Lord Thomas & Brown Girl- Smith (AR) 1959 Parler
[From Ozark Folksong Collection- Reel 316, Item 4, collected by M. C. Parler. Parler's comments follow.
R. Matteson 2014]
Parler comments that the "words, which were given me in manuscript by her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Violet Smith, a student in Arkansas Folklore in the summer of 1959."
Lord Thomas and The Brown Girl- as sung by Mrs. Drettie Smith of Winslow, Arkansas; July 25, 1959.
Mother, oh! Mother, says he
Come give me your desire.
Shall I marry fair Eleanor
Or bring you the brown girl home?
The Brown girl she has house and lands,
Fair Eleanor has none
And for my blessing my own dear son
Go bring me the Brown girl home.
He dressed his marshal[1] up in blue.
Himself he dressed in white
And every town that he passed through
They took him to be some knight.
He rode until he came to fair Eleanor's home.
And tinkled at the ring
No one was so ready as fair Eleanor
Herself to arise and let him in.
(Mother Smith can't remember the 5th and 6th verses.)
Mother, oh Mother, says she
Come give me your desire.
Shall I go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Or stay at home with you?
Oh some will be your friends my dear
But more will be your foes.
And for my blessing my own dear child
I'd rather you would stay at home.
Oh some will be my friends you say.
But more will be my foes.
But be me dead or be me alive
To Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go.
She dressed her merry men[2] up in red.
Herself she dressed in green
And every town that she passed through
They took her to be some queen.
She rode till she came to Lord Thomas's hall
And tinkled at the ring.
No one was so ready as Lord Thomas to arise
And let her in.
He took her by the lily white hand
And led her through the hall.
And sit her down at the head of the table.
Amongst the fair ladies all.
Is this your bride Lord Thomas she said?
She looks most awfully brown.
When you might have had as fair a
lady as the sun shone on.
Despise her not fair Eleanor.
Despise her not to me.
Much more do I love your little finger
Than I do her whole body.
The Brown girl had a little pin knife
Which was both keen and sharp.
She gave fair Eleanor a fatal wound
She pierced it through her heart.
Oh whats the matter fair Eleanor
What makes you look so pale
Your cheeks are like a cherry, so red
But now your color doth fail.
Oh, whats the matter Lord Thomas she said
Oh, why can you not see
Oh don't you see my own hearts blood
Come trinkling down by me.
Lord Thomas he had a little sword.
Which was both keen and small.
He cut the brown girls head off
And stone it against the wall.
Go dig my grave my dearest friends
Go dig it wide and deep
And bury fair Eleanor in my arms.
And the Brown girl at my feet.
He put the handle toward the floor.
The blade toward his heart.
Did you ever see three travelers[3] meet
And all so quickly part?
1. probably derived from "merry maid" or "merry men" as some distant time.
2. clearly not understood- originally "marryman"
3. usually "lovers"