once there were two Irishmen who looked exactly alike. One
was named Pat, the other Jimmy. Pat wished to be a policeman, and
promised to vote for a certain candidate for mayor, if the latter, when
elected to the office, would appoint Pat to a place on the force. After
election, Pat went to see the Mayor, who, however, tried to put him
off, on the ground that he was too ignorant to be a policeman. Still,
he promised Pat the appointment, if he could answer the following
questions: -
i. How large is the moon ?
2. How many stars are in the heavens ?
3. What am I thinking?
These questions Pat was to answer before the end of the following day.
In despair, he left the Mayor's office, and on the street he met Jimmy,
his double. The latter, on learning the reason for Pat's discouragement,
offered to go before the Mayor in Pat's place, and answer the questions.
Next morning the following dialogue took place in the Mayor's office.
Jimmy. "Good morning, Mr. Mayor. I've come to answer those
questions."
x Contributed to my collection, Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States, by S. A. F.,
Providence, R. I., as recollected by M. E. E., in whose family it is traditional. March
5, i907.
King 7ohn and the Bishof. 59
Mayor. "All right, Pat. Tell me first, how large is the moon."
Jimmy. "Your Honor, it's just four quarters!"
Mayor. "Very good. Now tell me, Pat, how many stars are in fhe
heavens."
Jimmy. "Eleven million, eleven thousand, eleven hundred and
eleven. If you don't believe what I tell you, just go ahead and count
them yourself !"
Mayor. "Very well, Pat. Tell me the answer to the third question,
-what am I thinking ?"
Jimmy. "Why, you're thinking it's Pat, but it's Jimmy!"
BOSTON, MASS.
" Told at a "neighborhood social," March, 1907, by R. B. O., Vineland, New Jersey,
native of Fulton, Missouri.