Lord Thomas- Huddleston (OK-AR-TN) 1964 Moores
[From Ballads and Folk Songs of the Southwest; 1964 by the Moores. Their notes follow. This is older than 1964, I've yet to do family line.
R. Matteson 2014]
18 Lord Thomas and Fair Annet
The Scottish version of Lord Thomas and Fair Annet (Child, No. 73) is superior to and much more beautiful than the English Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor, which is a broadside from the time of charles II. Bishop Percy classifies the Scottish and English versions as two distinct ballads (see III, 234-34, for the forms and III, 92-55, for the latter). Jamieson, 22,is also of the opinion that" in their origin, they are perfectly independent of each other. Most of the English texts follow the English pattern.
"Lord Thomas and the Brown Girl," sung by Mrs. Lera Huddleston of Milfay, OK. Mrs. Huddleston was born in Arkansas and learned her songs from her parents, who were born in Tennessee.
"Oh, Mother, oh, Mother, come listen to me,
And advise me what to do;
Shall f go marry fair Ellender,
Or bring the brown girl home?'
"The brown girl has a house and lot;
Fair Ellender has none.
Oh, my advice would be to you,
It's to bring the brown girl home."
He dressed himself in silk so fine,
His attendants all in green;
And all the people he passed by,
Took him to be a king.
He rode up to fair Ellender's house,
And knuckled at the ring;
There was none so ready as fair Ellender
To rise and let him in.
"What news, what news, do you bring to me,
What news, Lord Thomas?" she said.
"I come to bid you to my wedding feast."
"That's very bad news," said she.
"Oh, Mother, oh, Mother, come listen to me,
Advise me what to do;
Shall I go to Lord Thomas' feast,
Or stay at home with you?"
"Oh, some will be your friends, my dear,
But some wilt be your foes;
Oh, do not go to Lord Thomas, feast,
But here with me repose."
She rode up to Lord Thomas' house,
And knuckled at the ring;
There was none so ready as Lord Thomas himself,
To rise and let her in.
He took her by the lily-white hand,
And led her through the hall;
' And placed her on the highest seat,
Among the ladies all.
"Is this your wife, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"Her appearance is so brown;
When once you could have married me,
The fairest in the town."
The brown girl has a small penknife,
ft was both keen and sharp;
Between the long ribs and the short,
She pierced poor Ellender's heart.
Fair Ellender turned so very pale,
Lord Thomas inquired of her;
"Oh, are you sick, fair Ellender?
Your cheeks are very pale."
"Oh, are you blind, Lord Thomas," she said,
"Or do you not well see?
Don't you see that my own heart's blood
Is trickling at my feet?"
Lord Thomas had a sword in his stout hand,
And to the brown girl turned;
He cut off her head from her body,
And dashed it against the wall.
Lord Thomas took the very same sword,
And pierced it through his heart,
Saying, "Three lovers so gaily met,
In sorrow for to part."