Lady Margaret & Sweet William- Bryant (IN) 1935 Brewster B
[From Brewster: Ballads and Songs of Indiana; 1940. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2014]
11. FAIR MARGARET AND SWEET WILLIAM (Child, No. 74)
Five variants of "Fair Margaret and Sweet William" have been contributed to the Indiana collection. They resemble Child B in the conversation between William and the ghost of Margaret and in the rose-and-briar ending, but are like A in that the dream is William's instead of his bride's. The story, briefly, is this: Sweet William arises early one morning and dresses in blue. He says that there is no strong bond between Lady Margaret and himself, and adds that on the morrow she will see his bride. As he and his bride pass by, Lady Margaret is standing in her bower window (or door) combing her hair. In her emotion she drops the ivory comb, dashes out, and is never seen again. That night her ghost appears at Sweet William's bedside and asks how he likes his bride. His reply is that he likes best the lady who stands at the foot of the bed. He wakes, tells his bride of a fearful dream, and asks her permission to visit Lady Margaret. He is admitted by the latter's brothers, who inform him that she is dead and in her coffin. He kisses her farewell, and dies of sorrow. They are buried side by side, and plants entwine above their graves.
For American texts, see Barry, Eckstorm, and Smyth, p. 134 (two variants and one air); Belden, No. 5; Brown, p. 9; Campbell and Sharp, No. 17; Cox, p. 65 (seven variants); Davis, p. 221 and p. 570 (melodies); Hudson, Folksongs, p. 87; McGill, p. 69; Mackenzie, Ballads, p. 25; Mackenzie, p. 124; Scarborough, Song Catcher, p. 103; Shearin, p. 3; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Wyman and Brockway, p. 94; Journal, XIX, 281; XXIII, 381; XXVII, 154; XXVIII, 200; XXX, 303; XXXI, 74; XXXV, 340; JFSS, II, 289; III, 64; Randolph, The Ozarks: An American Survival of Primitive Society, 182-83 (text and air); Neely, Tales and Songs of Southern Illinois, pp. 141-42.
B. "Lady Margaret and Sweet William." Contributed by Mrs. Thomas M. Bryant, of Evansville, Indiana. Vanderburg" County. November 16, 1935.
1. Lady Margaret was sitting in her chamber so high,
A-combing of her hair,
When she spied Sweet William and his wedded lady
A-taking of the air.
2. Lady Margaret threw down the ivory comb
And vanished from that place,
And all that day and all that night
Lady Margaret was seen there no more.
3. The day being past and the night a-coming on,
When most of the men were asleep,
Lady Margaret came walking softly downstairs
And stood at William's bed feet.
4. "It's how do you like your fine feather bed,
And how do you like your sheet?
And how do you like your wedded lady
That all in your arms does sleep?"
5. "Very well do I like my fine feather bed;
Very well do I like my sheet;
Much better do I like little Lady Margaret
Who stands at my bed feet."
6. The night a-being past and the day a-coming on
When most of the men were awake,
Sweet William turned over to his wedded lady,
And (her) all in his arms did take.
7. "What dreams! what dreams! what dreadful dreams!
What dreams I dreamed last night!
I dreamed that my sheet was of pure blood
And my house was all French white."
8. "I dreamed that the river was of sweet wine,
And the white ducks swimming down;
So I will arise and go to Lady Margaret's house,
All by the leave of you."
9. He rode and he rode till he came to her gate,
And rattled at the ring,
And none was there but her servants all told
To arise and let him in.
10. "What dress, what dress, what dress is this
That makes you all so blue?"
"We are mourning the death of our Lady Margaret,
Who died for love of you."
11. "Wind down, wind down those snow-white sheets
And let me view the dead,
And let me kiss those pale young lips
That was once so cherry-red."