Lord Thomas- Enzor (KY) 1957 Roberts
[From Roberts; In the Pines, 1978.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
Lord Thomas- As sung by Ina May Enzor from her grandmother Cassie Scott. (Cumberland, Harlan Co., KY) 1957 Roberts
1. Come riddle me down my own dear mother,
Come riddle us both as one,
Whether I must marry fair Ellen
Or bring the brown girl home.
2. I riddle you down my oldest one,
I riddle you both as one,
I grant you my dearest blessing,
To bring the brown girl home.
3. The brown girl has a house and home,
Fair Ellender she has none,
I grant you as my dearest blessing
To bring the brown girl home.
4. Go saddle up my old gray mare,
Go saddle him up for me,
Go saddle up my old gray mare,
Fair Ellener I'll go and see.
5. He rode till he come to Fair Ellender's hall,
He knocked all at the ring,
No one was so ready as Fair Ellender herself
To rise and let him in.
6. What news, what news, Lord Thomas? she said,
What news you come bringing to me?
I've come to ask you to my wedding,
Tomorrow it shall be.
* I've come to ask you to my wedding,
The brown girl my bride shall be.
7. Come riddle me down, my own dear mother,
Come riddle us both as one,
Whether I must go to Lord Thomas' wedding
Or stay at home and mourn.
8. I riddle you down, my oldest daughter,
I riddle you both as one,
I grant you as my dearest blessing
To stay at home and mourn.
* To Lord Thomas' wedding I would go
If I knew I would never return.
9. She dressed herself in scarlet and white
And bound her head in green,
And every town that she rode round
They took her to be some queen.
10. She rode till she come to Lord Thomas' hall,
She knocked all at the ring,
No one was so ready as Lord Thomas himself.
To rise and let her in"
He took her by the lily white hand
And led her across the hall,
And set her down in a chair of gold
Among the ladies all.
Is this your bride, Lord Thomas? she cried,
I think she looks wonderfully brown;
You once could have married as fair a lady
As ever the sun shone on.
The brown girl having a pen-knife in her hand,
It being both long and sharp,
Between the long ribs and the short,
She pierced Fair Ellender's heart.
Are you sick, Fair Ellender? said he,
I think you look wonderful pale,
You once did have as fair a color
As ever I'd wish to see.
Are you blind, Lord Thomas, she said,
Or can't you very well see?
I think I feel my own heart's blood
Come trickling down my knee.
16. Lord Thomas having a sword close by,
It being both sharp and tall,
He hacked the brown girl's head off her shoulders
And kicked it against the wall.
17. A grave, a grave, Lord Thomas he cried,
A grave both wide and deep,
Go bury Fair Ellender in my arms
And the brown girl at my feet.
*Go bury Fair Ellender in my arms
The sounder we may sleep.
*Same music as for previous two lines.