Lady Margot- Mullens (KY) 1933 Niles B
[From the Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles, 1961. Niles has admitted (Wilgus ) re-creating and arranging ballads. Certainly this may be collected from tradition and rewritten as is the case with some of Niles ballads. The first stanza is not traditional- who knows?
R. Matteson 2014]
Lady Margot- Carson Mullens (Hindman, KY) 1933 Niles B
1 Sweet Willie rose in the month of May,
And he dressed in green and gold,
Said, "I can't forget the love of fair Margot,
That never, never grows cold."
2. "I have no harm for fair Margot,
And she has no harm for me.
But some fine morning at eight o'clock,
My bride surely shall see.
3. Fair Margot was in her dowel* room,
A-combing her wonderful hair,
When she saw Willie and his new-wedded wife
That made such a handsome Pair.
4. Oh, down she flung her ivory comb,
In silk she tied her hair,
And out of her dowel room she ran,
And was never again seen there.
5. When day was gone and night had come,
And honest men did sleep,
Something appeared to Willie and wife
And stood at their bed feet,
6. Sayin', "And how do you like the way of your bed,
And how do you like your sheets?
And how do you like your new-wedded wife
That lies in your arms and sleeps?"
7. "Oh, it's very well I like my bed,
And better I like my sheets,
But best of all is the lady gay
That stands at my bed feet."
8. He called up his mounting men,
By one, by two, by three,
Said, "I'll quickly away to fair Margot's bower
And leave my new lady."
9. He rode up to Margot's dowling door
And quickly kicked the ring,
And none was so handy as her brothers tall
To run and let him in.
10. Fair Margot was not in her dowling room,
Fair Margot was not in the hall,
Lady Margot was in her coffin so long,
Lyin' pale agin the wall.
11. Her father budged the coffin lid,
Her brothers unwound the sheet,
Sweet Willie kissed her clay-cold lips
And died at her dear feet.
12. Fair Margot died like it was today,
Sweet Willie died of a morrow.
Fair Margot died of pure true love,
Sweet Willie died of his sorrow.
13. Fair Margot was buried in the lower grave,
Sweet Willie in the higher.
Her heart did sprout a red, red rose,
His heart did sprout a briar.
14. The rose and briar grew and grew
Till they could grow no higher,
And then they looped and tied a knot,
The red rose and the briar.
* perhaps bower