Lord Thomas & Fair Ellen- (KY) 1931 Thomas
[No informant, name or place given, but from KY. From Thomas; Devil's Dities, 1931; also Bronson TTCB, II, 1962.
R. Matteson 2014]
1. "Lord Thomas and Fair Ellen"- Jean Thomas, 1931, p. 88. Devil's Ditties.
1. Lord Thomas he was a gay gentleman,
The lord of many a town,
Fair Ellen was a fair young girl,
Lord Thomas he loved her well.
2. "Come, mother, come, father, come tell me now,
I ask you both as one,
Whether I must marry pretty fair Ellen
Or bring the brown girl home?"
3. "The brown girl she has hours and land,
Fair Ellen she has none;
I would advise you as a great blessing
To bring the brown girl home."
4. He dressed himself in scarlet red
His waiters all in green
And in every town that he rode through
They took him to be some king.
5. Lord Thomas he rode unto fair Ellen's gate,
So loudly tingled and called;
No one more readier than pretty fair Ellen
To arise and bid him walk in.
6. "Oh, what is the news, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"What news do you bring to me?"
"I have come to ask you to my wedding,
The brown girl my bride to be."
7. "Oh, this is very bad news to me,
It is very bad news to me,
For I intended your bride to be
And you bride-groom to me."
8. 'Come, mother, come, father, come tell me now,
I ask you both in one
Whether I must go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Or tarry with thee at home."
9. "O many there may be your friends,
And many may be your foes,
And I would advise you as a great blessing
To tarry with me at home.”
10. "Oh many there may be my friends
And many may be my foes
But I will venture life and fortune," she says,
"And to Lord Thomas's wedding I will go.”
11. She dressed herself in satin so white,
Her waiters all in green;
And every city that she rode through
She was taken to be some queen.
12. She rode unto Lord Thomas's gate,
So loudly tingled and called;
No one more ready than Lord Thomas himself
To rise and bid her walk in.
13. He took her by the lily white hand,
He led her into the hall,
He led her up at the table's head
Among the ladies all.
14. "Is this your bride, Lord Thomas?" she said.
"I think she is most wonderful brown,
When once you could have married as fair a lady
As ever come into this town."
15. "Throw none of your slurs," Lord Thomas, he says,
"Throw none of your slurs on me.
For I love the tip end of your little finger
Better than the brown girl's whole body."
16. The brown girl had a little pen knife,
Blades both keen and sharp,
And between the long ribs and the short one
She pierced fair Ellen's heart.
17. "Oh, what is the matter?" Lord Thomas he says.
"What makes you look so pale?
When once you were as bright and fair color
As any one in your dale."
18. "Are you blind, Lord Thomas," she says,
"Or cannot you very well see,
When I can feel my own heart's blood
Come trinkling by my knees."
19. "I am not blind," Lord Thomas he says,
"l can very well see
And I can see your own heart's blood
Come trinkling by your knee."
20. He took the ,brown girl ,by the hand,
He led her into the hall,
And with the sword chopped off her head
And throwed it against the wall.
21. He put the point towards his breast,
The butt against the wall
Saying, “Here goes the life of three long lovers.
God send their souls to rest."
22. "Go dig my grave," Lord Thomas he says,
"Go dig it both wide and deep
And bury fair Ellen at my side,
The brown girl at my feet.
23. "Go bury fair Ellen at my side,
The brown girl at my feet,
And bury my sword under my head
So sound that I may sleep."