Lord Thomas- Healy (MA-IR) 1867 Child Dg
[From English and Scottish Popular Ballads; Volume 3: Ballads 54-82; Published June 1885.
Child says this was: "Taken down by me, February, 1881, from the recitation of Ellen Healy, as repeated to her by a young girl at "Lackabairn," Kerry, Ireland, about 1868." (Child took at least two ballads from Healy, these notes are for Lord Randal).
At that time Child was in Boston at Harvard preparing to publish Volume 1, so I assume he took this down in Boston at that time.
The changes taken from Da follow. It should be remembered that thisis an approximation and that the original MS would be needed to make an authentic version.
R. Matteson 2014]
Dg. Recited to me by Ellen Healy, 1881, as learned by her of a young girl living near Killarney, Ireland, about 1867.
22. come riddle me oer and oer: so 82.
24, 34. the pretty brown girl bring home.
After 3:
He dressed himself up in a suit of green,
And his merrymen all in white;
There was not a town that he rode through
But they took him to be a knight.
9 'Lord Thomas has got company enough,
Fair Ellinor, you have none;
Therefore I charge you with my blessing,
Fair Ellinor, stay at home.'
11 She dressed herself up in a suit of white,
And her merrymen all in green;
There was not a town that she rode through
But they took her to be a queen.
After 12:
He took her by the lily-white hand,
And by the waist so small,
And set her at the head of the table,
...
After 13:
Up spoke the pretty brown girl,
She said ...
'Where did you get the water
That washed your skin so white?'
'There is a well in my father's land,
A place you'll never see,
...
...
14 wanting.
19. Imperfectly remembered.
Lord Thomas he stabbed the pretty brown girl, and then he stabbed himself; and he said,
Bury the pretty brown girl at my feet, and Fair Ellinor in my arms.
A red rose grew out of Fair Ellinor, and a sweet briar out of Lord Thomas's grave, and they grew until they met.
Lord Thomas- From the recitation of Ellen Healy, 1881, learned in Ireland in 1867.
1 Lord Thomas he was a bold forrester,
And a chaser of the king's deer;
Fair Ellinor was a fair woman,
And Lord Thomas he loved her dear.
2 'Come riddle my riddle, dear mother,' he said,
'Come riddle me o'er and o'er,
Whether I shall marry Fair Ellinor,
And let the pretty brown girl bring home.'
3 'The brown girl she has got houses and lands,
And Fair Ellinor she has got none;
Therefore I charge you on my blessing
To bring the pretty brown girl bring home.'
4 He dressed himself up in a suit of green,
And his merry men all in white;
There was not a town that he rode through
But they took him to be a knight.
5 But when he came to Fair Ellinor's bower,
He knocked there at the ring;
But who was so ready as Fair Ellinor
For to let Lord Thomas in.
6 'What news, what news, Lord Thomas,' she said,
'What news hast thou brought unto me?'
'I am come to bid thee to my wedding,
And that is bad news to thee.'
7 'Oh God forbid, Lord Thomas,' she said,
'That such a thing should be done;
I thought to have been thy bride my own self,
And you to have been the bride's-groom.
8 'Come riddle my riddle, dear mother,' she said,
'Come riddle me o'er and o'er;
Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas's wedding,
Or whether I shall tarry at home.'
9 'Lord Thomas has got company enough,
Fair Ellinor, you have none;
Therefore I charge you with my blessing,
Fair Ellinor, stay at home.'
10 'There's many that are my friends, mother,
If a thousand more were my foe,
Betide my life, betide my death,
To Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go.'
11 She dressed herself up in a suit of white,
And her merry men all in green;
There was not a town that she rode through
But they took her to be a queen.
12 But when she came to Lord Thomas's gate,
She knocked there at the ring;
But who was so ready as Lord Thomas
To let Fair Ellinor in.
He took her by the lily-white hand,
And by the waist so small,
And set her at the head of the table,
[Amongst her merry maids all.]
13 'Is this your bride?' Fair Ellin she said,
'Methinks she looks wondrous browne;
Thou mightest have had as fair a woman
As ever trod on the ground.'
14 Up spoke the pretty brown girl,
She said . . .
'Where did you get the water
That washed your skin so white?'
15 'There is a well in my father's land,
A place you'll never see,
. . .
. . .
16 This browne bride had a little penknife,
That was both long and sharp,
And betwixt the short ribs and the long
Prickd Fair Ellinor to the heart.
17 'Oh Christ now save thee,' Lord Thomas he said,
'Methinks thou looks wondrous wan;
Thou wast usd for to look with as fresh a color
As ever the sun shined on.'
17 'Oh art thou blind, Lord Thomas?' she sayd,
'Or canst thou not very well see?
Oh dost thou not see my own heart's blood
Runs trickling down my knee?'
18 Lord Thomas he stabbed the pretty brown girl,
and then he stabbed himself; and he said,
Bury the pretty brown girl at my feet,
And Fair Ellinor in my arms.
19 A red rose grew out of Fair Ellinor,
and a sweet briar out of Lord Thomas's grave,
and they grew until they met.