Lord Thomas- Simmons (AR) pre1903 Belden C
[My title. From: Old-Country Ballads in Missouri, I by H. M. Belden; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 19, No. 74 (Jul. - Sep., 1906), pp. 231-240. The informant is given in Ballads and Songs, 1940.
R. Matteson 2012, 2104]
(C.) [Lord Thomas] Collected by Miss Emma Gertrude Simmons of Berryville, Arkansas from Ethel Doxey of Carrol County, AR. No title given.
"O mother, come riddle to me,
Come riddle both one or two;
Must I go marry fair Ellender
Or bring the brown girl home?"
"I'll say with all my blessing
Go bring the brown girl home;
The brown girl she has house and lands
And fair Ellender she has none."
He mounted on his milk-white steed
So plainly to be seen,
And every city that he passed through
They took him to be some king.
He rode up to fair Ellender's gate
And jingled at the ring;
There was no other but fair Ellender herself
To rise and let him in.
"What news, what news, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"What 's the news for me?"
"I 've come to invite you to my wedding,
And that 's the news for thee."
"O mother, come riddle to me,
Come riddle both one or two:
Must I go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Or stay at home with you?"
. . . . . . .
"I'll riddle both two as one:
If you go to Lord Thomas's wedding
There 'll be some murderin' done."
She dressed herself in lily-white,
Her cumbrance all in green,
And every city that she passed through
They took her to be a queen.
She rode up to Lord Thomas's gate
And jingled at the ring;
There was no other as willing as he
For to rise and let her in.
He took her by her lily-white hand
And led her through the hall;
He set her down at the head of the table
Amongst those ladies all.
"Is this your bride, Lord Thomas?" she said;
" I think she 's most wonderful brown,
When you could have got as fair a lady
As ever the sun shined on."
The brown girl having a knife in her hand,
It a-being most wonderful sharp,
She put it to fair Ellender's breast
And pierced her to the heart.
"Oh, what's the matter?" Lord Thomas he said,
"Oh, what's the matter?" said he.
"Oh, don't you see my own heart's blood
Come twinkling down by me?"
He took the brown girl by the hand
And led her across the hall:
Drew out his sabre, cut off her head,
And kicked it against the wall.
. . . . . .
The point against his breast:
"Here 's the end to three true lovers -
God take their souls to rest!
" O father, O father, go dig my grave,
Go dig it wide and deep,
And bury fair Ellender in my arms
And the brown girl at my feet.
"And on my breast a turtle dove
To show the world we died for love."