Little Eleanor- Percival (Vt.) 1905 Barry A
[From: Traditional Ballads in New England I by Phillips Barry; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 18, No. 69 (Apr. - Jun., 1905), pp. 123-138. More information about the informants was provided by Bronson (in TTCB, 1962) who looked at the MS.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
II. LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET
A. "Little Eleanor." Recorded February, 1905, by May E. Beane, Irasburg, Vt., from the singing of an aged man Solon G. Percival born in Glover, Vt.
1. Lord Thomas a bold officer,
A keeper of a King's deer,
Fair Eleanor a gay Lady,
Lord Thomas he loved her dear.
REFRAIN, - Fair Eleanor a gay Lady,
Lord Thomas he loved her dear.
2 "Come riddle us, riddle us, mother," he said,
"Come riddle us both as one,
Had I better marry Fair Eleanor,
Or bring the brown girl home?"
3. "The brown girl, she has houses and lands,
Fair Eleanor, she has none,
So now I will advise you, as a blessing,
Go bring the brown girl home!"
4. He dressed himself in his best attire,
His clothing all in white,
And every city that he rode through,
They took him to be some knight.
5 And when he came to Fair Eleanor's door,
He knocked so hard on the ring,
There was none so ready as Fair Eleanor,
To arise and let him in.
6 "What now, what now? " Fair Eleanor cried,
"What news do you bring unto me? "
"I have come to invite you to my wedding!"-
"That's very bad news!" said she.
7 "Come riddle us, riddle us, mother," she said,
"Come riddle us both as one,
Had I better go to Lord Thomas's wedding,
Or had I better stay at home?"
8. "There are few would prove your friends, daughter,
There are many would prove your foes,
So now I'd advise you as a blessing,
Lord Thomas's wedding don't go!"
9. "There 's few would prove my friends, mother,
There's many would prove my foes,
Betide my life, betide my death,
Lord Thomas's wedding I will go."
10. She dressed herself in her best attire,
Her clothing all in green,
And every city that she rode through,
They took her to be some queen.
11. And when she came to Lord Thomas's door,
She knocked so hard on the ring,
There was none so ready as Lord Thomas himself,
To arise and let her in.
12 "Is this your bride?" Fair Eleanor cried,
"To me she looks wondrous wan,
You might have had me, as gay a lady,
As ever the sun shone on!"
13 The brown girl, she had a knife in her hand,
It was both long and sharp,
She placed it against Fair Eleanor's side,
And pierces it to her heart.
14. "What ails you, what ails you?" Lord Thomas cried,
"To me you look wondrous wan,
The blood that was in your cherry red cheeks
Is all faded away and gone!"
15. "Oh, where are your eyes?" Fair Eleanor cried,
"Can't you but skim the seas?
The blood that was in my cherry red cheeks
Is trickling down my knees ! "
16. Lord Thomas, he had a sword in his hand,
It was both sharp as an awl,
And with it he cut the brown girl's head off,
And threw it against the wall.
17 He laid the sheath down on the ground,
He put the point through his own heart,
Did you ever see three lovers so soon met,
That were so soon apart?